Dear Editor
Since the pre-election lies, alleged forged letters and spurious pledges from United TTFA (T&T Football Association) as reported in the media local and foreign, I have watched with horror, dismay and concern how they have in fact disunited the T&T football fraternity by their naivety, lack of business acumen and minimal transparency.
My first experience of their lack of professionalism and style was when they abruptly sacked T&T national coach Dennis Lawrence, a few weeks after their November 24, 2019 election win which although their rightful prerogative could have been handled with a bit more empathy for Lawrence, a national hero.
They hauled him before a kangaroo court of numerous individuals in Couva and bombarded him with an assault of unfair criticism and personal attacks before sacking him a few weeks later in a two minute Whatsapp call from the so-called president during the festive season.
When I informed him that the TTFA was now liable for paying him his salary/bonus arrears and the full balance of his contract within 30 days as per his contract his immediate response was that he would settle it soon and had plans organised to do so.
This of course never transpired. In spite of numerous promises and Dennis was forced to take his claim to FIFA which is not a cheap or swift process.
The lack of style, concern, honesty and professionalism shown by William Wallace and his cohorts was an insult to a national hero and compatriot who had worked tirelessly, professionally and always with integrity and dignity in spite of all the fiscal and logistical pressures he too had to endure during his three-year tenure.
To subsequently watch the soap opera of United TTFA evolve with fantasy schemes, dodgy deals, secretive contracts, downright lies and "Walter Mitty" delusional plans to reduce the massive debt burden, just confirmed to me their total unsuitability for the job.
In particular, the punitive Avec kit deal, the nonsensical Arima project and the reliance on the promises and persuasion of a proven hustler just showed how gullible and naive this gang of wishful thinking so-called “United” Board were.
It’s a pity the Normalisation Committee was not appointed the day after the election!
When Wallace eventually admitted due to Startling exposures and revelations in the media that he had kept many of his dealings secret from his board and had not told the truth about many of his actions his puppet master Keith Look Loy disowned him and threatened to have him removed via an EGM (Emergency General Meeting) as he was horrified and deplored this scandalous conduct.
Look Loy reasoned that his "pardnah" had lost the moral high ground and shown an unacceptable level of non-transparency which they had all pledged to eradicate in their pre-election diatribe. His attack on Wallace was public, damaging and reduced his credibility significantly in the eyes of the football fraternity and general public to even continue in the role of president.
Strangely, Look Loy then sidetracked the EGM on advice from lawyers and weeks later once again stood “United” shoulder-to-shoulder with “President” Wallace pontificating about making a principled and moral stand against the crooked "Colonial Masters" in Zurich, Switzerland and their lack of integrity and transparency. The hypocrisy is breathtaking from this bag of wind.
The damage that United TTFA has caused to T&T’s reputation regionally and globally in their short tenure has now culminated in a suspension that has been coming inevitably given the regular provocative and confrontational attacks on the governing body at every opportunity particularly by the Keyboard warrior from Arima who’s angry, and venomous rantings have created a hostile atmosphere at every stage and personify his character.
The anger, confrontation and hostility even made its way into the withdrawal affidavit which was the final straw for FIFA and so ironic after Look Loy on Republic day stated he would not celebrate until the "Colonial Masters" from Zurich had left the country so he must have had quite a night on the "babash" as he got his wish on the same memorable day that FIFA said au revoir!
However, I am still a little confused how he reconciles his bitter hatred of Colonial control with his support and appointment of Lawrence's replacement Terry Fenwick, Peter Miller, Phil Mepham, Christopher Wykes, Laura Hogan and not to mention his friends from Avec and Lavender who when I last looked all come from England.
Regards,
Mike Berry
England