Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation is planning to go it alone, with regards to funding for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
A high ranking federation official who wished to remain anonymous, made this disclosure yesterday, in the midst of the ongoing rift between the TTFF and government regarding funds for World Cup 2014 in Brazil.
Newsday was reliably informed that all documents requested by Sports Minister Anil Roberts were duly submitted.
“We have given all that they asked us for and we just do not have anything else for them,” the official claimed.
Contacted yesterday, deputy Permanent Secretary Ashwin Creed could not confirm whether documents from TTFF concerning the World Cup were received, and instead referred the matter to Minister Roberts.
In a public statement recently, Minister Roberts made it clear that government was not prepared to put monies into the coffers of the beleaguered TTFF.
The outspoken minister said that government will hold firm to its agreement to help the TT football team qualify for the World Cup.
He said monies owed to National coach, German Otto Pfister as well as agreed amounts for players will be presented when the TTFF provides documentation.
The documents for the above two comprise the contract signed between coach Pfister and the TTFF and another which indicates the amount each player will receive as fees throughout the qualifying campaign.
The anonymous TTFF executive claimed all these documentation were already sent to the ministry.
But Newsday were told a policy decision was taken at the TTFF to make the body self sufficient in the coming months. The official said, “We will just have to hold a series of fund-raising events to cover our costs. We have agreed to go back to corporate TT for their help.”
This position by the TTFF is expected to be high on the agenda when the they hold an executive meeting next week.
He said the ministry of sports had become a bother by constantly asking for documents that were already submitted to them.
“We have already decided that we will have to fund ourselves if government funding is not forthcoming,” said the official.
The position of the TTFF now means that millions of dollars will have to be raised monthly to offset the cost of salaries, rent, travel and payments of football officials. A report said the TTFF currently owes Pfister in excess of $300,000 and ex-national coach Russell Latapy is also owed money.