Ex-T&T and MLS defender Damani Richards, 21, allegedly held with loaded firearm

Three years ago, former Trinity College student Damani Richards seemed a good bet for a successful career as a top flight footballer. Instead, he could feasibly end up facing the local courts, after he was allegedly held by the Western Division Task Force with a loaded firearm and a quantity of marijuana at his Cocorite home.

Richards was a key member of the Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 Team in 2012. And, in January 2013, was sold to fans of United States Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit, Philadelphia Union, as a stabilising figure for their roster and a terrific long term investment.

Photo: Former Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 Team player Damani Richards.
Photo: Former Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 Team player Damani Richards.

Within a year’s time, due to injury, Richards was waived by Union and third division US team, Harrisburg City Islanders. And, after a brief stint with local Pro League club, Caledonia AIA, he lost his motivation, quit the game and disappeared from the football scene.

Today, instead of being featured on ESPN, Richards was a target of scorn for “Beyond The Tape” host Inspector Roger Alexander, who cooed about the arrest of a “Pro League footballer”.

In truth, Richards quit the Pro League two and a half years ago and Morvant Caledonia United technical director, Jamaal Shabazz, suggested that he might have stayed out of trouble if he remained on the football field.

Shabazz was displeased too that the media had unfairly tainted the local top flight football competition.

“It is funny that when a player gets called to a national team, they don’t say he come from FC Santa Rosa like (Trinidad and Tobago National Under-17 Team captain John-Paul) Rochford,” said Shabazz. “They say he is coming from QRC or whatever school. But as soon as the man gets in trouble, they are ready to heap scorn on the league and the club.

“We do not disown Damani. He trained with us up to 2014 and he played with W Connection… When things like this happen, it shows the alternative route these kids can take when they go contrary to playing football.”

Photo: Former Trinidad and Tobago co-head coach and Morvant Caledonia United co-founder Jamaal Shabazz (right) helps out at a SPORTT Company Easter Camp in 2013. (Courtesy SPORTT Company)
Photo: Former Trinidad and Tobago co-head coach and Morvant Caledonia United co-founder Jamaal Shabazz (right) helps out at a SPORTT Company Easter Camp in 2013.
(Courtesy SPORTT Company)

At 17, Richards was a starting member of the National Under-20 Team, which included current Soca Warriors midfielder Jomal Williams, who plays professionally in Mexico, Portugal-based midfielder Duane Muckette and United States right back Shannon Gomez.

The former Trinity College student began his professional career before any of the aforementioned trio. Just two months after his 18th birthday, Union manager John Hackworth held up the left-sided six foot defender as a symbol of the club’s supposedly shrewd recruitment policy.

“The chatter of us needing to draft a left back was laughable,” said Hackworth, in a letter aimed at Union fans on the team’s website. “We’d already reached an agreement with Damani Richards, who was on trial with us for the last month of this past season.”

Hackworth was effusive in his praise for Richards and vowed to give the teenager the time he needed to settle in Philadelphia.


“[Richards] is a true left back and we feel as though he had more potential to be developed than any left back we saw in the draft,” said Hackworth. “Yes, he’s young and we need to develop him. But this is a player with international experience, who is extremely gifted athletically.”

Richards could not wait to get started.

Photo: Former Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 Team defender Damani Richards (right) trains with Philadelphia Union in January 2013.
Photo: Former Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 Team defender Damani Richards (right) trains with Philadelphia Union in January 2013.

“I see a lot of opportunities to grow more as a player, to help the team, to do very [well] this season,” he told the Union website. “That’s all I want to do. I just want to make a big, big difference at the left back position.”

Richards also credited Pro League club, W Connection, and then Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) technical director Anton Corneal for helping nurturing him and providing him with “the privilege that I had to represent my country at the international level”.

“I am looking forward to making full use of this opportunity and better my understanding of the game,” Richards told the TTFA Media, “and my readiness for a higher level on the international stage.”

Two months later, Union waived Richards before he had played a single game. In the MLS, clubs are only obliged to give guaranteed contracts to players who are 24 years old and have a minimum of three years’ league experience.

So, in Richards’ case, they were able to simply tear up his contract.

Richards moved two tiers down to Harrisburg City Islanders where they realised that the teenager was carrying an injury. He was diagnosed as having “several tears in his abdominal and pelvic areas”.

Photo: Damani Richards and the Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 team train in November 2012. (Courtesy TTFA Media)
Photo: Damani Richards and the Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 team train in November 2012.
(Courtesy TTFA Media)

Wired868 cannot confirm whether Union discovered Richard’s injury and opted to sack him rather than pay for his operation.

The City Islanders did pay for Richards’ surgery but his recovery was slower than hoped. So they also released him.

Richards returned to Trinidad and joined Caledonia. But, at just 19, he struggled to deal with his misfortune. And, just a few months into his short-lived Pro League career, he told Shabazz that he did not want to play anymore.

The significant drop in earnings for the former Trinity schoolboy—some Pro League players earn as little as TT$3,000 a month—was said to be one reason for his disenchantment.

“He was a nice youth and a decent player with a good, educated left foot,” said Shabazz. “It was baffling to me when he walked away from the game. We really wanted him to stay but he said he wasn’t interested in playing football at that level anymore.

“I could see that he was distracted. I think he told me he was getting married and he wanted to get a job.”

It is uncertain what support and guidance Richards had at home and from his family and friends. On 27 July 2015, his father, Earl Richards, appeared in the Port of Spain’s Magistrates Court as one of 11 men charged with the murder of prominent local attorney, Dana Seetahal.

Photo: Earl Richards was one of 11 persons charged for the murder of prominent local attorney Dana Seetahal. He is also the father of ex-Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 defender Damani Richards. (Copyright Newsday)
Photo: Earl Richards was one of 11 persons charged for the murder of prominent local attorney Dana Seetahal.
He is also the father of ex-Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 defender Damani Richards.
(Copyright Newsday)

Richards (E) is still incarcerated, as he awaits justice in one of the country’s most high profiled cases of all time.

His son could also find himself before the Port of Spain courts soon. Feasibly, with a little luck, Richards might have been heading for the Hasely Crawford Stadium to represent the Soca Warriors instead.

 

Editor’s Note: (Trinidad Guardian report) Damani Richards was granted $150,000 bail after appearing before Magistrate Adrian Darmanie in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court accused of three criminal charges: Two for gun possession and one for an illegal drug.

Officers of the Western Division Task Force, led by Sgt Arneaud, searched his apartment and allegedly found a 9 mm pistol, 10 rounds of ammunition, two pistol magazines hidden in the stove and a parcel of marijuana, weighing 44 grammes, in the refrigerator.

Richards, who was represented by attorney Karunaa Bisramsingh, is scheduled to reappear in court on October 12.

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About Lasana Liburd

Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.

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156 comments

  1. Life can be hard. It seems this young man was going through a challenging period and didn’t know where to turn for guidance and solace. I hope it’s not the end for him and that he can be redeemed.

  2. I heard his father is one of the men charged for the murder of Dana Seetahal.

  3. Maybe he was going to take a shot on goal..

  4. another misguided black youth who had it all but threw it away. When will our people ever learn?

  5. There are so many stories out there similar to Damanis, before we try to find out the issues surrounding his downward slide, we beat him down and berate him. When he said he was quitting, who spoke to him and reached out to find out why? You representing your country and getting a stipend, because that what $3000 is. Manyn time jobs are not found for them. Can he pay rent and mind a wife with $3000.00. People expect so much of athletes, to win games and no one is asking the right questions. Don’t forget the Media bashing, This was nothing Alexander had to gloat about. Why his father had to come into the mix? This is similar to Nikosi, our Commonwealth representative, who got no assistance from the former government when he was going abroad and vied for the post which he won. Every time there is news about him, the media always remind us his father was one of the men who got shot outside the Jail last year. Why? How come when is politicians and others in high society kids the media says relative. All I can do is pray for this young man and hope he some how learn from the errors of his ways. Sad. We dont’ know his back story

    • You don’t think his dad was relevant to this story at all?

    • if he was fifteen , not a person who knew he had a gifting, he was able to travel abroad and experience something new, I will say it has to do with the pressure young footballers go through with infighting among sporting organizations, while they are given the crumbs, Dwarika comes to mind, one minute he had a HDC house , next minute it was taken from him because of u know the issues. Brian Wiliams was at Petrotrin , those who play football for the Army and police are assured of a job, but many don;t . Here corporate sponsors have fallen on the job, only if you really good like Bovell, When did Lewis Keshorn, Jehue get sponsorship only after they won medals. Footballers in T&T, always begging for monies owed, ask coach Latapy how much they owe m him, not the ‘white coaches though, you pay them triple times the locals . if footballers don’t go abroad, they ketch they nennen in oil rich T&T.something went drastically wrong with Damani,only speaking to him can the truth be told, everything else is just speculation. not everyone can handle the stress of frustration and stress.

    • I totally disagree on this. His dad was arrested for murder when he was just a 20 year old man. That is the head of the household gone. And just 14 months ago.
      One, it is possible that this created additional financial pressure.
      Two, his dad’s issues could well be a reason why he thinks he needs protection.
      Three, it shows that the environment he lives in is not normal.
      If he and his parents lived separately and had little meaningful interaction, I would say it might be irrelevant. In my opinion, that is not the case here.

    • 20 is a mature man. what do you mean his environmental is not normal. where in T&T has been normal for the last 20 years, from what i read things were going fine , then injury, what was in place to assist him, if nothing you turn back to your what you know, He may have been trying not to repeat the mistakes of his father, which you know can be burdensome for a child all his life and then he had a glimmer of hope,then the rug was pulled from under his feet, What support system was there. Probably he was trying to avert what happened to his father, and he fell into the same trap, but circumstances happened. What were his choices. None of us has walked in his shoes, so we from the outside looking in always feel we know and are always judgmental. Who was there for him, since most people who come out of these situations testify that a person was there for them.

    • Rossana, you thought the article was judgmental?

    • no peoples response to the incident, the article was informative as usual. I gave up cable and don’t have a TV, so I rely on the internet for news, Wired articles and writers, even your guests are usually high quality. Martin Daly I admire. TV 6 sometimes I get connected and the other 2 stations I hardly get them you cant even get news online. we ain’t ready yet, re broadband, we talk ICT , but ………….

    • Yeah. Right. Because I didn’t intend to be judgmental. The boy isn’t even guilty of anything. Not yet anyway.
      He will have to stand the consequences of his decisions. But people should understand that we don’t all have the same opportunities to succeed. That’s a myth.

    • have a blessed one , thanks for the discourse.

  6. What about the concept of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY?

  7. It’s a battle out here inno…. as much as the youths my be talented and full of potentials, the negative forces and influences are tremendous. I pray that this young man doesn’t become another wasted talent. God knows am fed up of seeing so many young gifted men sitting in jail when they could be fulfilling the potential of their God given talent.

  8. If our professional football isn’t revamped this will continue a life of crime gives these men money faster than training 2x a day its all about survival its sad but its a reality.

  9. Huh I never heard about this one lol

  10. The allure of the criminal lifestyle seems to have enticed yet another talented youth. The ease at which money is made from the sale of illegal narcotics will be a great source of temptation

  11. clown…… what were you thinking boy?

  12. Shawn Charles and Kenrick Ramirez i can’t believe the conversation gone to defending school pride yes!! A youngster life is at the cross roads and we wish him well if a school is mentioned as an example no need to get hot under d collar!! Most successful school in football transfer students and THE SUPPORT SYSTEM IN PLACE ACROSS D BOARD IS NO ENOUGH!! Forget school pride for a sec and watch d big picture!!

  13. Lasana Liburd I didn’t even see that comment inno… I would have been on it… because as you rightly said Kenrick Ramirez people might interpret it differently and paint a broad brush… but I know that many students used 14+ to get into the more prominent school from the junior secs, also, all those years before when Trinity wasn’t in 1st division there were alot of transfers. For QRC I had no qualms with that because I know, 1st hand that they were getting a better opportunity on and off the field. The was no pardons when it came to academics. QRC did it yes, Grovey was famous for that when St Anthony’s was in their heyday… I know right now down south… August vacation is when the “transfer window” does open. On looking at that sub thread. That one comment might make some folks feel as if QRC was the only culpable school!!

  14. Good read Lasana Liburd. He needed psychological counselling to deal with his issues. Sad to see such good talent go to waste. There’s still hope for a turn around for him. I wish him the best.

  15. Well said, agreed and knew that is what you meant, was more leaning towards how others may interpret.

  16. I’m not being general Kenrick. I’m saying that QRC is one prestige school that took in junior secondary students at about a half dozen at a time for the specific job of helping their football teams.
    And no matter the reason, there will always be questions about the ethics of that.
    Schools competition was supposed to be our students against your students. For the students who were able to benefit from it, I am happy for them.

  17. Hey Lasana my friend, I will jump in for a rare comment, while you don’t ever make vague statements especially as a true professionally, I would possibly not generalize QRC in that category. Being part of the school for nearly 25 years in some capacity I would say the exams to enter, to stay, the support system (this encompasses a lot) from day 1 – till one decides not to use that support system is geared correctly and there. I will text you details and possibly set up meetings to get ideas to help as we all need to act to help others currently and for the future.

  18. This is sad I trained him at the under 17 level

  19. Wow… had to read twice… and is only when I saw the father’s pic I realised that this was my neighbour! I remember watching this youth go to school passing in d track just down the hill from my house… feeling proud because he was someone like me a rarity in our community(the ones who passed throught the “prestige” school system). You guys would be surprised to see how many parents try to encourage their kids to be like us. I left the area about 10 years ago though when he was probably still in form 1/2. He actually lives in Powder Magazine Phase 1 extension though… but all dey ppl does call Cocorite though… is not a scn… Cocosweet is a nice place!! He really had a strong relationship with his dad. That whole scene probably took a toll on his mental.

  20. Maybe he thought he was playing for Arsenal

  21. This is sad! but what I see, apart from the immediate issue of the marijuana and firearm, is the back story – his hopes for a great future; the disappointment he must have felt when he just got rejected; Lasana’s information about his injury – if they tore up the contract because of his injuries, he would have seen it as both rejection and injustice. And this IS a young man! At his age, a primarily emotional response is not advisable,but it often happens. What is needed then is a steadying hand and a mentor. His father, apparently, may not qualify. I think the whole story speaks strongly to wasted potential in the context of inadequate guidance at the right time. I hope somebody can be there for him now – or we might see even more serious long term problems.

    • I cannot fathom going through what he did at 18. All the well wishes, social media posts of my new life, signing on for that contract in US and imagining myself playing against guys like David Beckham…
      And then to be dumped through no fault of my own and ending back in Powder Magazine within a year and with no real source of income.
      Really sad. And I never liked the US MLS system with their contracts that might as well be written in pencil.

    • And that is why I pray that somebody will take the time to reach out to him now (because I suspect he’s even more angry and frustrated by this time) and support him through this.

    • Yeah. At 21, he has to realise that although he might feel he is an old man, the reality is he can still be anything he wants to be.
      He can ever return to football once he is full rehabilitated from his injuries. A left side player is a plus and that is why all the coaches mentioned that aspect of his game.
      I couldn’t help but think that Stephen Hart has tough luck finding left side defenders. He told me he had pencilled in Akeem Adams for a national call-up just weeks before his heart attack.
      If Damani made it in the US, he would definitely be on the national squad today.

  22. Youth man it’s never too late , to start over . Give your life to Christ ??

  23. I thought a man is innocent until proven guilty. Police visited the man’s home /parents’ home /place of abode and found a loaded gun and some weed. I assume he was in the house alone or with others, so police protocol would mean he would be arrested together with all other adults. Doesn’t mean he’s guilty. Obviously he’ll need a decent lawyer and some financial assistance. Let’s not write him off. There’s still opportunities for intervention. Let’s see if his former clubs and coaches will come to his assistance or turn their backs on him. Obviously this young man needs some strong mentors in his life.

    • The story doesn’t say he is guilty at any point eh. It says only that he may have to face the court and that his football career was derailed and he has reached to a point where is taken out of his home forcibly by lawmen.

    • Fully agree. The story is clear, but I get the impression that bloggers have already assume guilt and that his life / career is derailed. Reminds me of recent story about Leonson Lewis. The story was clear – a coach trying to positively impact his players – but bloggers only chose to focus on his coachman comment.

  24. Lasana Liburd that’s why i does be so aggressive when it comes to sport in this country!! When i say its lives it means to me u does think i over playing it for impact, but this is what coaches and ppl in high risk communities have to deal with every day. Jameel Neptune of Caledonia a relative not close but family u c the tirelessly work ppl like Jamaal Shabazz have to do to motivate guide and still win trophies?? I know d youngster well always respectful welling to learn and listen. I hope he bounce back stronger sometimes is set back is just d beginning of a real great story!! Hold your head up kid the best is yet to come!!

  25. Agreed with just about everything above. Additionally I don’t think we should underestimate the devastating impact on this young man of the circumstances that his father became involved in. It might be telling to take a look at the timelines involved and at the relationship between father and son. There are so many examples all over the world where football has intervened and saved young men from horrific outcomes but in many of those cases in South America it appears that acceptance into a club brings with it some degree of physical separation from the potentially toxic social circumstances. For this young man to be thrown back in there having been provided with no additional skills on exit would have set all the wrong things in motion. If we think of the reasons even our defense force members are retrained and retooled before exit into the civilian world, it should give fresh impetus to the call for the type of local players’ association that would focus on similar strategies.

  26. What gets into these young men’s heads, is it frustration in their surroundings?..why a gun knowing that possession will possibly have serious consequences if caught..beats me…So sad.

  27. so sad.. coupled by the news at the end.. his father is also in deep hot water!! What a sorry mess!!

  28. The problem is what are they putting in place for themselves while they are playing the football year after year be it an education, a trade, a business, or even joining the protective services and making it career while playing the professional football in our sweet country..

  29. What is wrong young man? Get help.Handsome and the world ahead of you. This is very sad. Somebody must help these intelligent young men when they feel hopeless and don’t know who to turn to.

  30. These young men are being let down by everyone around them. Like Jamaal said if he was distracted maybe he was keeping the wrong company

  31. It’s real sad to see these youths go through such adversity. We need to teach them life skills, not just keep them afloat and on the football field, because when things don’t work out on the field, they seem clueless about life outside of sports.

  32. Echo the same sentiments… sad reality

    • I saw a former teammate of mine in Arima end up on the wrong side of the track. And he was always destined to go there to be honest. He came from a family with loads of brothers, little money and too much street smarts.
      And he was a friend too. Really sad.

  33. Yeah. I know we all have a certain amount of responsibility for our lives. But some people lack positive role models. I don’t know if this is the case and I won’t pre-judge him. But we don’t all have the same opportunities.

  34. While I was at the WI Sports 7s football tournament at the Mandela football field eh, I saw two players who really was impressive with their talent and when I asked about them I was told that one of them have no discipline and the other use to play the professional ball in our sweet country but now he is into the bad boy/ crime thing eh I think they was calling him Tiny from Morvant . I just couldn’t believe it because of his tablet eh. Them really good yes

  35. Those eh eh eh….hard on d brain boy. Whe sah

  36. Well Dion Sosa if he had kept plying his trade eh maybe he might have made the millions and that is what I really meant to say eh. Them really good yes

  37. He taking the position of “defender” too seriously so he has to arm himself with what he may claim is a ” defensive tool”

  38. ..This is a tragedy and a sad reflection on the state of youth in our sad country. Football could have kept him straight. Shabazz right. And he’s also right in his statement regarding the granting of credit ro schools and the casting of blame on clubs..

  39. Yeah some schools like Malick and others just use to be about the football and not the players education and the future eh and the Coaches really think that they were doing something great for the school and the sport until finally some schools made it mandatory that the students must pass their subjects in order to represent the school in the sports. Them really good yes

  40. mango he is 21 how much money he could have made as a small player in mls

  41. Really sad. I lost most of a team I coached in Siparia to marijuana and unemployment. The schools and clubs need to provide more support for these young men and women. Tragic.

  42. So why some of these ex football players turning to a life of crime eh, what happened he didn’t make plenty monies playing professional ball eh and then investing to live a comfortable life after his playing days was over eh Them really good yes

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