Dear editor: Fifa is bluffing; if it could suspend the TTFA, it would have done so already!

“[…] Normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad is being coached by Fifa, and his game is to get the the members of the TTFA into a meeting to justify his vote before the Fifa Congress (as part of the illusion), to suspend his fellow Trinidadians from the football at the behest of some unseen hand.

“The Fifa President, Council and emergency committee will have clean hands because a Trinidadian businessman with no experience in Fifa politics is eager to hold the bloody knife…”

The following is a Letter to the Editor from ‘Free Democracy’ on the legal impasse between Fifa and the elected officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA):

Photo: Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

“Since the 15 September EGM cannot legally remove [William] Wallace,” according to Wired868’s latest report, “the only hope from concerned stakeholders is that he can be swayed through moral persuasion, magnified by their numbers.”


And pray tell, what morality is that?

Here’s the thing though: if the Fifa President, the Fifa Emergency Committee or even the Fifa Council could ban the TTFA in this case, they would have done it already. They don’t have the legal or moral authority to carry out injustice.

So their game is to posture and create the illusion that the members (national associations) of Fifa are willing to commit this injustice while their hands (the president and his council) are clean. Nice racket eh?

They need votes in the Fifa congress beforehand to carry out this bluff against Wallace and force him to give up his rights because Fifa can’t unilaterally suspend the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago.

It’s just amazing to any onlooker that the Trinidadian government does not provide clarity in this situation. But ‘crabs and barrels’ are not unique to any particular nation, creed, race, political movement or class.

Photo: Then SSFL president William Wallace (centre) greets players before kick off between Shiva Boys Hindu College and Naparima College at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on 8 September 2017.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-images/Wired868)

‘Politics has its own morality’.

Normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad is being coached by Fifa, and his game is to get the the members of the TTFA into a meeting to justify his vote before the Fifa Congress (as part of the illusion), to suspend his fellow Trinidadians from the football at the behest of some unseen hand.

The Fifa President, Council and emergency committee will have clean hands because a Trinidadian businessman with no experience in Fifa politics is eager to hold the bloody knife. Nice work if you can get it?

The other Caribbean football presidents are being used in the same way and maybe Caricom should have a say. Maybe that’s wishful thinking. Like I said: crabs and barrels…

This thing need a calypso; but it look like Wallace have to die first, or surrender his dignity, before his people can support him.

Photo: Businessman Robert Hadad was appointed by Fifa as head of a normalisation committee in Trinidad and Tobago.

Mr Hadad, on the other hand, could spare both nation and region the trouble, with his resignation—because he is a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago first. I think…

More from Wired868
Edwards says Eve will “elevate” T&T women’s team; after leaving side inactive for 18 months

Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards trumpeted the appointment of Angus Eve as Women’s National Senior Team Read more

Dear Editor: Is Cooper guilty until proven innocent? Is his TTFA treatment not a threat to all coaches?

“[…] How is it acceptable, that the person who is head of the Safe Guarding Unit, was able to institute Read more

Betterment: Here’s my checklist on Corneal’s performance as TTFA technical director

“[…] Under Anton Corneal, there were efforts to rebuild youth programs and implement coaching education, but questions remain about the Read more

Dear Editor: Soca Warriors must stop begging for luck and build capacity for real success

“[…] More possession, more shots, prettier football—none of it matters without results. Sympathy doesn’t qualify teams. Goals and points do. Read more

Butcher: Dwight Yorke is past the “process” stage; this is the event—time to deliver

“[…] You mentioned that building a team is a process, not an event. I understand and respect that but context Read more

TTFA sack Corneal; Edwards set to recommend new interim TD

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) has sacked longstanding technical director Anton Corneal with immediate effect. The decision was Read more

Check Also

Dear Editor: Diversification, not the Dragon, is key for T&T’s economic survival—but here’s why it has eluded us

“[…] The Ministry of Finance website provides budget statements from 2002 onwards. Diversification is mentioned …

6 comments

  1. lol…the Fifa Council has decided to give a final deadline to the relevant parties to withdraw all types of claims against Fifa before the Trinidad and Tobago courts and comply with all their obligations under the Fifa Statutes—in particular articles 57 et seqq—by 23 September at 15:00 AST (21:00 CET).

    “Failure to comply with this directive within this revised deadline will result in the matter being brought to the attention of THE RELEVANT FIFA BODIES to decide on the suspension of the TTFA.” – Wired868

    The Congress won’t meet for another year and it was the most appropriate FIFA body….slight of hand?…space for injustice now?

  2. Clear as day—both inside your head and in black and white here.

    But taking a horse to water is not the same as making it drink.

    • …but what if the TTFA members were to go to a meeting on September 15 and instruct Mr. Hadad to document a position for the Fifa Congress, that they the TTFA members and he Robert Hadad as their Fifa appointed President, will not support any vote to suspend the TTFA from Football in any form.

      Further, they could instruct Mr. Hadad as their representative at the Fifa Congress to seek the support of other Caribbean Presidents, in advance, in that position.

      Armed with that support, Mr. Randy Harris CFU President could petition the other members of Concacaf and the President of Concacaf for support on a “No to Suspension” Vote and Mr. Montagliani as the President of Concacaf could in turn seek support from UEFA, CAF, AFC, Conmebol and OFC.

      With that kind of solidarity against injustice, the Council would not dare bring a proposition to the Congress.

      But then again, maybe those TTFA members don’t want to save TTFA. Maybe they have other objectives.

      In that case, any water those horses gets, they’ll say it’s bitter.

      • Solid, solid, solid, in my view. A real option.

        Just one little problem which emerges in this phrase: “With that kind of solidarity against injustice,…”
        Actually that should read thus: “With that kind of solidarity against PERCEIVED injustice,…”

        Which raises the question of just who perceives injustice to be present here.

        And provokes the response “Certainly not the “TTFA members who are currently pushing for such a meeting.”

        Back at square one? I dunno…

        • hmmm….so the TTFA members pushing for the meeting don’t see it as an injustice that the entire TTFA delegation could be suspended by the Fifa Congress, because of Wallace’s case?

          Do they see it as just then? or is it that they are so intent on blaming Wallace that they are not prepared to look at any other issue? Cutting off their noses to spite their faces?

          What is the motivation here? and who benefits from blaming Wallace at the exclusion of all other considerations? How could they be so intent on blaming Wallace that they actually end up supporting the suspension of the TTFA as members of the TTFA?

          Are yo saying that these members want to pursue the Fifa President’s agenda to the detriment of their own organisation?

          Am I missing something?

          “they must bury the hatchet and work as one unit…be loyal in word and deed…..first thing on the Agenda that they have to remember…is a love for the nation…they must endeavor to work together…to beat this…lah da deh…” – Lord Pretender

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.