Eve’s exit clause, Boyce’s mysterious appointment and a ‘ghost’ youth team

Outgoing Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Angus Eve had another 17 months left on his contract with the Soca Warriors when he was sacked by the new Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) executive, led by president Kieron Edwards.

However, crucially, there was a termination clause.

Wired868 was informed by a knowledgeable source that the Fifa-appointed Normalisation Committee, headed by businessman Robert Hadad, included a clause which allowed the TTFA to fire Eve with the proviso he be paid three months’ pay as severance.

So, the TTFA should not have to pay for the duration of Eve’s contract.

Eve’s salary information was not released by the current executive. However, since football fans know the remuneration of previous coaches, Wired868 could not justify making an exception for the outgoing coach.

Eve, according to football sources, earned US$12,500 (TT$84,776) per month as Soca Warriors head coach. It means his payoff figure allegedly stands at US$37,500 as opposed to US$212,500, which would have been the total value of his contract.

In his previous job, which saw him split duties as head coach at Naparima College and Club Sando, Eve is believed to have earned TT$25,000 per month.

Eve’s salary would be considered high for a debt strapped football association ranked 100th in the world—with neither notable private sponsors nor sold out crowds for home games.

Still, he earned less than his two predecessors despite offering local fans considerably more success.

In 15 competitive games, Lawrence led Trinidad and Tobago to two wins, three draws and 10 losses, while his total tally, inclusive of friendlies, was six wins, eight draws and 21 losses.

It was, statistically, one of Trinidad and Tobago football’s worst coaching records of all time. (He was on a run of 795 days without a win, when he was sacked by the William Wallace-led TTFA.)

Lawrence, who also oversaw the Warriors’ relegation to the Concacaf Nations League B, banked US$17,500 per month.

Englishman Terry Fenwick, who succeeded Lawrence, steered the Soca Warriors to group stage elimination in the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying series after failing to defeat one of the five worst football teams on the planet: The Bahamas.

Fenwick earned US$20,000 per month.

In contrast, Eve’s competitive record was 11 wins, five draws and seven defeats while he won promotion to the Concacaf Nations League A and steered the Warriors into the knockout rounds once there.

However, there were concerns over his tactical acumen after heavy defeats to the United States and Jamaica at the last Concacaf Gold Cup—with his own team captain, Kevin Molino, leading the criticism—while a 2-2 home draw at home to Grenada prompted further disquiet.

Wired868 understands the Grenada result, with the Soca Warriors trailing by two goals at one stage, was the last straw for the Edwards-led board.

“If Angus can’t beat Grenada at home in front of 9,000 fans,” was the unofficial verdict, “is he really the man to take us to the 2026 World Cup?”

Eve’s dismissal was entirely an executive decision and was not made on the recommendation of either the TTFA technical committee or technical director Anton Corneal.

The TTFA board comprises of Edwards, first vice-president Colin Murray, second vice-president Osmond Downer, third vice-president Jameson Rigues, and ordinary members Alicia Austin, Inspector Andrew Boodhoo, Allan Logan, Ryan Nunes, and Shelton Williams.

The board has the constitutional authority to hire and fire coaches—and it accepted ownership of the decision to cut ties with Eve.

However, the hiring of St Benedict’s College coach and Central Football Association (CFA) president Randolph Boyce as Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-20 team head coach was slightly different.

The TTFA invited coaches to apply for the job, a shortlist was drawn up and interviewed by technical committee members, and Boyce got the post.

So far, so good. Right?

The devil is in the details.

Who drew up the shortlist of coaches? Who scored the interviewees? And who decided that Boyce was the best fit?

At present, Wired868 understands that the TTFA technical and development committee, headed by Edwards, also includes goalkeeper coach Jefferson George, football administrator Brent Rahim, TTPFL club owner Steve David, and administrator Ian Pritchard.

George, Rahim (who lives in Switzerland) and David are former Trinidad and Tobago international players.

However, Wired868 understands that the technical and development committee has met just twice and has never deliberated on the hiring or firing of any coach.

Rather, they—along with Corneal—were invited to be part of an interview panel to assess Marvin Gordon, Kenwyne Jones and Boyce.

The technical committee members, according to sources, were not privy to the applications for the National Under-20 job, they were not asked to assist in creating a shortlist, and they were not asked to relay scores for the candidates they interviewed.

There was surprise then when they discovered that Boyce was chosen.

Who chose him? And on what grounds?

Edwards spoke to Wired868 on the matter on Monday but insisted that he would only respond on the record to written questions.

Wired868 sent the following questions to the TTFA president on Monday 5 August:

• “Did the technical committee put together the shortlist of coaches to be interviewed for the post of Under-20 head coach? If not, who put together the shortlist?
• “Did the technical committee score the coaches who were interviewed and recommend Boyce? If not, whose decision was it to hire him?
• “Is there any reason the public/ media hasn’t been officially informed of the members on the active standing committees? Can you say who the current committee members are?
• “Can you say why the decision to fire Angus Eve was taken? And why wasn’t it put to the technical committee to deliberate on first?”

Up to the time of publication, Edwards was yet to respond.

Boyce led St Benedict’s to the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division title in the truncated 2022 season. He is considered to be among the SSFL’s top coaches.

He is also Edwards’ former employee at TTPFL club Central FC. And, as president of the CFA, Boyce effectively wielded two votes at the last TTFA elections.

To avoid any potential conflict of interest, Boyce’s application would arguably have to be considered independently of the entire executive.

Notably, Boyce was allegedly assisted at a screening session on Tuesday by Terminix La Horquetta Rangers coaches Dave “Hoghead” Quamina and Leslie Russell.

Edwards was a Rangers director up until mid-campaign this year while fellow board member, Andrew Boodhoo, is—inexplicably—a director at Rangers and Central FC and Police FC.

Corneal was not invited to assist the screening for National Under-20 players, despite the fact that all national youth teams fall under his purview.

Had Edwards, Boyce or general secretary Kareem Paul—another Rangers director—consulted Corneal before the new coach held his first session in search of players for the 2026 Fifa Under-20 World Cup qualifying series, they might have received a useful kernel of information.

The players who qualify to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the next under-20 World Cup are, almost entirely, current National Under-17 players.

If Boyce wanted to take an early look at them, he had only to ask current National Under-17 head coach Shawn Cooper to attend one of his sessions.

It raises another pertinent question: has the current TTFA executive hired a second batch of national coaches to steer—with a few exceptions—a single pool of national youth players?

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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.