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Trinidad and Tobago national under-20 footballers Levi Garcia, Kadeem Corbin, Neveal Hackshaw, Jesus Perez and Kishun Seecharan were awarded European entry visas yesterday and are expected to travel to the Netherlands within the coming week en route to trials with undisclosed clubs in Europe.
The parent clubs for 18-year-old Corbin, 19-year-old Hackshaw and 19-year-old Perez agreed verbally to the valuation of the players by Dutch agent Humphry Nijman while 18-year-old Seecharan, who is registered with Defence Force, will be allowed to move on without a transfer fee.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
But the football future of 16-year-old Garcia is less certain with Nijman and the teenager’s employer, Central FC, at loggerheads over a deal for the talented winger. Central has so far refused Nijman’s offer for the teenaged “Soca Warrior” while the agent, for now, is not prepared to make a new one as the fight seems destined for the courts.
Garcia, who is a Form Five student at Shiva Boys Hindu College, has never represented Central in a competitive match and only joined the club in March on a two-year deal. The national under-20 player supposedly indicated his intention to quit school and turn professional with the “Couva Sharks” in July.
However, Garcia’s sparkling performances at the Under-20 Caribbean Cup tournament and an approach from Nijman and his local assistant, Dion Sosa, during the competition, changed his flight path considerably.
Sosa and Nijman were responsible for moving Sheldon Bateau, Robert Primus and the now deceased Akeem Adams to Europe where they settled at top flight clubs in Belgium, Kazakhstan and Hungary respectively.
Sosa told Wired868 their plan for the five players.
“They are going to meet with their agent (Njiman) who is based in Amsterdam,” said Sosa. “From there, they will branch off to various clubs for three week trials. We will be looking for an academy for Levi because he is under age (to turn pro as a foreigner in Europe); but we are looking at first team football for the rest.
“We are opening a door for them now and their lives can change. It can be good for them, their families and Trinidad football; because the environment they will be exposed to and the teams they will be training with they can only get better.”
(Courtesy Allan V. Crane/Wired868)
However, Central FC managing director Brent Sancho, a 2006 World Cup player with Trinidad and Tobago, insists that the Sharks do not need help in developing their players or finding them foreign opportunities.
Sancho said that Central signed Yugoslav-born coach Zoran Vranes—to replace the departed Englishman Terry Fenwick—specifically because of his experience in working with youngsters. Vranes was head coach when the national under-20 team booked its place at the 2009 World Youth Cup, which was the last FIFA time that the two island republic qualified for a FIFA competition.
“One of the reasons we went for Vranes as our coach is because we saw we had good young talent coming through,” said Sancho, “and Vranes is renowned for not only developing young players but also playing them… But they are filling up the boy’s head with all kind of things.
“I have a trial lined up for Levi with Racing Genk (Belgium) and with Toronto (Canada). So it is not as if we are trying to hold him back… But the little boy doesn’t train with us anymore so obviously they turned his head and put his family against the club.”
Fellow Pro League clubs St Ann’s Rangers and North East Stars took a different view to Central with regards to Nijman’s offer.
Sancho claimed that Rangers accepted US$15,000 for Corbin, which was supposedly much less than the offer for Garcia. However, neither Rangers club chairman Fakoory nor Sosa confirmed that figure.
Fakoory told Wired868 that he did not want to stand in the way of his talented striker, who was named as the MVP of the Under-20 Caribbean Cup.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
“They talked to me and made me an offer,” said Fakoory. “And since the under-20 tournament, Kadeem hasn’t showed up at practice once. So what could I do?
“Yes, I came to an agreement to send him on a trial. I had no choice but to let him go for the betterment of the club and to give him an opportunity to further himself.”
Stars coach Angus Eve was reluctant to say much on his club’s deal with Nijman, which will see Hackshaw and Perez move to Europe for trials.
“I just want the boys to get an opportunity,” Eve told Wired868. “I had experience dealing with these agents before with (Sheldon) Bateau while I was at Jabloteh, so I knew what to expect.”
But Sancho insisted that Central would not budge and he accused Nijman of underhand tactics and a contradictory approach to FIFA’s current efforts to outlaw third party ownership.
Sancho said that he is happy for Nijman to take Garcia on trial and be paid for his work in negotiating personal terms. However, he is adamant that the matter of a transfer fee must only be discussed between the buying and selling clubs while he also insisted a sell-on clause would be inserted into any agreed deal.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
“I find it strange that the agents are trying to buy-out the player and I am not indulging in that kind of practice of selling a player to an agent,” said Sancho. “Their problem is that, whatever deal is happening, we want a sell-on clause just like there was for Kenwyne Jones and Khaleem Hyland and the agent said he is not doing it. They want everything for themselves.”
His stance was supported by DIRECTV W Connection president David John Williams, who pocketed well over $1 million when Kenwyne Jones moved from Southampton to Premiership club Sunderland due to a sell-on clause.
“If the player is under contract, why do you want to buy out the contract to move them?” asked Williams. “So the (Pro League) club doesn’t make any money? When they buy out the contract, they get a big signing-on bonus and they make the money or get their own clauses in the deal.”
But Sosa called Sancho’s demand ridiculous, particularly as Garcia never played a game for Central and spent less than three months training at the club
“Why should a (European) club pay, house, develop and take care of Levi and, three years down the line, be forced to give Central money for doing absolutely nothing?” asked Sosa. “That is unfair to the (new) club because they are taking all the risk… Why should (Central) get 10 percent for a player they never developed in the first place?
“We made them an offer that is way beyond the player’s market value. But Central’s demands were not reasonable and we have decided not to give into those demands.”
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Sosa warned that Central could lose Garcia for nothing as the agents are set to challenge the validity of its contract with the player. Garcia’s elder brother, Daniel, accompanied the young man when he signed his professional contract with Central and not his parents.
In a previous interview with the TTFA Media, Garcia credited his brother, Daniel, for being a key motivator in his career
“He’s always there for me,” said Garcia. “If I have to go training or to a game he will get the taxi or rent a car for me to get there. He pushes me all the time to do better.”
But Sosa is certain that Daniel is no position to sign as his younger brother’s guardian.
“It is an agreement which was entered into without the consent of his parent and that by itself is illegal,” said Sosa. “No minor anywhere in the free world can enter into a contract without the written consent of his parent; and neither his mother nor his father’s names are on the contract.
“They took Daniel and had him sign as a legal guardian when both (Levi’s) parents are alive. And then they want to turn around and play wrong and strong.”
Garcia’s mother, Judith Garcia, confirmed that she did not sign an agreement with Central.
“My big son, Daniel, signed it,” she said. “I do not want to get into any confusion… But I spoke to Brent Sancho and I told him that I want Levi to go to Europe.”
Nathaniel is also an older brother of Levi Garcia.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Central director of operations, Kevin Harrison, acknowledged that Garcia’s parents did not sign their son’s contract but explained why he felt the Sharks still had a claim on the boy’s future.
“(Levi) brought an adult to meet us who wasn’t a minor and who understood everything (about the contract),” said Harrison. “His parents sat in our office several times after that and they never said they didn’t want him to play with us. So if they are trying to say they didn’t give us permission they would be lying.
“In fact, everything was great until Humphrey showed up… I have already told (the parents) that no matter what he promises you, Levi isn’t going anywhere until we make an arrangement with that (buying) club.”
But Sosa believes Central’s attitude can only harm the player and is ultimately counter-productive.
“Between his parents and ourselves, we are trying to sort it out in a cordial manner,” he said. “And, if not, we will do what we have to. Levi does not want to play with Central.
“These boys—all five of them—are going to a first class, professional environment for the first time, which can only help their development.”
Garcia’s present teammates at Shiva would be happy to win the Secondary Schools Football League (SSL) Premier title while his classmates are preparing themselves for CXC examinations next May.
Garcia chose to play for Shiva instead of Central this season.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Meanwhile, Garcia is enduring a tumultuous start to his life as a professional sportsman. It is not the sort of tug of war that most footballers are exposed to at the age of 16.
Almost certainly, Garcia’s impasse with Central has already cost him the chance of an international senior debut during next week’s Caribbean Cup qualifiers as head coach Stephen Hart was unimpressed by his decision to represent Shiva in the SSFL rather than Central in the Pro League.
Garcia will hope to make up for that in Europe; providing that Sancho and Nijman come to an agreement.
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I think no matter how you look at this Central FC is irresponsible to not ensure that the parents didn’t sign the contract so whatever contract they hold is null and void! The brother is not a legally appointed representative
And there’s Brent Sancho in a money dispute again. Hmmmm
So, again, Sancho is criticised for having the guts to stand up for right over wrong? Steven, you saying that Jack Warner/TTFF do not have to respect contracts and now neither do players or agents. But I bet you expect your employer to honour your contract, right? As for this nonsense “Central FC is irresponsible to not ensure that the parents didn’t sign the contract so whatever contract they hold is null and void! The brother is not a legally appointed representative” If a player and his family select a family member to represent them, what should we do? Put them on a lie detector? Waterboard them? What if Daniel had been a sports lawyer, would we still say no and insist on a parent? What happens if the parents are not well educated and don’t understand? That’s ok to get them to sign? Central F.C. followed a correct procedure. FACT. Everything that followed involving school football and the agent was incorrect.
For the betterment of the youths and T&T football on a whole.
Surely an experienced Agent will be doing the negotiating.
I have had the opportunity to coach and interact with two of these guys then pro league clubs snatch them up with little or no regard for the community club. Central fc have also tried to recruit players with no mention of compensation. They ‘borrow the players to play in the youth pro league with the promise that when the efa starts the players would be released. This doesn’t happen. It’s a case of a bigger team taking advantage of a small team. But what goes around comes around. How can central fc demand developmental fees while also admitting the player don’t train with the team and have not played with them. Few if any pro team have their own academy they adopt community teams in order to fulfill the youth pro league obligations. Anyway congrats to Jesus and Neveal and the other guys and I hope this conflict ends
I am not football guru. But that would be my concern Lasana Liburd 16yr old negotiating???
No Pro League club wants to hold players back. Selling players is in the best interest of the club too.
It is just a matter of price and where.
At 16, it isn’t last chance saloon for him. And Central says it has things lined up too.
I think the sticking point would be whether the contract is valid. And under what circumstances can a 16 year old sign a deal.
I think if if the player is talented and can benefit from the expertise of playing for a foreign club they should not be held back. I do agree that their education must be a part of the contract. There are many clubs Barca for example which have a youth arm and i’m sure education is not sacrificed. Our coaches here can only carry them so far and if they show talent from a young age i say let them develop it as your time as a sportsman is limited. One would hope that when they make their riches that their would be someone to give them sound advice regarding securing their future financially.
Seeing the $$ signs is tempting but really have to think about all of life. There are injuries (think of Marvin Phillips) and after all the money think about inflation. 5 million today will not have the same weight in 5-10yrs. I know clubs have something to gain too. But we have to see lives and not just $$.
I think the minor should 1. Be allowed to complete school before leaving. Or 2. Be allowed to complete school in the country where the contract is to be delivered. 3. Even if 18yrs there should be some parental requirement the majority of 18yr olds are not mature enough to fully comprehend all the ramifications even if explained by a lawyer. 4. When I think of 4 I will post it.
It is true that moving towards does not mean banned yet. Gabrielle Gellineau, what do you think of the contract? Would love to hear from non-football people too on the issue regarding a minor who is also a Form Five student. Patricia Worrell? Debbie Espinal? Anyone?
Yep…only 16
Money, money money money! This is where this confusion started and will end. Sad but true. I really hope the best decision is made with the child’s best interest at heart. 16 years old he’s just a child. I really don’t know which side of the fence to sit on this one. We have to be very careful or we can have the Trinidadian Freddy Adu! He needs to be where he can develop and become the next great Trinidadian footballer. If we take money out of the equation(wishful thinking). Where will he develop into a great pro/role model for other young players like himself?
Lochan yes but who is going to ask because they say they have a club but when fifa ask for documentation for data base.of players these small clubs or grass roots dont have it and thats where the problem lies…players played for 3, 4 or five teams so its all over the place…we need to get order in the organizations …this happens all over the caribbean …in europe professional sports are hundreds of years old and we 15 years of professional football are now starting to see the problems…but can we get serious administrators to make that difference to change the game and not just ripping off the system and riding into the sunset without any care for our young ones
I agree. .its something that the ttfa, pro leagues, we’ll can’t say a players union because that I guess was set up for personal promotions of a few.. but secondary schools football league need to sit down and have serious discussions on football and the challenges. ..not just bullshit talk but conversations that can chart the way forward…like people are afraid to have frank discussions and make strong decisions and always in the end the players suffer….and oh semi pro league …..why cant we have this…
I don’t think our grass roots clubs are aware; but FIFA law states that a compensation [development fee] % of sale/contract must be given to the ‘development’ club. This process continues with each possible sign on until the player passes age 21 or 23.
Gordon Pierre, good observation. Attempts have been made from the inception of pro-football here to short circuit the development process by recruiting. These clubs need to invest the requisite time in the players from within the communities that they operate out of. Let us be reminded that some of the best players from our generation did not come thru a pro_league system. They were developed in their communities and coaching schools and we’re better players than what we have now. Some went on to play at the highest levels. Dwight yorke, Latas, Marcelle, Nakhid, Elcock, Stern are some e.gs.
Earl, I think u know how that goes here, parent/s under pressure to maintain the household and all they see is an opportunity to ease the financial burden on their purse and betterment for “meh chile”. Does not change the fact that the laws says a person under the age of 18 does not have the capacity to enter into a contract. I’m not sure what happens as it is said his mother was present in subsequent meetings. I can be guided on that.
I was trying hard not to put my 2 cents but everybody is tip toeing around d real issue here. These por league clubs in T&T does nothing, absolutely nothing to develop players, encourage them to sign contracts without advise or a consenting adult around and demands so much of them. & yes Gordon Pierre u are right nothing is given to d community teams for the work they put out on these players. It is not crying sour grapes because I feel good when I see our young players moving on but the playing field must be level.
Agreed most teams have academies now so they do their development. ..and why not if a small club develops a player and a pro league club wants that player…they can agree on fee…u see everyone wants to survive. ..but who is willing to put the out the financing for the players when they are very young…hmmmm
So this is a very interesting convo one i look forward to see the end result
Remember attuala with jabloteh and trendsetters hawks? The majority of this u 20 team my be attached to proleague teams who have nothing to do with their development and their community teams are not given even balls, bibs and cones to continue d work
This is a very important conversation bc in trinidad d majority of development work is not done by d proleague team but by community teams d proleague team pick up these player late and then demand developmental fees
I have a strong feeling that Siparia Spurs and Shiva Boys HC will also challenge Central FC (maybe a birdie whispered it me) as no mention is being made of development fees to the entities are responsible for his development.
True brian…most important
At the end of the day I just hope the warring parties dont lose sight of what should be the PRIMARY focus which is what is BEST for the youth!
True…but why did the parents knowing that allowed the older brother to go through with this and also the parents in questions like Harrison did say have been to meetings without any problems…is it a catch
…?the players have been to meetings like this before iam sure ….just be careful. …when u to negotiate get your parents to be there words of advice….
Well its high on europeans football body agenda..dont think it is as yet
16 year Olds in Trinidad & Tobago do not have the capacity to enter into contracts. That is the law. If he did sign anything or was accompanied by anyone who is not a parent or legal guardian that (whatever was signed) is null and void.
Moving towards means it isn’t banned yet, right?
3rd world country mentality,
Fifa is moving towards banning third party ownership.
What a mess!! I don’t know where to settle my thoughts on this one but I do hope an amicable resolution is found soon although it seems unlikely without outside help. Smh
Interesting Situation too bad the “innocent” may feel the brunt but 3rd party ownership should be stopped especially when pro league teams rarely has an opportunity to benefit financially from these moves
Interesting. …agents are important yes…but why agents trying to buy out players contracts and promising players the world which some of them never delivers….the same issues that the European football president michel platini is trying his utmost to stop..third parties…buyers…we have to educate the parents public, clubs at large….these are very interesting times…and the problems through school football and professional football…open forum now lasana hmmm
Both sides of the Levi Garcia tug-of-war make interesting arguments, but I guess it will come down to the validity of his contract with Central FC. Either that, or as Lasana say, some compromise will have to be made. Of course, money is central (no pun intended) to this saga.
I agree with Sancho
Levi Garcia isn’t the first player they have stopped from going abroad Jamal jack ,Jason Marcano was stop with there move to Vietnam the reality is Garcia isn’t a central development player he is a Siparia spurs development player I hope he gets his chance to shine in Europe
Adrian, those guys were under contract to Central F.C. If players are allowed to simply terminate contracts anytime they want to, professional football would fall apart. Why are you calling our name? Why not Chelsea, Barcelona, Man Utd? You don’t think players there want to change clubs? Nobody forced Marcano or Jackie to sign with Central. But once they did, they knew the terms. And remember, we can’t sign players outside of transfer windows. As for development, we haven’t been allowed to develop him yet! But, he was available and he decided to join Central. We had a developmental plan in place.
Let d boii go man he cud make it out there
It’s not a matter of letting him go but Central FC should be paid a fair amount and not cheated.
Maybe, Pro League and TTFA should consider a different policy approach for minors, and kids in secondary schools? No professional contracts until they have left school, and certainly contracts should be signed by a parent or a legal guardian seem reasonable, once a kid is under 18. Third party ownership is contentious, but still legal, so it’s a non-issue, in my opinion.
Hi guys Earl i think at some point collectively we need to tell these third parties to stop coming here to rape our clubs and profit from it. The excitement of going to play in Europe is too much for a young player and his family to ignore. The hype created by the millions spent on marketing gives an unfair advantage to Europe. The exchange rate will sometimes triple a young players earnings and at the end of the day it all comes down to dollars and cents. Individually each club has to do the “business” of football to suite themselves, but if one day we could realize that we are all one and tell these scouts “NO” they will have no choice to to apply best practices. OK, Garcia just joined Central agents claiming foul, but they want the players to join them what did they do to develop the youth? six and two threes. Hey give onto Caesar that is of Caesar. Give us the value man if there is a ten percent down the road let us here have a piece of the pie.
I hope these young men are treated fairly and make the best of the opportunity
Interesting …always want to give my take on these issues…player, club, contracts, agents, and how people put so much into the players heads …..then they dont want to play for their clubs…its interesting because we had our experiences with the garcias good luck to all the boys…but give respect to the clubs to…if we do not sit and understand the business of the sport a club wont make a cent from the sales…the European just like they did back in the early years will give us nothing and football will never prosper…things have to be done the right way…seat discuss and negotiate. ..more soon
And there we go again lasana…
Mr Sosa says that Central has done nothing to develop Levi Garcia? Well, the whole point of signing Levi was to develop him. We had a developmental plan, which we discussed with Levi & his parents. That was to play a full season in a professional league, play in the Caribbean Club Championships, spend a couple of weeks overseas – not on trial, but to train and acclimatise to overseas professional football – and another 10 days with a decent UK club in the Summer. It was our opinion, which we shared with his parents, that leaving these shores at age 16 may not be the best option for him -not even as a footballer-but as a young man. He would be much more grounded by remaining in T&T instead of playing academy football in Europe. The only reason Levi Garcia hasn’t yet played for Central F.C. is because we released him to the national U20’s and he never reported back for training, but instead went to play school football. So, Mr Sosa, why do you feel that you deserve a fee? You have done nothing to develop Levi. All you have done is caused conflict between him and his club and lost him a spot on the Men’s senior national team. Our Under 20’s have a great opportunity approaching, yet 4 of them will not be preparing by playing and training with their professional teams, instead, they will be disorientated and, perhaps, disappointed after traveling around Europe. I cannot see any interest in the player’s here, just their fees. Wouldn’t a decent U20 tournament and a decent spell in a professional league give these players a better chance of a move? Are you really thinking of the players? In which case, why the rush and why doi the players have to be signed to your friends company? Why is 3rd party ownership necessary, when that alone will turn many clubs away?
Both Levi and Nathanial Garcia are very nice kids and a credit to their parents. Mr & Mrs Garcia have always had a cordial relationship with Central F.C. They are supporting their son, which is natural, but this just shows how an agent can unsettle a decent relationship. Unless I am mistaken, any transfer of registration requires the selling club to agree. So, any deal would need Central F.C.’s agreement. Of course, we would be happy for Levi to advance his career, but there is another issue that Mr Sosa has not considered. Coach Vranes had decided that Levi would be a key component in our starting line up. By releasing him mid season, we would have lost an exciting attacking option. We cannot sign any new players until January, so our team will now be weakened. Mr Sosa’s smash and grab raid on T&T football’s most sparkling jewels, will do far reaching damage to T&T football, with a practice that FIFA intend to outlaw in the next 3-4 years. (see http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29373456)
While football is a business, agents more often than not, don’t have players interest at heart. Its would be a great opportunity for the players to go to Europe, but is it really great given the recent situation where players left our shores and wasn’t paid for their services!
Seems like growing pains for the Pro League. The clubs will learn valuable lessons in contract law and negotiating with agents.
Hopefully all parties would emerge from this with some satisfaction although it is hard to see how at the moment. Someone will have to either lose this war or bend.
Its time the TTpro league put rules and regulations in place to govern and prevent situations like these. Wasn’t there a ” Players Association” formed some time ago? This whole situation is unprofessional.
Jevon, there are globally accepted rules in place. In this instance, the agent is trying to circumvent these rules. However, the ultimate test is the FIFA TMS system which all international transfers must go through. If a player is registered by a club, the player cannot be registered by a new club without the previous club’s co operation. The unprofessional element in this instance is the agent disrespecting the club’s contract with the player. And remember, Levi signed with Central in March, this agent has only known Levi for 3 or 4 weeks!
In a country such as ours where the illiteracy rate is quite high and we all know football is a game of the masses, there will always be situations such as these. Agents are always gonna hustle – that’s their job. But at least clubs are going to be more stringent to make sure everything is watertight in their contracts in the future. As for Garcia i wish him luck but Shiva Boys over a Pro League club?
Hi hi lasana….wooow amazing to hear about these situations….smh….u need to have a television programn to educate the public…and players and clubs…john williams always gets pressure for trying to safe gaurd clubs interest and players ….now central is in it welcome to the world of agents , third parties, and willing and dealings of agents…the game is as interesting as ever… will comment more on this later…