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Incumbent Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Raymond Tim Kee has vowed to seek reelection at the football body’s presidential elections and annual general meeting on 29 November 2015.
(Courtesy Wired868)
Tim Kee, who has over two decades of experience on the TTFA executive, had been evasive about his intentions in recent months. However, the Port of Spain Mayor and PNM Treasurer announced his reelection bid, via a press release, after DIRECTV W Connection Football Club president David John-Williams threw his hat in the ring last week.
“I will stand,” stated Tim Kee, via press release. “I am ready and motivated to go for another term…
“As president I have a duty to serve all members of the association and like I have done during my first term, I will do my best to fulfil that responsibility without fear or favour, without discrimination. And with the sole objective of upholding the statutes and regulations of the TTFA, once given that opportunity for a second term.”
Tim Kee’s decision sets the stage for the first presidential contest in the TTFA for over two decades. In November 2012, Tim Kee was appointed unopposed after challenger Colin Murray withdrew his nomination.
Disgraced former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner claimed that he paved the way for Tim Kee’s ascension to the local football throne, although the latter figure denied the assertion.
Tim Kee, who is also a member of the CONCACAF Associated Championships Committee and the FIFA Futsal Committee, is asking football stakeholders for the opportunity to build on the TTFA’s “successes.”
“A new term in office gives the FA the chance to build on our successes,” said Tim Kee, “to fix our shortcomings and to set new milestones to put the game on a stronger footing in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Tim Kee’s presidency has been a mixed bag at best.
The “Women Soca Warriors” came within a whisker of a historic place at the Canada 2015 Women’s World Cup. And the National Senior Men’s Team ended a six-year absence from the CONCACAF Gold Cup to advance to the quarterfinal stage of the 2013 and 2015 editions.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
However, the TTFA continued to be plagued by charges of incompetence and mismanagement with a mysterious alleged licensing fee for an Argentina friendly, a controversial fundraiser for deceased ex-World Youth Cup player Akeem Adams, an aborted 2014 Caribbean Cup players strike, a shocking pre-CONCACAF Women’s Championship training camp, claims of dishonesty and dictatorial behaviour by his own executive committee members and a persistent failure to raise private sector funding among the public embarrassments.
Earlier this year, FIFA froze funding to the TTFA due to its failure to presented audited accounting books to the governing body.
Tim Kee, who fulfilled his promise of an updated constitution for the TTFA earlier this year, will let football’s stakeholders decide if he is the best man for the job on November 29.
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When those teams come in full force, and I speak of one in particular, we might see pieces in dat puzzle that might make “we scratch we head, weeeeeeee!”
It is really refreshing to read your response Kelvin Jack… I really do wish you all the best. You do have a lot to offer, and, like you, I would love to see more done for goal keepers.
I understand Kelvin and wish you well in your pursuits.
Savitri, Che, Kendall… The main reason is that I have a huge ambition of being a football manager. I completed my UEFA B recently and I’m due to begin my UEFA A next summer. I will admit that I do think about really going for it and becoming TTFF president but in the short term I will do something regarding the development of goalkeepers in the country. Our standards have fallen in recent years. We have no Goalkeepers playing in Europe and we need to prepare the young ones as well as improve the senior ones. They need to get better. In the long term as I mentioned earlier, management is what I really aspire to. I have offered advice and services to the incumbent( President ) and will do the same if someone else takes over. An issue which need to be sorted out once and for all is the issue of our still active court action. I’ve spoken to the incumbent about it as well as most of the players. At some point both parties have to find a way to move forward in unison with the improvement in management and football in general being the primary objective. It’s a process which will require patience. Sponsorship is a huge problem and I have some ideas regarding that as well. Football is the main issue here and in reality it’s a results business. However, showing potential sponsors the positiveness and importance of their support requires great skill and personality. Most importantly, the product on the pitch must be good.
Mark Anthony Scott Earl Mango Pierre Gordon Pierre Dion Sosa whats the plan?
We need new policy that forbids persons in any political office such as mayor from continuing to hold executive positions in non-government sporting bodies!
This business is simple, change the business model, and get people with integrity, vision and leadership qualities that would embrace the concept of team work. Work on defining your value proposition; establish partnerships (globally) that will be mutually beneficial. (But you need the right person with the right values and attitude to move the business of football forward.)
Kindly replace: Facts are the quality of the administrative fabric and foundation heavily influence the football product on the field.
Kelvin,
You are most welcomed to come on board now with the initiative to “Restore TT Football to its prestigious glorious past”.
It is always a pleasure to have your excellent insight, experience, knowledge and passion brought to the forefront with respect to making a complete overhaul of Trinidad and Tobago football structure, administration, technical development, marketing and management as a priority, along with the introduction of proper policies and procedures, with ethical and moral foundation to “Restore TT Football to its prestigious, pre Jack Warner Era, both on and off the field.
Facts are the quality of the administrative fabric and foundation heavily influenced the football product on the field.
Our team would meet this evening to take a formal position on participation in the TTFF/TTFA,Election based on the challenges of moving to an Election without first addressing and providing answers to the several significant issues at a National Conference or Congress.
Let me assure you that this new overhaul of Trinidad and Tobago football will take place with or without the TTFF/TTFA.
Let me again repeat that nothing rules out a new Trinidad and Tobago National Football Body recognized by the new sanitized FIFA without Joseph SEPP Blatter.
Welcome to all willing to come on board now. Kendall Tull you too and all are welcomed to make a meaningful contribution.
Interesting comments by many here. Selby.. Quite insightful and all your suggestions were fantastic. Guys.. The ills of football are not unique. Sports in general needs an almost complete overhaul. The new sports minister is extremely important. His role is vital. Who he listens to and his decisions will make or break sports. He is aware of this because I communicated such. He appears to be a good guy but will need help and guidance. He will need to be strong. Most sporting organisations need private businesses on board but unfortunately corporate Trinidad and Tobago do not view sport as hugely important. Football suffers from a lack of credibility and credibility is the hardest virtue for them to achieve. I mentioned here some time ago I will consider running for president. I’m not going to. Can I assist Trinidad and Tobago football? I certainly can and I have communicated as such. Will they be open minded and intelligent enough to take my advice? Maybe, maybe not; time will tell. Football has been damaged by decades of poor management, senseless decisions by administrators and sometimes weak lazy players.The players are not without blame. But as Che pointed out somehow, because of individual talent, we are able to surpass expectations. The problem with disorganisation is that it’s a prerequisite for inconsistency and failure. The ultimate goal is WC qualification but player development is absolutely crucial. Can we qualify for every WC? Nope.. Every other? Difficult but that should be the goal; at least. There need to be a short term fix and a long term fix. It can be done but the right and the important word here is RIGHT people need to advise whoever is President. Also, an exceptional marketing team has to be recruited to attract meaningful sponsors.. A lot of work on and off the pitch is required but it’s achievable.
We all know what football needs, I see a lot of suggestions here but why is no one willing to take the responsibility? Why have you decided against it Kelvin?
I am curious as well.
Yes Kelvin Jack why? I saw it written somewhere that Ramesh Ramdhan is considering… Given the options we are faced with, can we be comfortable that there will be improvement?
I think that the starting 11 is quite apropos Lasana.
There are a number of people ready to assist Che only if there is a change of leadership. I would have no problem working with Lasana or any other serious, qualified President and Executive to turn our football fortunes around.
..When the likes of Watson making you look bad…you looking REAL bad…
No eh, just no….
Tim Kee Must Go.
Well, well, Amazing !!!
How sad for the footballers and the football product.
When you thought you had seen and heard it all.
Clearly all Jack’s horses and all his men couldn’t put Humpty, Dumpty back together again.
While David’s candidacy for President is a conflict of interest, as both part of the present administration for football in TT and as a personal team owner, similar to Warner and his Joe Public.
Raymond’s desire to be elected TTFA President for the first time defies sanity after his two year appointment to serve in that Office !!!!!
Against a background of:
1. Not one Zonal Member Association or the National Football Association TTFF/TTFA holding elections in keeping with the requirements of their respective Constitutions.
2. No TTFF/TTFA audited Financial Statements for the period 2008-14.
3. No attempt to identify and take legal action against those responsible, to recover TTFF/TTFA monies unaccounted for over the past two decades.
4. No Insurance coverage or monthly stipend for footballers selected to train with and/or represent National teams.
5. Non payment of National footballers, technical staff, service providers and stakeholders.
6. The literal insolvency of the TTFF/TTFA.
7. Attempts to hide behind the proverbial coattail of the discredited FIFA House of Shame in Zurich, to enjoy the luxury of a full year in office illegally, under the guise of developing a new draft Constitution – that to date has not been properly accepted by the TTFF/TTFA under the stated conditions of its existing Constitution.
8. The refusal of the said FIFA to make payments to the TTFF/TTFA until receipt of Audited Financials.
9. No proper transparent invitation, evaluation or selection of a National coach and technical team.
10. No proper transparent invitation, evaluation or award of exclusive sponsorship rights.
11. No successful funding initiatives to secure at minimum 50% of the average annual operating cost, without desperate demands for the grant of taxpayers money.
That’s just the starting 11, against the background of which the TTFF/TTFA 2015 football season is on its way, all with great expectation for the start of Trinidad and Tobago World Cup Qualifiers in a few weeks.
These are the conditions that exist for football in Trinidad and Tobago. It is mind boggling to say the least !!!!! Certainly a better phrase than “absolutely absurd for those who consider themselves knowledgeable successful football administrators”.
Let me repeat, I have already extended an invitation to all competent persons from Clubs, Leagues and Associations throughout TT to join with me, “To restore TT Football to its glorious past” to the pre-Jack Warner era, to the prestigious Concacaf recognition, reputation and standing.
This new initiative is not restricted to the formation of a new National Football Body in TT, which may clearly become a requirement.
Selby Browne
All sound and fury, signifying nothing. Go have a seat.
Trinidad football is lucky to have natural talented players… Male and female… We get results without any real structured organization for support… How long will this continue???? We need to tool our players, our youths… Is the current administration equipped or willing to? Is there that willingness to do what it takes? I think not… I have seen and read comments on this page, it always gives me hope… I truly believe that there are persons on this page with the genuine desire to progress our football… Lasana Liburd, I really think you should organize a slate and contest the ttfa elections… Football is more than 90 minutes on a field. It is life changer for many, it is the one proven thing that brought all our people together… Savitri Maharaj Kendall Tull Kelvin Jack Bruce Aanensen la La Horquetta Xf… And others
Thanks for your confidence Che Abrams. I’ve actually had more than one club make that suggestion to me.
I feel like I have my role to play already. Maybe if nobody had stepped forward to contest, I might have considered it.
But I really feel I’ve already found my job.
Lasana, considering that tomorrow is the deadline for nomination, I think you should give it a little more thought eh…go back to bed for a few minutes and get up positive. You know I will assist wherever…
It is easy for me to gauge the competence of the current regime. But I don’t know the possible strengths of the other candidates.
So I’d feel very conflicted about telling delegates that I can do a better job than the other experienced football men who threw their hats in the ring.
I would love to help local football of course. But I’m still not convinced that my role is anything other than what i do right now.
What might be a plan is to create a football pressure group that could speak to power and contribute in another way.
Maybe that is something we can discuss if people are interested.
Who are the other contenders so far, beside David Mohammed? I think we would be missing a golden opportunity here if we just express our concerns on Wired and not do something concrete. A pressure group is fine, but we’d have no say in the running of the org.
I don’t think Muhammad is a candidate at all. So far just David John Williams confirmed. And I understand Ramesh Ramdhan and Clint Taylor are interested too.
It would be an interesting discussion to see the best way to have some tangible influence.
We can have that talk.
Sorry I keep thinking Mohammed…is David Williams I meant. I am pretty disappointed that so many people in the know here choose not to rally/encourage more participation
I am happy to start a thread on it or even a page on the site for the discussion. So just let me know anything you feels will be a good starting point and we can do it.
When coaches and stuff unpaid and players bawling, the bigwigs carry on merrily despite their failure to raise funding for the program.
Now they want more. Why?
Where is the benefit to football?
It’s called selfishness.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what successes?
Lasana, these people have me speechless these days yes….I fed up cuss…Ah is trying to learn new words 😉
Lol
I say no to Tim kee…
He’s trying to take credit for the teams that he sent abroad with no money and had to go to Twitter for help, or threatened to strike on eve of Caribbean Cup finals, and coaches who have gone unpaid for months on his watch….
I can understand an administrator taking credit if he gave the teams every tool they needed for success. But this one is real gall.
Lasana,he in a serious state of denial
Waste of time
…At every level. Who we go put?…
I wonder how Tim measures “failure”.
Please don’t eh!
That like Kamla asking Colm Imbert yesterday about the completion of the Children’s Hospital.
Only appropriate response to both situations is WDF??!!
Is it just me or has Kamla got a lil senile since she in opposition?
Nah Rose-Marie, she juss playing de arse!!
She sounding like a dunce. Asking about the children’s hospital.
What success mad thing well yes lol
¿¿Que??
REALLY?…
Manifesto of lies and half-truths! Who does Tim Keekeekee feel he is fooling with this? I hope he gets his just deserts and is voted out convincingly!
Build on his success , seriously SMDH