New TTSL president Look Loy turns gaze to TTFA; Ottley delivers parting shot

Defeated Trinidad and Tobago Super League presidential candidate Ryan Ottley might have woken up this morning as elected Vice-president. However, Ottley claimed that his commitment to complete transparency and openness, however, prevented him from accepting an offer to run for the position on Keith Look Loy’s slate.

“I need to make the point,” newly elected Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) president Look Loy told Wired868 today, “that before he declared his candidacy, I had offered Ryan Ottley the opportunity to remain as vice-president, which he declined.”

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) president Keith Look Loy.
(Courtesy TTSL)

Ottley confirmed that he had indeed been offered the option of running as Look Loy’s candidate for the post of first vice-president; however, he said, when the offer was made, Look Loy had not yet outlined a strategic plan to take the TTSL forward and he (Ottley) felt that he could not go in blind.

“The reason for me declining would have been that the president never indicated to us what his visions for the League were,” he explained. “And to support a vision that is not there is a bit alarming for me.

“I’m talking about a strategic plan, a manifesto, anything that could say ‘Aye, we are here now and this is where we want to be’.”

The 64-year-old Look Loy, who is a former CONCACAF technical committee member and TTFA technical advisor, defeated his 29-year-old challenger by 14 votes to eight in the inaugural elections which took place at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva last night. Saddle Hill Hotspur, one of the 24 voting clubs, was unrepresented at the meeting while there was also one spoilt ballot. And none of the four persons on Ottley’s slate was able to get the nod over his Look Loy opponent.

Nevertheless, the Flying Officer with the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force feels that his team did all they could to persuade the TTSL’s 24-strong general membership.

Photo: (From Left to right) Lt Ryan Ottley (TTSL interim VP), Keith Look Loy (TTSL interim President), Minister Darryl Smith, Camara David (TTSL Secretary), Kester Lendor (TTSL interim Assistant Secretary) and Quincy Jones (interim Board member).
(Courtesy TTSL)

“I don’t think we could have done more,” Ottley told Wired868. “We would have exhausted all our resources to go to the clubs and provide them with a plan and that was our selling point.

“We had a plan and this is what we want to do with the TTSL. What this means to us is that some clubs are satisfied with how things are going and that’s okay…”

Look Loy’s response to the implied criticism that he had failed to share his vision with the League was that he and his team had deliberately not prepared a manifesto document. According to him, his manifesto is his stint as the TTSL’s Interim President and his many years of football service, both of which are there for all to see.

“I thought that I and the people who were there had done good work to get the League up and running and have it started from scratch essentially,” Look Loy told Wired868. “Now that we are in office we will create the strategic plan. That is our first priority to guide us in all these different areas of development.”

Ottley did get two of his pre-election wishes, though, as Guaya United manager Jameson Rigues was elected unopposed as first vice-president while George Joseph of Bethel United is now one of the Board’s three Ordinary Members. Ottley had said publicly on the eve of the elections that his team was impressed with Rigues’ business plan for the League and that their wish was to have Tobago represented at board level at all times.


Photo: Guaya United supporters get behind their team during 2015/16 CNG National Super League action against Defence Force in Guayaguare.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)

In the race for the second vice-presidency, Club Sando’s owner Eddison Dean defeated Marvin Wilson by 15 votes to six. There were two absentees and one spoilt ballot.

Joseph, Colin Murray, Stephanie Guevara, Michael Du Four and Clayton Morris vied for the three Board spots as Ordinary Members and Joseph was the runaway winner in round one, collecting 12 of the 21 votes then at stake, three of the total of 24 voters being absent.

Morris’ first round four became 16 in round two, leaving Du Four, Guevara and Murray to battle for the final place.  Guevara and Du Four received six and three respectively while Murray, vote-less in the first two rounds, tallied 12.

Importantly, the newly elected TTSL President now has a seat at the head table with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) Board of Directors. And he is adamant that the League will finally have a chance to let its voice be heard.

“There is a lot that we are not happy with,” he warned. “There is a lot of work that needs to be done in terms of the administration of the TTFA, the decision-making process at the TTFA and the decisions that are arrived at with the TTFA.

Photo: FIFA president Gianni Infantino (right) and TTFA president David John-Williams at a press conference at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on 10 April 2017.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)

“Now, we will have access to information that we did not have before and now we will have the opportunity to make our input on how the association is run and how decisions are made.”

Pointing to the recent re-appointments of Anton Corneal as TTFA Technical Director and Jamaal Shabazz as the senior women’s football coach, Look Loy stated that local football’s governing body needs to be kept on its toes where the development of football in the country is concerned.

Prior to last night’s election, the TTSL also held a meeting with its general membership to ratify their promotion and relegation system–two teams will be demoted and two teams will be promoted from the various tiers of the League–and appoint Robert George to the Audit and Compliance Committee.

The meeting also agreed, Wired868 was informed, that TTSL’s proposed Caribbean Football Trust Limited (CFTL)-backed ‘All Star’ gig will now be modified to pit a TTSL All-Star team against a Jamaica Premier League All-Star team on 15 October.

A second exhibition game will see the World XI, which should include Brazil legends Ronaldinho and Cafu, now facing off against the Trinbago Oilers FC unit from the Islands Cup tournament, which is also backed by CFTL.

Photo: Brazil midfielder and captain Ronaldinho (left) tries to escape from a Japanese player during the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup match at the Rhein-Energie Stadion in Cologne. 
(Copyright AFP2017/Marcus Brandt)

CFTL, chaired by Chris Anderson, has already pumped $550,000 in sponsorship behind the TTSL for two knockout tournaments,

However, Ottley questioned the wisdom of making room for these matters on an agenda that includes so important an item as an inaugural election.

“People come to an election to do exactly one thing and that is to vote,” Ottley declared. “I believe that a meeting before the election can work in two ways. It can allow for electioneering and campaigning on one side and then it could also be allowed to discredit a candidate’s views or perspective on a matter.”

Look Loy responded obliquely to the objection, treating the issue of the need for foreign investors since the local corporate sector seems less than interested.

“What we are going to do is develop a road map, a strategic plan. I don’t want to sound clichéd [but] there is a shortfall in local investment so we have already started that with our budding investment with Caribbean Football Trust Limited. And we are going to be proceeding with that kind of approach.”

Photo: Then TTSL interim president Keith Look Loy (left) and CFTL chairman Chris Anderson agree sponsorship for two cups for the 2017 TTSL season during a press conference at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on 5 June 2017.
(Courtesy Roneil Walcott/Wired868)

From Day One, therefore, Look Loy is already charting a clear course for the TTSL ship. The general membership which has put its fate in his hands will be looking forward to plain sailing from here on in.

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About Roneil Walcott

Roneil Walcott is an avid sports fan and freelance reporter with a BA in Mass Communication from COSTAATT. Roneil is a former Harvard and St Mary's College cricketer who once had lofty aspirations of bringing joy to sport fans with the West Indies team. Now, his mission is to keep them on the edge of their seats with sharp commentary from off the playing field.

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37 comments

  1. As set of has been keep rotating.

  2. Now his work start the league is at present running with out money clubs still awating price money from 2016 some clubs has not paid there players months now .

  3. We should congratulate Mr. Keith Look Loy on his appointments as President of Ttsl and other candidates who was successful. The clubs voted and let us support football in our country, notwithstanding that we continue to express our opinions and thoughts about the football fraternity.

  4. Maybe nationally and in special interest organizations like TTFA & TTSL we should adhere to the standard of having debates so that candidates can ventilate their plans and be challenged appropriately. That way a manifesto is not a necessity but an election without a sharing of plans is not ideal

  5. And for the record, I have nothing with KLL. I don’t even know the guy. I just know a glimpse of him from being in here.
    And based on what he used to be saying, these present actions seem to be gone against…

  6. I sense a tremendous sense of hostility to Keith but I see no recognition of where he has brought the league from. He has not done this alone but many of the critiques appear on the surface to ignore the value of institutional knowledge, continuity and the effect of opposing forces to this league. If an entire slate receives nearly 60% of the vote why are we not respecting the process. I have seen PP, UNC,PNM, NAR etc Manifesto’s and not one of them adhered to, just a waste of paper. I see little wrong with the new executive now taking on the task of a strategic plan, its rather democratic instead of starting the organization with some rigid plan that would have been obsolete and probably self-serving. I have no dog in this fight but many of the criticisms appear rigid and shallow.

    • On the other hand Sean, if we are committed to democracy, we must acknowledge and allow the questions and concerns of others. Further, isn’t that a big problem nationally….. that once a question is asked if the elected ones, the questioner is sidelined. We can’t have it both ways.

    • Dude, seriously? So you’re going to determine who you’re voting for in the next general election how exactly?
      In any case, leadership and democracy isn’t going to the people and saying I have no plan, what do you all think should happen. It’s saying here’s what I think, and here’s the direction I believe in, what did you all think and allowing for input.
      But even if you want to go to the people with no plan, you put that on paper so that people know that’s what you’re committed to doing.
      As of now, all that’s been said is “we” are going to now come up with a strategic plan. Who is “we”? The elected officers or the clubs?
      But whatever yes…

    • Amen Sean. Brian, democracy produced the results. The people that voted overwhelmingly for KLL know him and felt he was the better choice. Notwithstanding that, some concerns seem to be valid in a vacuum, and not taking into account that all races are not necessarily going to follow a particular script..

    • Brian Jordan we all agree on that but the discussion is about procedure. No one denies (that I’ve read) the democratic process

    • See my comment below. Procedural shifts also have to be voted on, and in this instance, the clubs may say they would prefer things this way over your well intentioned suggestion.

    • Brian, I agree that all have a democratic right to voice concerns however my comment was concern on tone and emotion that I felt may cloud the message. That said passion is important to the process

    • Chabeth Haynes I am serious. Manifesto’s are not and have not been accurate predictors of future behaviour. I take myself a former elected official whom while running for office had grandiose theoretical plans and fantastic marketing materials. Once elected reality of the legislative process hit and two years into my term the financial crisis. I think that constant debate on relevant issues between candidates in any campaign is more valuable than Manifesto’s. Debate will let you know what candidates think, you even find out that some can not think. I hope you see why I am serious. Best wishes

    • If changed circumstances require altered strategies, intelligent people can understand that.
      But a manifesto is a tool for accountability, a show of respect for the people who you are asking to vote for you, and an indication of someone’s leadership style.
      Debate is all well and good and I don’t think anybody would reject debate. But what is the opening question in a debate if you don’t even know somebody’s starting point on an issue?
      Not to mention… this blind support of someone, anyone in whatever election anywhere in the world… isn’t that we condemn the tribalistic voters for?

    • I start from the viewpoint that no politician/candidate from his self proclaimed best person for the job view of themself can produce a document that will specifically address the challenges in any society. A society has one fundamental question, how do we distribute the resources? Debating how those resources will be distributed across education, social welfare, sports and culture, etc will tell you what candidates value. in a social media world driven by videos imagine the value of debates going viral in a society. A Manifesto will never go viral. I will admit having worked as a political consultant I am being somewhat hypocritical because we always work to limit the number of debates so we can control the candidates message. One poor debate performance can destroy millions spent on field work and media buys. I say put the candidates in the most vulnerable position to truly see them. Obviously, I agree that a Manifesto can be prepared as they are not mutually exclusive.

    • I’m not sure how far apart we are in principle tbh. I’ve already said why I value a manifesto. And in a debate, a manifesto remains an invaluable source document. Consider any election. And a manifesto is that much more important in a country that doesn’t have a history/culture of candidates debating during the course of an election.
      Nevertheless, what happened here was a bunch of people voted for a slate of candidates who neither put out a manifesto nor engaged in public debate.
      If people don’t see that as problematic or understand how absolutely impotent they are to now hold those elected accountable for anything, then so be it…

    • But I hope now you can see why I had to ask you if you were serious…

    • Your first sentence is astounding Sean Powder, and I gather the majority of citizens think the same way which is why they vote color, red or yellow, symbols, balisier or sun, or ethnicity… So they don’t have to think, develop high order literacy, critical and process thinking, or any thing beyond following lights like deer.

      Any politician o leader who cannot outline and programatize* a plan for every single issue, problem, challenge or crisis, is not a leader, but crapaud, charlatan, or farce. And the truth is, we require nothing more of them. And building roads, buildings, waterfront complexes, hotels, golf courses and resorts ARE Not, development,management, or administrative plans or development./

      In fact, if I was able to organize for next elections, each proposed minister and PM would have to outline a completed thesis type proposal outlining issues, solutions and implementation and a timeline, showing work, calculations, and inputs, for each area. Health, Agriculture, Youth, etc.. And some new areas.

    • Scary to see that you are a political consultant as phrased and think that way. But then again, uwi does give PhDs. I a real fish outta water . it is astounding!!!!

  7. I sat in that meeting and it was just MANIPULATION camiuflaged as DEMOCRACY and these gullible ppl sat there and sucked it all up coz everything was put to a vote but the idiot had the majority there from the jump. I saw it the three times they went to vote on a matter… he’s not as stupid as he looks, he knew exactly how to manipulate that meeting and did a dam good job at it…

  8. They won without a manifesto??? Are you serious? Lol. And now they’re going to come up with a strategic plan? Why wouldn’t you do that before so everybody knows your intentions?
    But I guess this way works out though. There’s no measure by which to hold the elected people accountable. The clubs can never be disappointed as no promises will be broken. And the rest of us don’t have to hear any complaints since when you hand over your money with a smile without seeing the product, you continue to smile regardless of what nonsense you get. Everybody’s happy like pappy.
    Win! Win! Win!
    Can’t help but wonder though if KLL would have voted for a slate that refused to share its manifesto and whose selling point is I’ve been in this thing for years.
    People really get the leadership they deserve yes.

    • I can’t argue with your points on face value Chabeth. I suppose the counter might be that when you have a track record and your opponent doesn’t, then you try to fight him on that grounds where you feel stronger.
      Putting out a manifesto then might encourage people to compare both of your documents and you would be on politically shakier territory.
      From that standpoint, it might be a political move to get the upper hand in an election although clearly not a move made to get to the moral high ground.
      Let me stress that I haven’t spoken to either candidate and am just speculating! ?

    • Not putting out a manifesto is a political move so that you can never be held accountable.
      It’s cowardly and shrewd at the same time.
      If you really think you’re the best for the job and you have the best vision and your track record speaks to your competency, your manifesto just amplifies that.
      Any other excuse for not putting out a manifesto is BS. And ppl only serve BS to those they think will eat it.

    • Ryan had a good manifesto with good points [whether achievable is debatable] but certainly points which the TTSL should and must consider! If the membership actively participates in this League then its up to the membership to accept/agree/shape etc. Mr. KLL, I think won on the fact that he has experience and worked tirelessly [no disputing] to get the TTSL up and running esp when the umbrella body showed little interest [still sense of unease] to the cause. TTSL, no doubt is a work in progress but I do hope it could be one of the few sport organizations where the members dictate the pace.

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