New Year’s message: DJW hails TTFA’s resilience and Home of Football; Downer counters

“The TTFA will celebrate its 111th anniversary this year and looks ahead to the highly anticipated opening of the Home of Football and the Sports and Entertainment Centre projects…”

The following is a New Year’s message by Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams:

Photo: TTFA president David John-Williams (centre), media officer Shaun Fuentes (left) and new Soca Warriors coach Dennis Lawrence at the TTFA headquarters on 30 January 2017.
(Copyright Allan V Crane/TTFA)

The TTFA would like to use this opportunity to extend our gratitude to you for your commitment, patience and support towards building, developing and promoting football in 2018. We now look forward to a fruitful and exciting 2019 year for Trinidad and Tobago Football.

The TTFA will celebrate its 111th anniversary this year and looks ahead to the highly anticipated opening of the Home of Football and the Sports and Entertainment Centre projects. Both projects were made possible through FIFA’s Forward Programme and the support of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago who provided the all-important lands to facilitate these projects.


There is a lot more football to look forward to in 2019, as our Men’s Senior Team is set to compete in a host of top class international friendlies in preparation for the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup in July. We also begin action in the top flight of the inaugural Concacaf’s Nations League in September, and also Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying carded to begin later in the year.

Additionally, our NLCB Elite youth teams are also set for further development, as we position a number of friendly and competitive matches throughout 2019.

Together we can shape the future of our football and leave a legacy for the next generations. We met and overcame many obstacles in 2018 and together we will continue to surmount them in the years ahead.

Photo: TTFA president David John-Williams (left) shows FIFA official Veron Mosengo-Omba around the Home of Football in Couva.
(Courtesy TTFA Media)

We have no doubt made progress as an organization, demonstrating resilience that can only auger well for us going forward as we endeavour to create a self-sustainable Trinidad and Tobago Football Association.

We would once again like to acknowledge the efforts, patience and understanding of all our stakeholders from the players, coaches, match officials, administrators, referees, office staff, member associations, official partners as, well as our most loyal fans.

We extend a Happy New Year to all and best wishes to the Trinidad and Tobago football family in 2019.

Photo: FIFA president Gianni Infantino (centre) and TTFA president David John-Williams (left) turn the sod at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on 10 April 2017 while then Sport Minister Darryl Smith pretends to help.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)

The following response to John-Williams’ missive was sent to all football stakeholders by Trinidad and Tobago Football Referees Association (TTFRA) vice-president Osmond Downer:

To the president and all other members of the TTFA family,


Best wishes for the success in all your endeavours in 2019.

I note and appreciate the President’s New Year’s message for 2019 and his ambitions for the New Year.

I am disappointed though that the President did not take this opportunity to signify that he himself will resolve to abide with the resolution that was passed at the recently reconvened Annual General Meeting and to state in his message words to the effect that he himself will resolve to correct his grave fault of non-communication with the members of the Board on ALL matters relating to the Business of the Association, according to the dictates of the Constitution of the TTFA, and the resolution of the AGM.

The aforementioned motion reads: “Whereas at the General Meeting of June 13, 2018, a motion was passed that the President be complimented on his valiant efforts to improve the state of football in the country, with a special reference to the creation of the Home of Football, and that in the same motion, the President was censured for not properly communicating with the Board, as he should do in all matters, according to the Constitution.

Photo: (From right) FIFA official Veron Mosengo-Omba, Sport Minister Shamfa Cudjoe and TTFA president David John-Williams inspect the TTFA’s Home of Football in Couva on 20 August 2018.
(Courtesy MSYA)

“And seeing that at present, the President should be again complimented on his continuing efforts as fore-mentioned, but, because of his continuing inadequate non-communication on all matters concerning these football projects, that the president be strongly reminded of that decision of censure and be made aware that any repeat of such non-communication on the part of the president in the future will be treated as serious enough to engender a fulsome motion of no-confidence in the president.

Yours in Football

Osmond O Downer

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34 comments

    • 2018 was a disgrace for T&T football What is he going to do with the money ? he receives specifically for the development of Women in Football? Probably give it to lawyers and pay legal damages that were unnecessarily accrued. It seems young athletes, especially Women are invisible to the TTFA, and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs are somehow rendered impotent to do anything about it?

    • I think a reasonable next step is to get FIFA or CONCACAF involved. I’ve had enough, I feel physically sick to my stomach the women truly don’t matter.

    • SB Jacqueline I changed my post a bit to make sure I emphasised the respect ✊ that I have for the skill and determination of the female footballers in 2018. Thank you all. I enjoyed following you on Wired868. Happy New Year. Hope 2019 brings change, opportunities and the support you all deserve.

  1. Listening to d interview…he didnt say an answer much…smh…doh kno why Coach Keith Look Loy didnt get any support…everybody lookin to eat ah food..smh

  2. Yeah and those reporters think the listeners don’t notice. Believe it – they notice, lose respect and change the channel.

  3. John-Williams has a couple of media workers who let him get away with essentially anything he says with no fact checks or whatsoever. No wonder he is picky about which reporters he talks to.

    • Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t DJW boast to Joel Villafana on the Half Time Show, that he shrewdly negotiated with the FAs of the teams against which we played friendlies in 2018, for them to host us and pay expenses inclusive of players’ fees? If so is he saying now that those FAs have been slow to pay?

  4. Keith why are you tired . The Executive branch sat on their hands rubber stamp most of the football association inept behavior and attitudes today. In my opinion the executive members are worse when compared to DJW. Here is the reality. Moving DJW is a must, but removing the executives is the greatest challenge facing the future of football

  5. 111 years and you all still can’t not be a mess? How many female presidents have you all had? That might be the problem… ‍♀️‍♀️

    • Chabeth well the long-standing women’s representative on the board, Sharon O’Brien, was one of two persons asked to step aside for conflict of interest since she also is employed by the TTFA.
      That said she stepped aside the next day while the other member asked to do so, Wayne Cunningham of the Eastern FA, had to be dragged out kicking and screaming by his own member body about three months later. Lol.

  6. This is a free course starting next week.. they should attend

  7. Looking for the Women Warriors friendlies. FIFA and Concacaf don’t care about Women?

  8. .. Vision. Planning. Implementation. Ah tired..

  9. Words missing from this article – WOMEN, transparency, accountability, project opening date – maybe the month?, the Board…. to name a few.

  10. I find this to be very insincere and lacking even in false emotions

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