TTFA shifts T&T/Anguilla friendly to Sunday, DJW dances around FIFA regulations

The Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team will play Anguilla in an international friendly at the Ato Boldon Stadium from 6pm on Sunday 10 November and not Monday 11 November, as previously advertised.

A Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) release stated that ‘the shift in date has come about due to FIFA regulations’. The local football body did not state which law it initially violated but it is almost certainly the FIFA Status and Transfer regulations.

2019.10.10: during the Nations League match between Trinidad & Tobago and Honduras at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. T&T lost 0-2. Photo: Allan V. Crane/CA-images

Article 1.5 in Principles of Men’s Football states:  ‘Representative teams shall play the two matches within an international window on the territory of the same confederation, with the only exception of inter-continental play-off matches.

‘If at least one of the two matches is a friendly, they can be played in two different confederations only if the distance between the venues does not exceed a total of five flight hours, according to the official schedule of the airline, and two time-zones.’


The TTFA, with matches scheduled for Trinidad (11 November), Ecuador (14 November) and Honduras (17 November), had rostered the Soca Warriors to play two friendlies and one Concacaf Nations League fixture within the same match window.

FIFA law states that: ‘an international window is defined as a period of nine days […] which is reserved for representative teams’ activities. During any international window a maximum of two matches may be played by each representative team, irrespective of whether these matches are qualifying matches for an international tournament or friendlies.’

So, to apparently sidestep the FIFA law, TTFA president David John-Williams—again without Board approval—pulled the game back 24 hours. Technically, the Warriors’ outing against Anguilla is now outside the FIFA match window although, in reality, coach Dennis Lawrence will lead his team into three friendlies in three different countries and two separate confederations within eight days.

Photo: Soca Warriors head coach Dennis Lawrence (far right) poses with TTFA president David John-Williams (second from right), team manager Richard Piper (second from left) and Camara David (far left) in 2018.
(Copyright Alan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)

Ironically, John-Williams is a member of the very committee whose rules the TTFA appears to be defying. The FIFA Players’ Status Committee which, John-Williams joined in 2017, is meant to ‘monitor compliance with the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players and determines the status of players for various FIFA competitions’.

If the Anguilla match does not exactly excite local football fans, it carries an undeniable statistical value to Lawrence. Trinidad and Tobago are on a 14-match winless streak at present and Lawrence’s troops are in danger of becoming the first team to fail to win a match in a calendar year.

The Anguilla team, ranked 209th out of FIFA’s 209 member associations and with a population of 14,000—which is less than the population of La Horquetta—offer an unmissable chance for the Warriors to get that winning feeling back.

Tickets for Sunday’s friendly are TT$40 and can be purchased on match day at the Couva venue.

Less than four days before the Anguilla match, Lawrence, true to form, has not named his training squad or players selected to face FIFA’s worst football nation. It is unclear whether he is trying to hide his squad from Anguilla.

More from Wired868
Molik, Payne in Yorke’s T&T WCQ squad; Phillip, Joevin, Bateau excluded

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Dwight Yorke named four changes to his 26-man squad today, as Read more

Edwards says Eve will “elevate” T&T women’s team; after leaving side inactive for 18 months

Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards trumpeted the appointment of Angus Eve as Women’s National Senior Team Read more

Dear Editor: Is Cooper guilty until proven innocent? Is his TTFA treatment not a threat to all coaches?

“[…] How is it acceptable, that the person who is head of the Safe Guarding Unit, was able to institute Read more

Betterment: Here’s my checklist on Corneal’s performance as TTFA technical director

“[…] Under Anton Corneal, there were efforts to rebuild youth programs and implement coaching education, but questions remain about the Read more

Dear Editor: Soca Warriors must stop begging for luck and build capacity for real success

“[…] More possession, more shots, prettier football—none of it matters without results. Sympathy doesn’t qualify teams. Goals and points do. Read more

Butcher: Dwight Yorke is past the “process” stage; this is the event—time to deliver

“[…] You mentioned that building a team is a process, not an event. I understand and respect that but context Read more

Check Also

Molik, Payne in Yorke’s T&T WCQ squad; Phillip, Joevin, Bateau excluded

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Dwight Yorke named four changes to …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.