Admitting that Women's football was not treated fairly in the past, David John-Williams, president of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) revealed yesterday that his association is looking at contracting women players so that they will be full-time in the game.
New coach Carolina Morace is expected to provide a shortlist of about 25 players that will be offered the contracts. The TTFA will also provide players with a Code of Ethics programme upon accepting the contracts.
Speaking at a press conference to give an update of women's football in the country the TTFA boss described the coming women's development programme under Morace, as a holistic plan from which they will be pushing seriously at qualification of the country's under-20 and senior teams for the FIFA Women's World Cups.
However, he first had to answer questions on where his association would acquire monies to provide payments of the contracts, considering the financial burdens being face presently nationally and by his organisation.
According to John Williams it will be sourced from their budget funding exercise. "It is no secret that the TTFA is in a significant amount of debt, but there are certain revenues that are available to the TTFA that you are not allowed to pay debt and I am happy to say that the Women's Concacaf Programme is the one programme that will finance the Woman's Programme."
He noted, "You cannot take Concacaf money to finance debt, so don't get the misconception that we are contacting coaches and we can't pay them. We have specific allocations, so therefore the US$125, 000 that we get a year from Concacaf, we have already decided will be put towards the women's programme. So we can't take that $125, 000 to pay John Browne who we owe for 15 years or 20 years and the public must understand that."
He continued, "It is just about prudent management which this TTFA is all about. I am also happy to sat that Government has not given this TTFA a cent within the last five months and that is because of prudent management, fund raisers exercises, getting back our FIFA grant and channelling our money in a proper way."
Logistics for the programme are being worked out presently John Williams said, noting that Morace will sort things out in addition to her other responsibilities. She will be assisted by three coaches Nicola Williams, Betty Bavagnoli and Manuela Tesse. The TTFA has also launched a search for other potential local coaches to work with the Morace and her team for continuity.
Meanwhile, the TTFA boss also announced that attempts are being made to lobby with the FIFA for the country national senior team to play against Ecuador in a friendly international after a match between Panama and Mexico in a World Cup qualifier.
"FIFA does not allow a curtain raiser in the World Cup Qualifier. It is our intention in one of the games between Panama and Mexico, to play the Ecuador national team after the qualifier against Mexico. We have already written to Ecuador in that regard to get a return match. I spoke to Carolina about it and she said it is enough time to prepare the team. FIFA does not allow a curtain raiser, we still have to get permission to see if we can play a double header on that day, but if we do get the permission, it will be a bumper match" John Williams said.
WALTER ALIBEY