The race for the presidency of the T&T Football Association will begin in earnest on Tuesday with William Wallace set to be nominee to represent the United Football Group, while Richard Ferguson, the Terminix Director, also confirmed that he will be a contestant for football's top position.
Tuesday is nomination day and the incumbent David John-Williams will know at the end of the day who will be his challengers at the November 24 annual general meeting (AGM) of the TTFA.
The election of a new president and three vice presidents will form part of the AGM's agenda items.
Guardian Media Sports understands that Wallace, the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) president, is the preferred choice to be the group's nominee ahead of Raymond Tim Kee, a former T&T Football Association president, who was influential in having key amendments to the TTFA's constitution back in 2015, and Anthony Harford, the Northern Football Association (NFA) boss who himself, has worked all his life in football and other sports.
Contacted on Monday Wallace said the slate to contest the election will be chosen today and if he's asked to lead, he will definitely consider it because of the current state of football in the country.
"I have shown my support for the group publicly, so you cannot talk the talk and not walk the walk, " Wallace said.
Quizzed on whether a choice of him being T&TFA president, will prevent him for continuing in his position as the schools' football boss, he said there is nowhere in the constitution that prevents someone from functioning in both positions, but he will know further.
The United Group, it is understood is expected to be Clynt Taylor, the Central Football Association (CFA) General Secretary, who also contested the TTFA presidency four years ago, and is expected to contest one of the three vice presidents positions, which can potentially set him on course with his head at the central football association- Shymdeo Gosine, who it is understood, will be featured on a slate being headed by Ferguson.
Susan Joseph-Warrick, the president of the women's football league and Sam Phillip, a former chairman of the T&T Pro League will be the other two nominated vice presidents.
The Terminix and Ascension boss confirmed that he will be throwing his hat into the ring, having been involved in the sport for the past year or so. “I have sponsored the Ascension Invitational Football League and we are currently funding the Super League. We are also awaiting the go-ahead to sponsor the T&T Pro League also,” Ferguson said.
He believes his slate which comprises Eddie Dean of Club Sando, Raymond Thom of Police FC and Gosine, the CFA businessman who is the current sponsor of central football, has built up a decent momentum so far.
Ferguson promised his manifesto will be ready by the end of this week and will convey their desire to rid the association of the debt that currently exists, have a two-tier National League with promotion and demotion, and to make football financially viable in the twin-island Republic. He said his team Terminix has already begun showing what can be done to assist football in T&T.