Former Trinidad and Manchester United great Dwight Yorke has sided with FIFA in its decision take over the operations of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) last month.
In a letter dated March 17, 2020, FIFA notified the TTFA that it was appointing a normalization committee to oversee the running of the association until such time there is an election to have an election to elect a new executive.
FIFA’s reasoned that the takeover of the heavily indebted TTFA was necessary due to the fact that there were “no formal internal policies and internal controls in place, such as procurement, the delegation of financial authorities, financial planning and budgeting, effective oversight of funding and management reporting, which are necessary to meet the TTFA’s objectives.”
FIFA also said there is a lack of documented policies and procedures, financial planning and management of statutory liabilities adding that there no short or long-term plan to address the “urgent” situation.
The TTFA is over USD$5million in debt, much of it from the David John-Williams administration that was ousted in the TTFA elections held in November 2019.
The new administration led by William Wallace was in power for four months when FIFA decided to take over its operations.
However, Yorke, who played for Trinidad and Tobago at a time when they were the top team in the Caribbean while speaking with Andre Baptiste on Isports on i95.5fm Programme on Saturday, backed FIFA, saying the country’s football was at stake.
"When it comes to football, things have to change. We have tried all aspects of it before. We know how successful we have been in 2006. I think football has been in decline for a number of years. I think this is the right move and we all have to get back and focus and maybe think about the youth," said Yorke, who also urged aspiring professional footballers in Trinidad to pursue their dreams.
"The youths are the future of the football and I call on all the footballers out there who are aspiring to represent their country, to continue to work hard because it is the only way forward and they must have that belief and hopefully, our country will one day find its way back on the world stage again.”
Yorke also expressed a desire to play a part in the development of the country’s football.
"I have always been (interested), I have never shied away from that I have always wanted to play an intricate part in whatever way it's possible,” he said.
“I can help the young people of T&T as I have said before. I have a lot of knowledge and experience over the years and I feel that I can contribute a lot to T&T’s football, hopefully."
The ousted executive of the TTFA has taken the matter before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking for them to set aside the FIFA decision.