TTFA official disappointed over Cyprus Cup pull-out

JOEL BAILEY

TRINIDAD and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) general secretary Justin Latapy-George has stated his disappointment over the fact that the national women team had to pull-out of the forthcoming Cyprus Women’s Cup, which was slated from February 26 to March 8, due to financial woes.

Latapy-George acknowledged yesterday, “We have informed them via writing (that) this is our position.

We’ll continue to work with them, (but) apologising profusely for being unable to accept the opportunity.

It brings us no satisfaction but we have to face reality of what our situation is, until we are able to improve in terms of our resources.”

TT have never competed in this event before, and it would have been used as a means of preparation for the women’s squad ahead of their 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers, which will get going in May.

“It really irks us, being unable to accept the opportunity,” he admitted.

“It’s really disappointing at all levels that, when given the opportunity, unfortunately for us, at this particular point, our resources just could not allow us to really grasp that.”

Asked if the team could not have received assistance from the monthly subvention which the TTFA receive from FIFA subvention, Latapy-George replied, “Those things are more internal operations. It’s usually no things we discuss publicly. That is from our funding agency to us. It’s more an internal thing.”

According to Latapy-George, “Each tournament has its own standard but, in this particular instance, we’re responsible for getting ourselves there.

That really posed a bit of a challenge for us because of the overall cost to get ourselves there to compete.”

It was reported in yesterday’s Newsday that the estimated cost for sending the team to Cyprus, plus expenses, was $750,000.

Concerning the next step for the women football team, Latapy-George said, “It’s up to the technical committee to sit down and review where we are, what competitions we have (in) 2018 and really seek to prioritise that.

The technical committee has the authority, how they choose to pursue and, from their decision, I am guided accordingly.”