Cunupia FC coach slams Wallace on promised meeting

Cunupia FC coach Michael De Four -
Cunupia FC coach Michael De Four -

CUNUPIA FC coach Michael De Four is unamused by ousted TTFA president William Wallace's promise to convene a meeting of TTFA members if Justice Carol Gobin rules in his favour in their High Court battle against FIFA.

The TTFA will know on Tuesday, at 3 pm, if FIFA’s decision to remove Wallace and his executive from the helm of the local football body in March, and appoint a normalisation committee, was justified or in violation of local laws.

Justice Gobin said at a virtual hearing on Friday that she will give her decision by e-mail. FIFA suspended the TTFA on September 24 for persisting with the legal battle in the local court.

On Friday, Wallace vowed, if successful, to stick to his word and immediately convene a meeting with the TTFA members to chart a way forward.

In an immediate response, De Four expressed scepticism about Wallace's sincerity given United TTFA's failure to pull their legal challenge against FIFA from the local court before FIFA's deadline.

He said, “They’re playing games with people. He said he would call another meeting? But didn’t he call a meeting sometime aback? Did he follow through with what was agreed upon at that meeting? How would members be certain that he would stick to his word this time around? Leaders don’t think subjectively.

“I have issues with the level of objectivity he has displayed. Every single football club and footballer in TT is subject to lose because of this. That idea (another meeting) doesn’t sound very much as if you’re functioning like a person who has an idea of how to run the business of football. Because that incorporates strategic management with a specific plan, goal and aim.”

Cunupia FC recently filed an affidavit in the local court challenging William Wallace’s failure to meet FIFA’s September 23 (3 pm) deadline to withdraw the matter against the sport’s governing body.

De Four believes Wallace reneged on his word, after an informal meeting of the TTFA membership on September 22, when the removed president gave assurance that he would withdraw the legal claim to ensure TT did not face sanctions.

Wallace and his executive did in fact submit the withdrawal, but two minutes past the deadline.

Initially, Wallace was given until September 16 to withdraw the case but failed to do so. This deadline was then extended until September 23.

De Four believes TT's football suspension has cost the club an approximate $4.5 million of investment. It is on this grounds that the club has begun legal proceedings against Wallace and vice-presidents Clynt Taylor and Joseph Sam Phillips.

“We’ve filed an affidavit and we’re in the process of having the matter brought before the court. This matter is presently in its embryonic stage. The club feels disenfranchised and the actions that led up to TT being suspended were reckless. A lot of people have been affected negatively and as such, these are the consequences,” said De Four.

The club has retained the services of attorney Peter Taylor to handle this legal matter.

Taylor said on Friday, “This was more like a shot across the bow to express their (club) consternation at the position taken by the leadership of the TTFA. I still have to take instructions from them going forward.”

At the informal meeting, held virtually on the night before FIFA’s deadline, the majority of TTFA members voted to end United TTFA’s court action against FIFA.

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"Cunupia FC coach slams Wallace on promised meeting"

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