[UPDATED] Hadad: Cool down, Terry Fenwick

ROBERT Hadad, head of the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee to oversee the TT Football Association (TTFA), is urging men’s football team coach Terry Fenwick to “keep it cool” as the squad prepares for a pair of 2022 FIFA World Cup Concacaf Zone qualifiers.

The TT team left for the Dominican Republic on Thursday where they will play Guyana on March 25, followed by a meeting away to Puerto Rico on March 28.

Hadad was speaking during a media conference at the VIP Lounge, Piarco Airport, on Thursday morning, ahead of the team’s departure.

On Wednesday, at the team’s training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, there was an exchange between Fenwick and TTFA media officer Shaun Fuentes, after the English-born Fenwick expressed his displeasure over the presence of a media reporter at the venue.

“I’ll like to wish Terry good luck,” said Hadad. “I’ll like to say to the public, the relationship between the management team is healthy. If anything, it’s fiery at times.

“I will ask Terry to, as much as possible, keep it cool and let (us) win. The players of TT will represent us properly, they will make (the nation) look good, and that’s what we’re about.”

Hadad pointed out earlier, “I actually was at the ground when it all happened, so I can tell you clearly that there was no physical abuse. We have aggressive personalities, and I think it’s good for TT.

“I always say you can’t take a dead man and bring him back to life but you can take a man with a lot of life and tone him down a little bit, and work with (him). I think Terry is a very passionate, very strong-minded person.

“There are issues sometimes with certain media personnel, I’m not going to defend that.”

Hadad continued, “(On Wednesday) we had a little misunderstanding and we immediately called everybody together and it was sorted out. Shaun and Terry are now working together and we should not have any problems moving forward.”

Asked what advice has been iven to either party, Hadad responded, “I work with a lot of people in my life. The most important thing is communication. We need to understand each other better and, in moving forward, I would make sure that the communication is clearer.”

Fenwick was asked if he is concerned about Wednesday’s episode affecting the team.

“Not really,” replied the TT coach. “I’ve been here 21 years. TT can be very difficult.

He later mentioned, “I just think the public at large who recognise the issues and problems that we’ve had. We’ve had the pandemic. It takes strong characters to get us out of this.”

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

ROBERT Hadad, head of the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee to oversee the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), is urging men’s football team coach Terry Fenwick to temper his aggressive nature, as the squad prepares for a pair of 2022 FIFA World Cup Concacaf Zone qualifiers.

The TT team left for the Dominican Republic on Thursday where they will play Guyana on March 25, followed by a meeting away to Puerto Rico on March 28.

Hadad was speaking during a media conference at the VIP Lounge, Piarco Airport, on Thursday morning, ahead of the team’s departure.

On Wednesday, at the team’s training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, there was an exchange between Fenwick and TTFA media officer Shaun Fuentes, after the English-born Fenwick expressed his displeasure over the presence of a media reporter at the venue.

“I’ll like to wish Terry good luck,” said Hadad. “I’ll like to say to the public, the relationship between the management team is healthy. If anything, it’s fiery at times.

“I will ask Terry to, as much as possible, keep it cool and let (us) win. The players of TT will represent us properly, they will make (the nation) look good, and that’s what we’re about.”

Hadad pointed out earlier, “I actually was at the ground when it all happened, so I can tell you clearly that there was no physical abuse. We have aggressive personalities, and I think it’s good for TT.

“I always say you can’t take a dead man and bring him back to life but you can take a man with a lot of life and tone him down a little bit, and work with (him). I think Terry is a very passionate, very strong-minded person.

"There are issues sometimes with certain media personnel, I’m not going to defend that.