TT Premier Football League CEO Colin Wharfe enters TTFA president race

CEO of the TT Premier Football League Colin Wharfe is the latest person to throw his hat in the TT Football Association (TTFA) presidential race.

Wharfe is the fourth person to announce his desire to go up for the president of the TTFA, which will be decided at the elections on April 13.

Potential candidates for the nine executive committee positions must confirm their candidature to the TTFA general secretariat for the respective posts on or before February 28.

President of the Southern Football Association Denis Latiff, Veterans Football Foundation of TT president Selby Browne and Eastern Football Association (EFA) president Kieron Edwards have all indicated their interest to go up for the position.

"This release serves to formally announce my candidacy for president of the TT Football Association," Wharfe said in a media release.

Wharfe thinks his experience in football will be an asset in the position as president of the TTFA. "This decision was not taken lightly. I have a long history of participation in local football, most recently steering the TT Premier Football League, and being involved in crafting the medium-term strategy and plan for professional football."

He said after being motivated by peers, he decided to put his name forward. "I had discussions with persons, within and outside of the football fraternity, about extending my involvement in local football administration. Their sentiments and encouragement have persuaded me to play a larger part in local football administration. I feel compelled to seize the opportunity to lead an expanded team which will propel TT football. I fervently believe that football can be a driver of societal engagement and national transformation, at a time when multi-faceted approaches are needed."

The Fifa-appointed normalisation committee has been running local football since 2020. The main reason the normalisation committee was appointed was to reduce a $50 million debt by the TTFA.

A revision of TTFA’s statutes to bring it in line with those of the sport’s global governing body was one of the key objectives set out by FIFA when it suspended the TTFA in 2020.

A Fifa statement on January 24 said the TTFA statutes are now compliant with Fifa and Concacaf.

"Following the ratification of the TTFA statutes and the subsequent announcement of the date for executive committee elections, TT football is rapidly moving from normalisation to normalcy. There is a desire for change and I believe I can lead the change," Wharfe said. "The statutes, along with their enabling policies and procedures, if fully implemented and rigorously adhered to, provide a framework and guardrails to bring about the desired change at the TTFA."

He said he has the capacity to lead. "I bring a wealth of business leadership experience that is applicable and transferable to this job. These were developed and nurtured during my 30-year career at one of the top professional services firms in the world; where I held senior leadership positions in the region and managed the local branches of several global client accounts. I possess the skills to advance the work that has already begun and of which I have been a part, so I decided to run for the post."

Wharfe said he will finalise his team for the elections as "The Slate" will be revealed.