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Fri, Mar

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Former general secretary of the T&T Football Association (TTFA), Sheldon Phillips, is taking legal action against his ex employers for wrongful dismissal.

Phillips, described by the former TTFA president Raymond Tim Kee as competent and efficient before he was fired, told the Guardian that he has submitted proposals to the David John-Williams administration outlining ways to resolve the issue, which he feels were not considered. “I was fired, not because of my performance or because I failed to follow procedures but because I wrote to the FIFA about the manner in which the election process was being managed.

There were erroneous information being sent out to the electorate and the administrators failed to adhere to my advice, which was to follow Articles 10.1 of the constitution, so I wrote to the FIFA,” Phillips said.

He made it clear he received no warnings to suggest that he was not following directives.

Phillips’ case was picked up by other executive members of the TTFA, who agreed he was wrongfully dismissed. Phillips pointed to an agreement of the TTFA executive after a meeting on November 13, 2015 which advised the president to seek FIFA’s assistance on his matter via a written request.

He said Tim Kee failed to do this and though it was suggested to John-Williams, he has no info that a letter was sent from him.

The inception of the new TTFA administration in September, saw Azaad Khan, a long-serving general secretary of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) being given  an interim position. Attempts to confirm Khan via a board meeting of the TTFA a month ago failed after two members, Anthony Moore, the Tobago Football Association (TFA) president and Allan Warner, the second vice president of the TTFA, voted against it. 

This development led to concerns by members of the board and other executives as rumours circulated of a plot to remove Khan. The Guardian learnt the position of general secretary is to be advertised, but one board member said the constitution did not make provision for the post to be advertised.

John Williams explained discussions must take place before the appointment of a general secretary, adding Khan will first be properly assessed on his work.

Asked whether there was an expectation that Khan would accept the position based on an expectation to be confirmed, John-Williams said ‘there was no general secretary and Khan was appointed in an interim position. I cannot say if he will be kept or not but there will soon be a another meeting of the board where that decision will be made.’

Questioned on an update on Phillips’ situation, the local football boss confirmed the ex general secretary will be taking legal action against his association.