“[…] Fifa-appointed normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad has been notified on numerous occasions [about the unpaid bonus to head coach Dennis Lawrence for Trinidad and Tobago’s World Cup qualifying win over the United States on 11 October 2017] but has done NOTHING about it!
“His lack of respect, empathy and concern is a disgrace to a national hero who has done more for T&T football than Hadad and his associates put together…”
The following Letter to the Editor on the response of the Fifa-appointed normalisation committee to payments due to former Soca Warriors head coach Dennis Lawrence was submitted by Lawrence’s agent, Mike Berry:
Ironic that Trinidad and Tobago are playing the USA next week. Dennis Lawrence is STILL waiting to be paid his USA win bonus from 11th October 2017—after he made sure all his players and staff got theirs!
Fifa-appointed normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad has been notified on numerous occasions but has done NOTHING about it!
His lack of respect, empathy and concern is a disgrace to a national hero who has done more for Trinidad and Tobago football than Hadad and his associates put together. But they continue to take their monthly fees while Dennis has not had a brass cent since July 2019!
It is over three years since that iconic 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory over the USA and he is still waiting for his contractual bonus. The normalisation committee members should be ashamed of themselves, especially after (allegedly) paying the English company, Avec Sport, and others ahead of a son of the soil, who has waited patiently for his contractual entitlement.
If Hadad had any genuine feeling for Trinidad and Tobago football, then he should get this embarrassing situation sorted urgently.
Their own normalisation committee fees since their appointment are in excess of US$130,000 and they allow a paltry World Cup qualifying bonus from 2017 to remain unpaid to the Trini whose header took the nation to Germany 2006?!
Not a good look, Mr Hadad!
Wired868 asked Hadad, via text message and WhatsApp:
Can you confirm whether the normalisation committee has facilitated any payment for Avec Sport and how much? And why was such a payment made before those due to nationals?
And can you [say] anything on how the normalisation committee is prioritising payments and managing local football money?
Hadad did not respond up to the time of publication.
Editor’s Note: Normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad has so far snubbed questions from Wired868 on which creditors have been paid, what are the repayment plans for the rest, and why. The TTFA’s members also remain in the dark on the issue.