‘Tallest’ tipped for national job

Dennis Lawrence, 42-years-old, is tipped to be the next national coach a day after the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) issued a press release indicating it is yet to come to a final decision “following several hours of its statutory Board Meeting on Wednesday evening at the Association’s Head Office.” It was reported previously that the TT FA technical committee had narrowed the search for a new coach down from initially five applicants to three - Englishman Terry Fenwick, St Lucia’s Stuart Charles Fevrier and Colombian Francisco Maturana.

But Dexter Skeene, head of TT FA’s technical committee, yesterday morning said the committee was still “finalising” and five coaches were still in play for the top post, namely Lawrence, Russell Latapy and the aforementioned three.

He told Newsday: “We’re just finalising this process. Just give me a little more time and i’ll get back to you in a little bit. We’re finalising, just respect the process for me. We finalising the position.” He continued: “We had five names we were looking at. There were five names. Yeah, we have five names we’re looking at. You should get something at the end of the day to run with.” By press time, though, the TT FA did not issue a statement with rumours rife that Lawrence had been offered the post with details still to be finalised.

Contacted again, Skeene indicated the TT FA were “finalising” and said a decision would be announced “by weekend”.

Lawrence has played in England and Wales for eight years (2001-2009) and boosted his reputation as a coach while working as an assistant to Spaniard Roberto Martinez at English Premier League club Everton.

He was officially the club’s first-team development coach.

He has also coached at Wigan Athletic under Martinez briefly from October 2010.

According to a report on local sports website Wired 868.com, Fevrier and Fenwick were the front runners for the position with Fevrier the preferred choice by the technical committee.

However, the TT FA Board of Directors allegedly rejected Fevrier for the top position. Newsday understands that Lawrence was everyone’s second choice and has been offered the job.