Latapy out of bounds

Latapy, a star midfielder in his heyday at Porto (Portugal) and Falkirk (Scotland), chose to intervene in an issue between recently crowned Digicel Pro League champions and Minister of Sport Darryl Smith. Central FC, the first club to win the Pro League three times straight, took umbrage with the Sports Minister failing to acknowledge their historic feat.

Williams, arguably the best goalie in the country with over 13 years’ national service, was quoted in a Central FC press release as saying, “When we won our second successive Caribbean Club championship last year, we received no recognition from Minister Smith. It was the highest profile sporting achievement by any team from TT in 2016, yet we didn’t even receive a letter of congratulations … It’s very disappointing as a player in our national sport to see the lack of respect for our achievements.” Latapy, a national sporting hero, shockingly gave the 32-year-old Williams a verbal tongue-lashing, reprimanding him for his statement which he felt was made due to a “lack of wisdom and understanding.” He added, “Acknowledgement comes with achievement. The type of achievement required to be successful in football is playing at a high level, motivating other players, and building team spirit... Secondly, if you want acknowledgement you do not need to ask for it. Acknowledgement involves playing professionally for an extended period in a league that is considered a top professional league and not just for a few months...” Is Latapy urging players to not speak up when they feel strongly about issues, no matter generated by those in authority? Latapy, feeling snubbed about the lack of coaching opportunities available to him and other black coaches in Europe, spoke up in March 2016.

“When I look in comparison – and I know it can be dangerous to compare situations – you see a lot of managers getting opportunities who have not proved themselves ... There is still, unfortunately, the situation that black managers are not getting a fair chance compared to young, white managers,” Latapy said to The Herald.

Should Latapy have kept silent amid feeling aggrieved about something? No. We applaud his honesty in highlighting a problem that has affected many of his peers throughout Europe.

Similarly, Williams had an issue that he felt he needed to express.

He did not insult the minister but merely expressed his disappointment while still being respectful to the office of the minister and its holder.

Is there a bit of politics being played out as well? Is Williams collateral damage in a verbal war between the Sports Minister and his People’s Partnership predecessor Brent Sancho, the managing director of Central FC? We do not know.

But Williams, like many of our national players, should be given the respect he deserves as a loyal servant to this country. The last memory we have of Williams was in November 2016 stopping a goal in a World Cup qualifier vs Honduras and getting a knee to his head which left him unconscious briefly and concussed.

He has kept goal for past club W Connection while his then fianc? was in the hospital after a vicious attack by an assailant in a 2012 robbery. We believe he has the respect of his peers and the football community nationally, if not internationally. With this in mind, Latapy is out of bounds.