PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago head coach Russell Latapy’s fate will be determined today when the top brass of the country’s Football Federation sit down to mull over his failed campaign with the national side in the Digicel Caribbean Cup.
T&T, installed as a pre-tournament favourite, tumbled out in the group stage of the Finals in Martinique earlier this month after suffering two straight losses to Cuba and Grenada respectively.
Football Federation president, Oliver Camps has slated a meeting with his executive committee inclusive of General Secretary Richard Groden, special advisor and CONCACAF president Jack Warner, technical advisor Keith Look Loy and technical director Lincoln Phillips, to discuss Latapy’s future.
On Tuesday, Warner hinted at a possible Latapy exit when he said that coaches could only maintain their jobs based on positive results.
Prior to the start of the Digicel Cup, Sports Minister Anil Roberts said Latapy’s job would be in jeopardy if T&T could not win the tournament.
His comments came following a string of poor results by the Soca Warriors where they drew 1-1 draw away to Guyana, suffered a disappointing nil-all stalemate with Belize before being hammered 3-0 by Panama.
Overall, Latapy won nine of 23 matches, with 11 defeats and three draws.
Already, speculation is swirling over a replacement for Latapy, with former French international Jean Tigana and Dutch legend Ruud Gullit said to be frontrunners for the position.
The 55-year-old Tigana, who won a European Championship in 1984 with France is currently the coach of French League One club, Girondins Bordeaux and could come with a high price tag.
A World Cup semi-finalist in 1982 and 1986, Tigana also won a French League title with Bordeaux as a player in 1984 followed by two other triumphs with Olympique Marseille in 1990 and 1991.
Tigana was rumoured to be a a target for the TTFF following the resignation of Colombian Francisco Maturana last year April, when the Soca Warriors made a dismal start to the 2010 FIFA World Cup final round qualifying campaign.
