Former national defender, now turn coach Dennis 'Tallest' Lawrence is the new national football coach.
Lawrence who played for T&T 89 times signed on the dotted line yesterday to effectively replaced Belgian Tom Saintfiet, a day after it was rumoured he turned down an initial offer by the TTFA due to differences with the terms and conditions of his contract.
It is understood the TTFA attempted to negotiate a performance-based contract that made specific reference to if Lawrence had a less than a 40-per cent success rate, as suppose to a Lawrence's request for a medium-to long-term contract that would allow him the opportunity to develop the team.
A member of the board told the Guardian Media Sports that the involvement of the president had been a major stumbling block on a deal that had already been agreed to by the board of the football association during the selection process.
The board member said, "We had already agreed on Wednesday night that Lawrence be given a contract until the end of 2018 with an eye on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar."
The member continued, "Everything had been sorted out, we only had to await a minor condition that related to his success rate. A senior board member almost derailed the agreement despite the fact that the TTFA would not get no real serious coach to accept a game-by-game clause in a contract. It is almost ridiculous."
Guardian Media Sports understand that Lawrence of Morvant, who scored five times in national colours, was the overwhelming second choice pick after the Technical Committee's first choice of Stuart Charles Fevrier, the W Connection coach, was turned down by the board because of his relationship with the football association president as well as the public perception created upon John-Williams' assumption as head of the football association.
The TTFA yesterday issued a signed release bearing the signatures of both Lawrence and its president John-Williams as confirmation of the agreement, stating that Lawrence had accepted the position of head coach of the national team.
In accepting the job, Lawrence, who scored the all important goal to assure the country's first and only spot at the Fifa World Cup in 2006 in Germany with a 1-0 win over Bahrain, said "I feel honoured and humbled by this opportunity and the confidence placed in me by the association. I have given my all for T&T as a player and now relish this moment to contribute as head coach of the national team."
"Off course I am coming into a difficult situation and we have to take each game very seriously and put our best foot forward. The experience I gained working under different coaches during my 89 international caps for T&T and my exposure in coaching, has all helped to shape me. I intend to give my very best towards this national effort," he added.
The former-Defence Force, Wrexham, Swansea and Crewe Alexandra defender will have the enviable task of attempting to guide the Soca Warriors past Panama and Mexico in their next two World Cup qualifiers at home, having lost their opening two matches of the Final Round (Hex) to Costa Rica 2-0 and Honduras 3-1 and are second from bottom on the six-team standings.
Lawrence, 42, is expected to arrive in T&T on Wednesday and will later hold a press conference. His selection has been a welcome choice for many local coaches whom have been lobbying for a T&T coach for the top job.