PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) has expressed an interest in settling a long-standing money dispute, out-of-court, with the members of the 2006 T&T World Cup team.

The TTFF has agreed to meet with lawyers representing the players within the next two weeks to see if both sides can agree a settlement.

Thirteen members of T&T's 2006 World Cup football team have sued the federation, seeking to recoup a share of the estimated US$40 million in World Cup revenue.

"The TTFF has indicated that they want to settle the matter with us out of court. They want to finally settle a matter which they have fought us so hard on," said player representative Brent Sancho.

"They are going to meet with our team within the next two weeks and see if a settlement figure can be worked out."

Warner promise

The players have said that former TTFF special adviser Jack Warner had offered them a 50 per cent share of World Cup revenue.

They have won battles at the London-based Sport Dispute Resolution Panel and the Trinidad and Tobago High Court over the past six years.

"It's a matter that should have been settled years ago," said Sancho. "But more important is the current situation where we have a national team struggling for money to go to St Kitts for a qualifier. Local football should have been in a better position than this."

Hearings have been taking place in the Port-of-Spain high court this week over the failure of the TTFF to answer contempt of court charges for failing to provide financial records pertaining to revenue collected during T&T's 2006 World Cup campaign.

TTFF lawyers appearing before Justice Vasheist Kokaram have agreed to specific guidelines the federation would follow in its effort to gather those financial records.