Maverick Trinidad and Tobago attacker Arnold Dwarika is now a Vibe CT 105 W Connection playerat least until the end of the year.
Connection president David J Williams confirmed yesterday that Dwarika had been signed for an undisclosed transfer fee although his past employer, Joe Public had released him from his contract.
Yes, there was a transfer fee, said Williams. We have signed him until the end of the year and the arrangement is satisfactory to me.
Dwarika is eligible to play for the defending league champions from as early as today when they travel to Malabar to face North East Stars in a decisive Independence Bowl competition second leg match.
His signing is a major boost for Connection who have been hard hit by injuries this seasons and already relinquished one crownthe First Citizens Bank (FCB) Cup.
A 0-0 first leg draw at home to table proppers, North East Stars, also leaves open the possibility of a humiliating first round exit and coach Stuart Charles will be tempted to break with tradition and include Dwarika on his travelling squad today.
It has been a predictably eventful season for Dwarika who has been in the headlines ever since he caught the attention of the local public in 1990 with newly promoted Malick Secondary under coach Keith Look Loy.
After helping set the foundation for Malicks dominance of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), Dwarika made headlines for refusing an offer to join coach Bertille St Clairs national under-20 team to focus on his studies.
St Clairs team went on to became the first English-speaking Caribbean team to qualify for a Fifa tournament as they participated in the Portugal 1991 World Youth Cup.
Dwarika fell afoul of St Clair again at senior level when the player was asked to cut his dreadlocks and attend sessions more regularly.
There was also a famous spat with Look Loy at Joe Public when his former mentor offered the player for sale at a nominal fee of $1.
In both cases, FIFA vice-president and Public chairman Jack Warner came to the assistance of the talented player.
But Warner claimed to have had enough in early July when he sacked Dwarika and national teammate Nigel Pierre for participating in a minor league tournament.
Despite his disciplinary shortcomings, Dwarika remains one of the country's most talented products since ex-Manchester United star Dwight Yorke and is likely to repay Connection's faith in goals.
Dwarikas career is expected to become more complex later this year when his loan period ends with Connection and he once again becomes the property of a club that has refused to pay him.