There is no exodus of players from National Super League club Malabar FC, according to the team’s secretary Asha Nicholson.
Within the past week, two members of the club, goalkeeper Zane Coker and star midfielder Hayden Tinto, have rejoined TT Pro League outfit Caledonia AIA, after playing instrumental roles in the team’s third-place finish in the 2013-2014 Super League season.
And there were some conjecture that, with the resignation of Anil Roberts as Member of Parliament for D’Abadie/O’Meara, that the club will suffer a loss of finances since they were allegedly receiving funding from the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT).
But Nicholson, in a telephone interview yesterday, stated that there has been no rush for players to leave Malabar for greener pastures.
“Only two players have decided to leave,” she said. “It (will) affect the team in a good as well as in a bad way.
“We will be losing key members, but its nice to know that the talent from a Super League team can be lifted to a Pro League team,” Nicholson continued. “It’s nice for the players to be able to keep up with that level of professionalism.”
She added, “most Super League players do want to play in the Pro League. They like the way the Pro League is run, and also funded. We (at Malabar) try not to keep back players.”
Malabar, with key players Coker, Tinto, Gorean Highley, Kevon Woodley, Cyrano Glen and Keston Pierre, and under the guidance of coach Julius Edwards, trailed Guaya FC and Club Sando in an entertaining 2013-2014 Super League season.
During the off-season, they improved on their player personnel by signing Kishun Seecharan, Jack Weedon, Orlando Reyes, Kerdell Chairman, as well as Jevaughn Hutchinson of Jamaica and ex-Pro League standouts Rennie Britto and Shane Calderon.
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