National coach Stephen Hart is expected to submit a report to president of the T&T Football Association David John-Williams today amidst reports that midfielder Kevin Molino broke the team camp ahead of T&T’s Caribbean Cup clash with Martinique in Fort de France on Tuesday night and was dropped for the match.
Hart returned home with members of his team on Wednesday night and said yesterday he did not want to make a comment until the report was submitted to John-Williams and the TTFA today.
Molino was dropped for the match, which T&T lost 0-2. The Soca Warriors will now enter a play-off in November in a bid to earn a spot in the Concacaf Gold Cup.
Yesterday, John-Williams said he could not comment on the situation as he did not have all the facts. He stated: “I found out about the situation a few hours before the game on Tuesday night by the coach, so until I get all the facts I will not be able to decide on how we can move forward.”
The embattled football boss said he was confused by why this incident took place so soon after the player’s previous action ahead of the Guatemala World Cup Qualifying encounter at the Hasely Crawford Stadium more than a month ago, and why it has been happening before the country is involved in such important matches.
T&T will enter the final Concacaf World Cup qualifying round next month, beginning with an encounter at home against Costa Rica on November 11 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Yesterday the Association’s third vice president, Joanne Salazar, said the governing body wants to ensure that due process takes place before a decision is made. This, she explained, involves receiving the report from Hart and accumulating all the necessary information first.
Molino, the Orlando City midfielder was given a hefty fine, along with midfielder Joevin Jones and defender Mekeil Williams after they broke the team’s curfew last month to attend a boat cruise.
Hart has since promised stiffer penalties for players caught guilty of similar actions and on Tuesday Molino was dropped from the starting team.
However reports have been circulating that Molino, via social media, has declared a year-long break from international football, saying “Last game for T&T was against Dominican Republic. I am taking a year off, performances matters.”