National midfielder Kevin Molino yesterday publicly apologised for the first time for two embarrassing incidents of breaking team curfew in the space of a month which left his immediate future with the Soca Warriors in serious doubt.
The 26-year-old, on his Instagram page, discussed his recent pair of disciplinary issues, which saw him fined ahead of the September 2 CONCACAF World Cup qualifier at home to Guatemala and omitted by TT coach Stephen Hart from the squad for last Tuesday’s Caribbean Cup qualifier away to Martinique.
The midfielder, who plays for Orlando City FC in the American MLS (Major League Soccer), was fined by the technical staff for breaking curfew to attend a boat cruise on August 30. And last Monday, a day before the Martinique fixture in Fort-de-France, Molino allegedly paid the price for attending a nightclub in Woodbrook on October 7 during camp.
On Sunday, team captain Kenwyne Jones, through a media release, implored Molino to “put everything behind him - apologise properly to (the) coach, staff and players and by extension Trinidad and Tobago - and move forward together as a unit.” It appears Jones’ remarks have been heeded by the talented attacking player who had previously declared on Snapchat that he intended to take a year off from national duties despite crucial World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Honduras kicking off next month.
Molino stressed his commitment to the national team yesterday.
“Playing the beautiful game is all that matters to me, especially for my country,” Molino wrote on his Instagram page yesterday. “It’s what I’ve dreamt of all my life.
“My recent decisions do not reflect that, and for this I am sorry,” said Molino. “I am also aware of the effects my choices have had on the T&T coaching staff, TTFA (TT Football Association), my teammates, fans and friends. And I apologise for this as well.
“My childhood dream is still alive and I’m 100% committed to representing the red, black and white if I am lucky enough to be selected again,” Molino said, while closing with the hashtag ‘Let who is without sin cast the first stone”.
The last sentence by Molino is very telling as the TTFA president David John-Williams, in a telephone interview yesterday, indicated that the TTFA executive plans to meet with Hart, before the end of the month, to discuss the matter involving the midfielder’s omission from the national squad last week.
“We got a report from the coaching staff,” said John-Williams. “The Board is going to sit down with Mr Hart, he’s out of the country and he comes back on Thursday, and then we’ll meet with Mr Hart.” Asked if the matter will be dealt with before the CONCACAF Final Round begins, John-Williams replied, “yes. It’s a sure thing that it’s going to be rectified before then.”