NATIONAL footballer Daneil Cyrus has denied that he showed up to training camp stale drunk on Sunday, saying that everyone knows he does not consume alcohol.
Cyrus and fellow national footballer Jomal Williams were sent home from camp after head coach Tom Saintfeit told the media the pair was smelling of alcohol after arriving to camp at the Cara Suites Hotel in Claxton Bay. Saintfeit stated, “Two players came one and a half hours too late in camp and had still a decent smell of alcohol around them.
That was Daneil Cyrus and Jomal Williams. Both were immediately sent home, back to party.” Cyrus, giving his version of what transpired on New Year’s Day, said he arrived at camp late because of a flat tyre he got in St Helena and said he was not smelling of alcohol.
Cyrus explained that when he arrived at camp he tried to clear the situation but it proved futile.
The W Connection defender explained, “I went to him (Saintfeit) and he ask me to see the flat tyre and when I was going to show him at the same time he said ‘Jomal you smell like alcohol’ and then Jomal said ‘Yes I had a drink with my family.’ And after that I don’t know if that triggered him off and he told both of us to wait out in the lobby and then he came back and said ‘thanks for everything but you could go back and party.’” Cyrus said he did not expect Saintfeit to react like that.
“I was shocked because he asked me to see the flat tyre in which I was going to show him. He just went off because Jomal was kinda smelling like alcohol - it wasn’t me he was talking to. When I saw the Newsday and everyone say that both of us showed up smelling stink of alcohol I was shocked because if anybody know me, any of my friends, they know I can’t drink and I don’t drink so I don’t know where all this is coming from.
I just want my name to clear up from this because people thinking I showing up in camp drunk and I drink (alcohol). I don’t drink.” Cyrus, despite being snubbed for the upcoming Gold Cup qualifiers against Suriname on Wednesday and Haiti on Sunday, said he is still 100 percent dedicated and eager to represent the national team. “All the time the commitment is there. If they call (me) back tomorrow (I will go back). I just don’t like the fact that the coach never spoke to me about alcohol, it wasn’t me he was talking to and for him to say both players showed up in camp smelling stink of alcohol, that is wrong.
Even one of my friends posted on Facebook and say ‘if you know Cyrus and you’re his friend, Cyrus does drink one cup of something and Cyrus head start to spin.’” The defender is hoping the situation is resolved soon and he will be back in national colours.
“Once this clear up and everything, I am hoping everything works out for me and the team.
Even if he (Saintfeit) does not include me for these two games (Suriname and Haiti) I just hoping the team could qualify for the Gold Cup and I could get back on the squad as soon as possible because my heart is always with the team.” Calls to Williams’ mobile yesterday proved futile as it went straight to voicemail.
T&T face Suriname tomorrow at 7 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, and then play Haiti at 5 pm at the same venue in Gold Cup qualifiers.