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Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team coach Stephen Hart has cut playmaker Kevin Molino from his squad for breaking camp, barely a month since the Orlando City player incurred a massive fine for the same infraction.
Hart’s decision means the Warriors face Martinique in Fort-de-France tonight—in a must-win Caribbean Cup qualifier—without his most lethal finisher. Team captain and forward Kenwyne Jones is Hart’s top scorer after 16 items—inclusive of four penalty kicks—from 32 items. But Molino plundered his 13 goals in just 15 starts and three substitute appearances for the Warriors.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Last Wednesday, Hart lauded the clever Number 10, after he showed signs of returning to his best with a hattrick in a 4-0 demolition of the Dominican Republic at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
Two days later, Molino allegedly decided to celebrate by slipping out of the team base and spending the night at the Vas Lounge nightclub in St Clair.
Hart, according to informed sources, found out about Molino’s indiscretion on Monday—a day after the team landed in Fort-De-France. And this time, there is unlikely to be a second chance.
Wired868 was told that Molino was immediately cut from the squad for the Martinique showdown. The winner of tonight’s contest advances automatically to the 2017 Caribbean Cup semifinals and CONCACAF Gold Cup while the loser, although eliminated from the Caribbean Cup, will attempt to get to the Gold Cup through a series of play-offs.
Crucially, Molino’s indiscretion looks likely to cost the playmaker his place in the squad when Trinidad and Tobago host Costa Rica on 11 November and then face Honduras away on 15 November in the opening two Hex assignments for their final Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying round.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
On Tuesday 30 August, three days before the Warriors hosted Guatemala in a key World Cup qualifier, Molino, Joevin Jones and Mekeil Williams broke camp and attended a boat party.
All three were fined although Hart allowed them to play on 2 September when the Warriors held Guatemala 2-2 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain—with Joevin scoring both goals.
“It was a first time situation as far as I know,” Hart told Wired868 at the time, “and you have to ask yourself: Do you punish the whole team for a situation of three players?
“You are going into a crucial game and the players have broken team rules. We thought we dealt with it sufficiently in terms of it being a fine and [handling] it in-house.
“If this was habitual, they would probably have been sent home.”
Molino expressed his regret to Hart immediately after the incident while he said sorry to the public at a post-game conference on 5 October in Couva.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
Two days later on 7 October, the two-time World Youth Cup player apparently proved that the apology was a hollow one. And Hart was true to his word.
Despite facing some criticism for allowing Molino to play against Guatemala, Hart took firm stances for breaches of discipline before.
Playmaker Keon Daniel was dropped after traveling home on a TTFA ticket but then failing to show for his flight to Jamaica for a friendly international match in November 2013. Daniel was never recalled.
Joevin and W Connection defender Daneil Cyrus were omitted from the squad for a friendly international match against New Zealand, in October 2013, after both pulled out of a previous international engagement and were caught playing minor league football during the international break.
Any issues that might have existed within the squad since then were considered too minor for anything more than an internal fine. Until, of course, Molino decided to “Over Dweet” on the dance floor.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
His potential departure leaves a gaping hole for the Warriors in that advanced midfield position, which, ironically, he inherited from Daniel.
Central FC midfielder Keron “Ball Pest” Cummings is felt to still be short of his best form, as he regains his rhythm after a lengthy off due to being shot in his leg last December.
Charlotte Battery playmaker Ataulla Guerra failed to make the most of his opportunities under Hart and has not worn red, black and white in over a year. While Mexico-based attackers Jomal Williams and Shahdon Winchester have two international goals between them and are still unproven at senior international level.
In the short term, Hart is likely to ask combative midfielder Khaleem Hyland to play higher up the field alongside Kenwyne Jones, although—Jomal and Winchester apart—another option would be to try Joevin or teenaged starlet Levi Garcia as supporting strikers.
For now, the Warriors appear to be short of one of their brightest talents. Hart’s job was hard enough already.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
(Trinidad and Tobago Team)
Goalkeepers: Jan-Michael Williams, Adrian Foncette;
Defenders: Mekeil Williams, Aubrey David, Daneil Cyrus, Tristan Hodge, Radanfah Abu Bakr, Sheldon Bateau;
Midfielders: Khaleem Hyland, Andre Boucaud, Kevan George, Neveal Hackshaw;
Attacking midfielders: Joevin Jones, Cordell Cato, Levi Garcia, Jomal Williams;
Forwards: Kenwyne Jones, Trevin Caesar, Shahdon Winchester.
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
What a backside! And these guys are the guys that got great opportunities in the game. If Hart reselects this guy again, Hart is also a complete joker as well! For professionals players some of these men lack basic discipline & that’s the difference in the USA & us!!!!
Willing to be he won’t do that with Orlando FC? That’s his livelihood. He consider this a sweat and a free trip apparently….
First time, ok, it’s understandable. But as a professional player the 2nd time isn’t a mistake. It’s just lack of respect. The Avenue ain’t going anywhere!!! Smh.
Hence the free trip reference… #nextmanup
No discipline obviously
Charlie Davies???
What about Charlie Davies Simone Ghirlanda?
Lasana Liburd To say “the difference between you guys and USA”. Charlie Davies almost killed himself and killed the other driver by recklessly driving out of camp to a party. Footballers are footballers. Some are smarter than others. In every country.
I don’t believe they were under curfew though.. Am I incorrect?
Charlie Davies had 17 caps though. That tells its own story.
Lasana Liburd In general the US born players do come from higher social/economic background. But it’s an exception of the nature of the sport in this country for better or worse.
Good! They need good stern and stiff measures to set a precedent. They too lax.
I take it he didn’t read the post the empty social rat race. He has all the time to party now.
We have to start somwhere mr hart u stand ur ground no man is and island i remember jack warner with arnold dwarika i think r german was d coach he and some others broke camp warner told d german that dwarika was his crowd puller is our sports going any way
Looks like KJ off with a first half injury
No man is bigger than the game. .. let him feel the pinch dumb ass!!!!!
why
that’s wy these guys can’t reach anywhere meaningful in football
I don’t think you understand. In his mind, “he reach”… why else or how else could one be so wreckless with their career
my bad that’s true MLS is a big league for them fellas
Dion Sosa Fully agree. I wish they would not see MLS as the ultimate goal. Without even mentioning Europe, Liga MX is leaps and bounds better.
He need a bull pistle.
watch the game here https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=57f0ccd5-0000-2e8d-92b8-94eb2c140dba&feature=iv&src_vid=CLemABtmzR8&v=Y6IunzxGl7g
Ent….
Kudos to Hart, he stood his ground, let’s see if anyone else will attempt to play the fool.
Can’t believe these guys are “Professionals” smh……
Still carrying the School Football Mentality.
And this is the other part of my Rules and Regulations eh. Them really good yes.
nothing to say a slap on the wrist the first time what did you guys expect i want to see if you guys going crucify him like you did the young boys from Shiva waiting and watching
Damn….. Hart did what he had to do… What was Molino thinking? At a lost here…..
When I use to Coach back in the days eh I use to give my players two pages of what I expected of them eh because I wasn’t into this talking, talking business with my players all who suppose to be matured and have plenty discipline and when they broke my rules eh is bus throat for them one time eh, that they use to call me Sir Alex Ferguson eh. Them really good yes.
Kill the ego one time eh
Ent lol
Talent is not our issue. We are capable of great things if we weren’t hell bent on shooting ourselves in the foot repeatedly.
Discipline is a must
But Bruce what is to rehabilitate eh has he ever done this while representing his professional team eh, some of our players including Dwight Yorke and Russell The Magician Laterpy felt they cudda always do ah set ah madness when representing our national team eh, do you recall when they both use to return home to play eh they use to rent their own hotel room separate from the other players to run their rackets eh until David Nahkid had to pull them up and let them know that they are real professionals eh and they must be an example to our younger upcoming players eh. Them really good yes.
Not serious!?
Good!
Disgusting. No loyalty to team mates. And I so like him as a player
This guy. ?
Very good Stephen Hart, Discipline is a virtue, Now pick up Sean De Silva man.
You all acting as though this is the first time we have had this problem.
This is such devastating news. Something is very wrong with this young man. Is the team manager trained to deal with young men with the challenges obviously facing Kevin. The coach has done the right thing, but is there going to be any serious effort made by the TTFA to rehabilitate the young man? Or is he simply going to be ostracized. In my view, the TTFA has a responsibility to have meaningful discussions with the player and importantly his professional club.
This is not normal behavior and needs to be addressed professionally. Very sad though.
He definitely needs professional help and hopefully he gets it sooner rather than later. Very sad.
Allyuh don’t get it. These lads think too highly of themselves. We don’t need these players… #nextmanup
No help needed or required, pure common sense.
He should be fined as well
Some of these players start scoring goals get swell headed am a star the team cannot do without me . make an example of him a team is not one player
Left him in Orlando.
let’s get real here: Is what kindah #DohRunSlack he running dong so that he bong tuh bong tuh duck work and go and run racket?
See that’s the mindset we trinibagoians have rum and party….. Your a very young gifted football player but to him it doesn’t matter bcuz he tell himself the team can’t play without him…. So you have no discipline.. We sees what more important to him.. I hope everyone take this as an example….??????well done Hart
thats the mindset of ALOOTA trinis at work as well. discipline is a problem.
Any channel for the game
posted a link in the group it in french the only one i could fine
Shawn Babooram thnx
Again boi Lasana Liburd…WTF ?
Absolutely disgraceful – no thought for country or team… really?? What immaturity.
Sad and disappointing
What the hell?????? No brains
No discipline
I had a boss whose favourite line was “if you can’t change them, change them.” Enough is enough.
Good. Let him feel the hurt now.
Ah fine these guys moving thirsty boy like they not accustomed to the life
Steupssss what jackassry??
I can’t believe Molino did it again. At such a crucial time. And so soon. And with his coach already under pressure for not dropping him the first time…
Well i an all in shock!
They really need to have him see a phychiatrist /psychologist because maybe in his brain he really feels that he plays better when he parties after scoring plenty goals eh. hahahaha Them really good yes
These fellas not serious about life at all, at all, at all!
Well as the saying goes “Blame it on our culture “. Them really good yes.
Sport psychologist? For what, to know right from wrong. No, he needs to not play for the national team for some time and think about what he has done. And he should publicly apologize to the team and his coaches. #minorleaguebehaviour
He has to be careful he also does not lose his place on his MLS team. His coach has said already he wants him to show more on defense as if the coach doesn’t know Trini midfielders don’t play defense. In Molino’s case now we know why.
Party before team and country. So many players think the’re bigger than the game. Molino deserves to be axed especially knowing the calibre of the team they were up against and he was crucial to the team. Obviously he’s not serious about his career. Bye, bye and good riddance. You don’t deserve your shirt.
Is this Molino fella so special that T&T football would be negatively impacted if he gets banned for life?
I eh know own about ah lifetime ban now. That would be over the top. But he should he suspended for several games though… how much remains to be seen….
We need precedents so that the next generation of sportswomen and men take their craft and national stints seriously. Our give-ah-bligh culture is our worst enemy.
That’s not giving ah bligh. He has made mistakes but you don’t abolish someone for that. He eh kill nobody…. that’s just too severe a penalty… We have to administer the appropriate amount of discipline but to ban him for life would be ridiculous
What yuh talking about Brent the great Sammy L was given a 300 years ban eh because the corrupted Jack Warner and his cronies didn’t want any players to take part in Arthur Suite professional football league because the great players wasn’t representing the national team because they were making plenty monies playing in the “Rebel ” league eh, so while playing for the national team in a practice game Sammy got injured and Don Procope told Jack that he lied and he got injured while playing for Essex in the “Rebel” league eh. so Procope told Jack to ban him for 300 yrs eh, imagine if Sammy passed away eh, his ban wudda still be in effect eh, hence the reason when the white plane comes down dey for meh corrupted uncle Jack Warner and return him to face the courts in my second sweetest country and then jail time eh ah him to also get 300 yrs the same and yes we call it ‘ Karma” steeuuppss Them really good yes.
And that clearly was ridiculous and over the top.. no?
Yeah I agree yes and they maybe really needs to handle these kind of situations differently eh, because partying 4 days before the game like in his case or getting into an accident 2 weeks before a final like in the Russel The Magician Latapy case eh and then loosing an important game like a final or going to the Gold Cup without them because the Coach buss their throats eh and the other well behaved disciplined and real professional players also have to pay for the players mistakes eh, really needs to change, what use to work for me I use to buss heavy fines on meh players back in the days yes when they use to party and have a good time the night before the game or final and of course they always won the game for me eh because I realized a very long time ago it was imbeded in them like a cancer to party and have a great time eh and I wasn’t stressing meh self nah hahahahah. Them really good yes.
I’m a rules man…. the feting doesn’t bother me. However if one lacks the discipline to follow the rules, I have a problem with that
Well we really need to start to educate our younger upcoming players eh, because many of them ain’t to intelligent hence the reason they will always continue to make mistakes.
Hope his MLS club has taken note of his poor behavior
Hart did well
Steups drop him yes. Who he feel he is Messi. Big loud watery steups.
Hmmm no discipline…. Mark Nimchan you seeing what going on smh..he’s so talented
Well done Coach Hart it is time to send a serious message to our players that disrespect our local Coaches and would never attempt this madness with their professional teams abroad and when the White foreign base Coaches are coaching our national teams steeuuppss. Them really good yes.
Well done Hart
What de? This is satire?
I wish…
Excellent.
Lil self-destructive and undisciplined, eh?
100% agree….. should have been sent home on the first offence…. conduct not deeming of a professional athlete…. #nextmanup