Musical chairs as teams strengthen up

In fact, all seven teams have made a number of additions to their roster, with defending champs North East replacing a group of players who recently had their contracts terminated.

Only last week, the Guyanese trio of midfielders Carey Harris, Kayode McKinnon and defender Abassi McPherson were axed by the club for violation of their contracts, while defender Wilfrod Joseph and midfielder Davidson Neptune left via mutual consent.

Team owner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Darryl Mahabir admitted that there was a lot of indiscipline within the squad and the players were sacked as a result.

The 35-year-old Elcock, who was himself waived by CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh earlier in the season, seems a natural replacement for left-back McPherson, who has joined Harris at Sportworld Super League club Joe Public.

Filling in the vacant spots in the North East’s roster is the midfield trio of Shervin Charles from Mayaro, and Guyanese Travis Waterton and Kelvin McKensie.

Guyanese striker Randolph Jerome, who have plied his trade with Doc’s Khelwalaas, North East and Starworld Strikers during his lengthy stint in Trinidad, is once again back in the Pro League ranks with W Connection.

Jerome joins captain Earl Jean, Andre Toussaint and Kendall Davis as the team’s forwards while Jamaican Christopher Harvey rejoins Connection after a loan spell last year.

Harvey will compete with national defender David Atiba Charles, St Lucian Elijah Joseph and Errol Charles for a fullback spot. United Petrotrin have fielded a youthful squad this season and, after struggling to maintain any sort of consistency, have acquired veteran forward Peter Prosper (who played for both Starworld and Jabloteh last year) from Palo Seco FC, defender Felix Seales, also from Palo Seco and Club Sando’s midfielder Marlon Lewis.

Another team which have emphasised youth this year are Defence Force, with their striking quartet of Kevon Carter, Devon Jorsling, Odelle Armstrong and Jerwyn Balthazar all under the age of 25. But their defence, even with the experience of national player Anton Pierre, Kelshall Alexander and Corey Rivers, have leaked a number of goals during the season.

Meanwhile, action continues today in Round 15, with Jabloteh meeting Caledonia at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Tobago hosting Defence Force at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet and W Connection will make the trek to the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground to meet North East.

All matches kick off at 4 pm.