Connection, Joe Public, Jabloteh make changes

In the Connection camp, the most surprising news was the non-renewal of the contract of 27-year-old striker Andre Toussaint.

According to a source close to the 2009 Lucozade Sport Goal Shield winners, Toussaint, midfielder Kelvin Modeste, and the Brazilian pair of midfielder Igor Santos and utility player William Da Silva Oliveira have not been given new deals by the W Connection team’s management.

Toussaint, the former national forward, was out of action since August with a foot injury.

But, with Dominican Republic’s Jonathan Frias, American Jose Carlos Diaz and ex-national youth team forward Matthew Bartholomew as the established attackers, Toussaint was deemed surplus to requirements by the team.

Modeste was nothing more than a reserve player in the squad, while the portly-built Santos hardly made an impact in the 2009 season and Oliveira’s form faded badly during the latter stages of the year.

Joe Public won five titles this season — the Digicel Pro League, Big Six, Toyota Classic, FA Trophy and Digicel Pro Bowl.

With their conquest of the League crown, the Derek King-coached outfit will be competing in the 2010 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship (Connection was the 2009 winners), for a spot in the 2010/2011 CONCACAF Champions League.

And the club has renewed the contracts of 13 players — star striker and captain Kerry Baptiste, influential midfielder Trent Noel, veterans Alejandro Figueroa (goalkeeper), Conrad Smith (striker), Seon Power and Keyeno Thomas (defenders), and the youthful goalie Andre Marchan, defenders Julien Landeau, Marvin Manswell and Keion Goodridge, midfielders Jean-Luc Rochford and Kareem Young, and striker Gorean Highley.

Devon Leacock, who battled with Rochford and Young for the defensive midfielder spot, has been let go by the club, along with over-hyped midfielder Akeil Guevara, wing-back Jason Springer and reserve team defender Kaashif Thomas.

Dethroned Pro League, Big Six and Toyota Classic champs San Juan Jabloteh have also been cleaning house, as veteran midfielder Marvin Oliver, inconsistent striker Lester Peltier, midfielders Willis Plaza and Anton Hutchinson being shown the door, while the club has decided not to take back midfielder Kevin Molino and defender Mekeil Williams, who spent the 2009 season on loan to Ma Pau.

But hard-working wing-back Elton John has been offered a new deal by reinstated coach Terry Fenwick.

In related news, former national captain Anthony Rougier has taken over the ownership of FC South End. The 37-year-old served as a player/coach during the team’s inaugural season — they finished in eighth position with 16 points from 20 matches.

According to a media release, an agreement was made between Rougier and the club’s previous co-owner David Farrell, whereby Rougier will control the operations of South End for the 2010 season.

Farrell, who was the major financier of South End, handed over the running of the administrative aspects to Rougier, who promised an improved season for the club, on and off the field.