Crab Connection must provide police

This after the team, under coach Miguel Hackett is claiming to be the target of officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF), coupled with the banning of two of their key players Marlon Warner and Marvin Oliver.

And in a dramatic twist yesterday, Newsday were told that the football federation has ordered Crab Connection to have Police officers at their games for the rest of the season ... or else.

The Crabs were summoned to a meeting of the federation yesterday from which these decisions were handed down.

Federation officials are said to be fed-up with the behaviour of supporters of the San Juan-based outfit and are now taking drastic measures.

The decision could well mean the end for the talanted San Juan team in the Super League and Hackett sees it as a direct attack on his team, which he says, is the only team to pose a threat to winning the title ahead of favourites Joe Public.

On Wednesday Hackett, a former Defence Force player and coach told Newsday both Warner and Oliver have been slapped with bans that are not justified.

He pointed out that Warner, the top goalscorer in the league in the first year, was given marching orders in a match with champions Joe Public at the Marvin Lee Stadium last week.

According to Hackett, the player was then summoned to appear before the Disciplinary Committee of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation.

He added further that Warner was only informed about the order for him to appear before the committee on the said day which was on Monday.

The coach then pointed out that Warner had informed the committee of his inability to attend the meeting because of a prior engagement , a funeral, which he had to attend.

According to the coach, the club was told by Disciplinary Committee Chairman Lennox Watson, that "the meeting of the Disciplinary Committee was also as important as a funeral."

When Newsday contacted Watson, the football administrator made it clear he does not respond to lies and allegations.

He said further, "when an incident happens on the field I do not summon players to appear before the committee."

Watson noted further that while he does not see the need to have to respond to the team because of the responsibility which he holds in association, he made it clear that once someone has been sent off or appears before the Disciplinary Committee, it means that he has broken one of the rules of the game.

He also made it clear to the San Juan outfit that once action is taken against any player or club, both team and player usually has the right to appeal the decision.

But Hackett claims the bans slapped on the players, have literally destroyed the eye of the team.

He claims that in a separate incident with a player from the Police service, the player was allowed to go free after officials of the disciplinary committee had cancelled a meeting.

Hackett also told Newsday his troops have suffered in the league due to poor officiating at theuir matches, which he feels has been deliberate.