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Scot Munroe
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« on: Sunday, October 8, 2006, 11:59:23 » |
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PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad Goalkeeper Clayton Ince was suspended by FIFA from playing for his English club Walsall for 10 days from Saturday for rejecting an international callup from Trinidad and Tobago.
Ince was the first-choice goalkeeper of new Trinidad coach Wim Reisenbergen for friendlies against St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Saturday and Panama next Wednesday. But he turned down the request, citing a groin strain he said he needed to rest. However, he then went and played a full game for Walsall last weekend in England's League Two.
On Trinidad and Tobago's request, FIFA instructed Walsall it couldn't play Ince during the period of the Soca Warriors' two friendlies, and added a five-day suspension from next Thursday.
FIFA also told three other English clubs to release Trinidad and Tobago players: Swansea City (Dennis Lawrence), Coventry City (Chris Birchall, Stern John), and Sunderland (Dwight Yorke).
The Trinidad and Tobago federation then tried to overturn the suspension to make Ince available by asking for help from FIFA vice president Jack Warner, but he turned it down.
Meanwhile, Warriors skipper Yorke, who will play only in Saturday's friendly, said they wouldn't be taking lightly St. Vincent, which knocked out defending champion Jamaica to advance to the second round of the Caribbean Cup.
"If we wish to be seen as a top-class team we will have to consistently defeat countries from the Caribbean, then take on the might of North America, Europe and South America," Yorke said.
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