Elie 'relieved' at Stars axe.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).[/size]
Former WASA coach Ken Elie yesterday expressed relief at his weekend departure from Pro League outfit, Economy North East Stars, after barely a month in charge of the Sangre Grande-based club.
Elie, an army Warrant Officer I, led unheralded WASA to the T&TFF FA Trophy and Super League titles in the past two seasons but lasted just five matches at Stars before the axe fell.
Former Trinidad and Tobago international standout and England Premier League player, Clint Marcelle, was at the helm on Tuesday and made a winning start with a 1-0 Courts Pro Bowl cup win over Ma Pau at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
Marcelle was initially contracted to work as Stars' youth team coach but Elie felt that Marcelle was always the management's first choice.
"I felt negotiations were in place to put Clint Marcelle in my job (even) while they were negotiating with me," Elie told the Express. "They tried to frustrate me (to leave) We were never able to see eye to eye on some of the more basic things.
"It is really a relief to come out of the situation."
Stars owner Darryl Mahabir could not be reached for comment. At 34, the Sangre Grande businessman is the youngest chairman in the Pro League and arguably the most ruthless as well.
Stars captured the FA Trophy and League titles in 2003 and 2004 under Guyanese coach James McLean after joining the pro circuit in 2002. But McLean, who complained of interference in team matters, left soon after and Everald "Gally" Cummings, Kenny Joseph and Jerren Nixon, all had spells in charge over the next three seasons while even McLean returned for a stint last year.
Elie claimed that his superiors were in his dressing room questioning team selection as early as his second match in charge.
"I felt our two best matches were against Jabloteh (2-0 loss) and Defence Force (1-0 win)," he said. "Yet the management was not happy at all and said they wanted a more flambouyant game. My response was that we just started our season and to try to go toe to toe with teams like Jabloteh was ridiculous.
"It was like trying to build a roof in between a storm."
Elie claimed he knew something was up when allegedly only six players turned up on time to face Ma Pau while more than half his squad arrived 20 minutes before kick off. Stars lost 3-0 to slump to the bottom of the 10-team table and manager David Farrell quickly announced the club's decision.
"The club believes that the football being played on the field was not producing the results anticipated," stated Farrell. " We are in a transition mode in 2008 to have a very strong competitive team in 2009. The club is managing the steps in the rebuilding process with surgical care to ensure that it does not jeopardise its fan base as well as its sponsorship base."
Marcelle got his tenure off to the best possible start in Arima on Tuesday. He would be advised that there seems little room for error in Sangre Grande.
