Sidebar

29
Fri, Mar

Typography

FenwickFor the second time in three years, T&T Pro League club San Juan Jabloteh has parted ways with long-serving coach, Englishman Terry Fenwick.

This was revealed by the club’s chief executive officer, Azaad Mohammed-Khan yesterday. A source close to the matter said the last straw for Fenwick came on Tuesday during the Digicel Pro Bowl 2–1 quarterfinal loss to Defence Force when he introduced teenager Nicholas Castellano into the match.

The decision to bring on Castellano did not go down well with senior club officials and after the match there was a heated exchange of words about the decision.

Admitting the decision to play Castellano did not go down well, Mohammed-Khan denied this was the reason for not renewing Fenwick’s contract which ended in December.

“His contract was up at the end of December but with the season running into March this season, the club decided to hold on to Fenwick.

“However, we are operating on a limited budget and it will be difficult to hold on to Fenwick,” added Mohammed-Khan.
 
Contacted, Fenwick said he had heard the rumour but was yet to get anything in writing. “My contract has not expired as far as I am aware and I’m looking at taking legal action because a significant amount of money is still owed to me.”

During his ten-year spell at the club, Fenwick has won four T&T Pro League titles, including back-to-back in 2007 and 2008 and most recently, the T&T Football Federation FA Trophy with a 1–0 win over DirecTV North East Stars in February.

This season, Fenwick led the club to sixth place while Jabloteh also reached the final of the Lucozade Sports Goal Shield, semifinals of the Toyota Classic and were quarterfinalists in both the Digicel Pro Bowl and First Citizens Cup competitions.

In all, the 51-year-old has led the club to 15 domestic triumphs in addition to the being a three-time finalists in the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship.

Two years ago, Fenwick, a former England World Cup defender and coach of Crystal Palace, Northampton and Portsmouth, was also locked in a legal battle with Jabloteh after he had gone five months without a salary from the club, following the collapse of its mega insurance company, Clico, the parent company of its main sponsor, CL Financial Limited.

Back then, Fenwick  decided to withhold his services as technical director of the club for the entire season and was replaced by Earl Jean.