King speaks about Jamaican incident
Jun 2, 2006
Author: Inayellowshirt

Striker Marlon King has spoken and given a different view to the recent despute with the Jamaican squad management in the build up to the England v Jamaica game this Saturday.

Marlon is understood to have complained to Jamaica's football authorities and the island's sports ministry about what he sees as the unprofessional approach of the team management towards the visit to England.
King felt it was unproffessional that the team were called to convene for the international friendly against the World Cup qualifiers Ghana only 30 minutes before the kick-off, a match they lost 4-1. He was also dismayed that only three towels were made available to players after the game.

Things came to a head on Wednesday night when King, along with fellow players Jason Euell and Jamal Campbell-Ryce went out and arrived back at their hotel at 2am only to find that his room key had been changed, denying him access. They were told by hotel security staff they had five minutes to leave and so King left.

King inisist that the curfews were only imposed only for the final 48 hours before the game and he was therefore not in breach of any team rules.

King has apologised for being "rude" to Boxhill but insists that because he had known of no curfew he had nothing else for which to apologise.

According to a source close to King, it was the issue of player payments which had initially caused a dispute. "There had been a match-fee meeting for the Jamaica-based players, who were on pennies," said the source.

"The senior players, Jason Euell and Marlon in particular, spoke up on their behalf and as a result their match fees went up. They [the Jamaica management team] had their back up because of that."

Marlon has been given the full support of Watford FC, and has donated the match fee's he earned this week to a Jamaican based charity.