Peruvian Barriga walks out on Seba prior to DPL play-off match

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Danilo Barriga, the Peruvian coach who guided former national champions Seba United to championship honours in the 2011 Captain's Bakery Western Super Football League and a place in the 2011-12 Digicel Premier League (DPL) play-offs, has parted company with the Montego Bay team in a huff.

"Based on what I have heard, there was an incident at training on Tuesday afternoon and he got upset and walked out on the team," said Seba United's president, Bruce Gaynor. "I cannot elaborate on the incident because I was not there and I am yet to get all the details."

While he is still awaiting a full report on the incident in question, Gaynor said he found Barriga's action to be quite unacceptable, and hinted that serious action might be taken against the Peruvian.

"We have invested a lot of time, energy and resources into getting Seba into the DPL play-offs, so I find it totally unacceptable that the coach should walk out on the team on the eve of an important game," said Gaynor, who is also a vice-president of the Jamaica Football Federation. "What I find even more perplexing is that he did not even have the courtesy to contact me."

While The Gleaner was unsuccessful in its attempt to make contact with Barriga yesterday, a source familiar with the training ground incident said the coach became angry because some players were not responding favourably to strategies he was trying to introduce into the team.

"Some players were questioning some of his tactics and he basically got frustrated and walked out of the training," the club source said. "We know he is a man who will get upset at times, but we never expected that from him."

Barriga reportedly made contact with the team manager late Tuesday and gave him a list of 18 players for yesterday's second-round game against Highgate FC, which was played at Jarrett Park. However, on the advice of Gaynor, the list was discarded.

forfeited position

"He (Barriga) walked out on the team so he has no business being involved in team selection," said Gaynor. "As far as I am concerned, he has forfeited his position as team coach and the management of the club will meet to take a decision on his future with the club.

"His future with the club is now in limbo," continued Gaynor. "We have not fired him, but there is a strong possibility that we might ask him to leave."

Should Barriga be fired, it would be a most unfortunate end to what has been an excellent season with Seba United. He guided the team to a historic, unbeaten season in the just-concluded 2011 Captain's Bakery & Grill Western Super League football competition, in which the team won 20 games and drew two.

Following Sunday's 1-1 draw against Kingston and St Andrew Football Association kingpins Cavalier FC in their DPL first-round play-off game, Barriga proudly proclaimed that he was ready to take Seba United back into the nation's top club competition.