CENTRAL defender Damion 'Stew Peas' Stewart has been cut from Jamaica's senior men's football team which is currently participating in the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament in the United States.

He left the Intercontinental West Hotel in Miami close to 5 p.m. yesterday and was taken to the Miami International Airport to board a flight to Kingston.

The decision has serious implications for the Jamaica team should it advance to the quarter-finals, as Tyrone Marshall and Oneil Thompson, who started in Jamaica's last game against El Salvador, will be disqualified if there is a next game because of yellow cards.

1:30 flight

Stewart said he was advised of the decision close to 11:30 a.m. yesterday morning by the head of the Jamaican football delegation in Miami, Bruce Gaynor, also a JFF vice-president, when he went to collect his per diem.

"At about 11:21 (a.m.) today when I went to collect per diem from the head of delegation (Bruce Gaynor), he was with the vice-president Mr Anderson (Raymond) and the coach (Theodore Whitmore) and they said the coach had come to a decision that he was going to send me home and that was about 11:21 a.m. and I was told that I was going to be on the 1:30 flight," Stewart pointed out.

He added: "I asked to have a meeting with the coach and they stepped out."

In a release yesterday the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) said the player's behaviour was "disruptive and inconsistent with the general objectives of the team".

Quoting coach Theodore Whitmore, the release added: "Damion never gave us the impression that he was focused and wanted to be a part of the team and how it operates. He questioned and challenged everything, even team tactics. Even his teammates were not pleased with his behaviour and general attitude.

"I have tried to keep him in line but he has not shown a willingness to change. We cannot have a situation where the team is damaged because of the selfishness and indiscipline of one man."