Shalrie Joseph withdraws from Grenada's Gold Cup Squad

By Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, May 29, 2011 – Less than a week after announcing his availability to play for Grenada in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Shalrie Joseph has withdrawn from the 12-team tournament scheduled to begin this weekend.

The Grenada Football Team has been advised that Shalrie was carrying a groin injury into the New England Revolution’s game against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday night. According to Shalrie’s agent, “during the match, he aggravated the injury”.

The team was also advised that Shalrie had his bags packed and ready to join the Spice Boyz.

“He is unsure when he will next be able to play in a game and regretfully has decided that he must withdraw from the Gold Cup,” the agent said.

The statement also noted that Shalrie will remain in New England “to obtain treatment and care in an effort to recover from his injury as quickly as possible.”

The turnaround came as no surprise following a report in SportingNews.com that Shalrie was having second thoughts about leaving the Revolution for the better part of a month.

“He says he’ll make his final decision after Saturday night’s game vs. the L.A. Galaxy,” the report stated.
“My priority is MLS," Joseph told The Boston Globe. "This is where my work is, this is my job and nothing above that—other than family and my love of the game—is going to come in front of that.

"It’s really hard to leave the Revolution, to leave my team right now, to leave guys I’ve been training with every day, and to leave that hole in the middle. It’s something I’ve got to look in the mirror and make sure this is the right decision I’m making."

Shalrie becomes the second player to withdraw from the Grenada National Team due to injury. Striker Kithson Bain was omitted from the roster after the Carolina Railhawks informed the Grenada Football Association (GFA) that he is suffering from a torn quad muscle.

Grenada plays its opening game in the Gold Cup next Monday against Caribbean rivals Jamaica at the Home Depot in Carson, California.