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Three Maidstone players could be on their way out of the club as the management clamp down on lateness.
Justin Amaluzor, Iffy Allen and Ibrahim Olutade were dropped after missing the 6.15pm team meeting before last night’s Kent Senior Cup clash against Dartford at the Gallagher Stadium.
It’s not the first time they’ve been late and head of football John Still and head coach Hakan Hayrettin have had enough.
“It isn’t now and again, they’re continually late,” said Still.
“They’ve been fined previously, twice, although we agreed to renege on one after they spoke to George Elokobi and Jake Cole as captain and vice-captain.
“George even said at the time, ‘don’t ever be late again because it’s my head on the block’ but they have been and we aren’t having it.
“In the end we have to make a stand and that stand was you aren’t going to play today.
“The situation will be reviewed in the week as to whether we think they should play for the club again.
“They’ve got all day to get here, they don’t work.
“If it took me an hour and a half to get in and I was late a couple of times, I would give myself two and a half hours.
“We can’t have this any more. It’s not fair on Hak, it’s not fair on Ryan (Gordon, coach) and it’s not fair on me.
“I think they car-share but that’s not our problem.
“However they get here, they have to be on time.
“The other players are getting the hump and quite rightly.
“It doesn’t matter what they say, they’re late, there’s no excuses.
“I always say this but I bet they’re never late for their plane when they go on holiday.”
Under-23 players Ollie Freeman and Jordan Tingley came into the squad along with Cypriot trialist Leandros Lillis.
Maidstone battled with 10 men after Lewis Knight’s first-half dismissal but lost 1-0 to a strong Dartford side.
Hayrettin said: “These boys have been fined previously and warned about their punctuality and timekeeping.
“We feel the supporters deserve better so we took the stance we did.
“The response from the other players was important.
“They weren’t happy either because it’s happened, on and off, too many times. We had to make a stand.”
