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South West Drillers and Tobago United may very well stay in the T&T Pro League by default.


The teams, who will finish in the bottom two at the end of the third round of the 2004 T&T Pro League, were due to enter a playoff with the top four finishers in the National Super League to determine which of them will play in the 2005 Pro League.

However, both 2004 Super League champions Joe Public and runners-up LSporto Connection may not be taking up the option to enter the professional ranks.

Yesterday, Joe Public manager Sam Phillip maintained that the Eastern Lions have not changed the position they adopted when leaving the Pro League earlier this year to play in the Super League.

"We have just left the Pro League," the former Army man said.

"As far as I am aware, we will still be playing in the Super League."

And coach Miguel Hackett announced that Super League runners-up LSporto Connection are taking a wait-and-see approach to their promotion option.

Much of the decision depends on whether they can secure a sponsor who have the resources to pay professional footballers and also bear the additional cost associated with pro football.

"Yesterday we had a meeting about it and we decided that we will wait until the Super League made a decision on the match between us and WASA.

Also, we have to talk with sponsors to see if they willing to put out that kind of money.

I personally feel that with the kind of players we have, once we get a good sponsor we could make it," Hackett said.

Lennox Watson, chairman of the National Super League's Competition and Tournament Committee, said that although the Super League wanted to ensure there was the option for its teams to be promoted to the top flight, he was of the opinion that Super League teams may not yet be prepared for the responsibility of playing professional football.

"We have given the top teams in the Super League the option to enter the Pro League, but the ultimate decision is theirs to make." Watson told the Express.

"The question is whether or not they are ready to move out."

Watson added that should Joe Public and LSporto Connection decline to enter the Pro League playoffs, the Competition and Tournament Committee will have to meet to decide whether to give the promotion option to other Super League teams.