CATHERINE HALL, St James — Former Montego Bay United striker Dino Williams is back home in Montego Bay after less than a week with the Indy Eleven of the North American Soccer League (NASL) after he failed a medical examination.

An injured groin that he said he has been playing with for the last 18 months was discovered during a routine medical examination two days after he arrived in the United States.

A disappointed Williams, who watched as Montego Bay United lost their bid to qualify for the finals of the Caribbean Football Union’s Champions Cup competition, losing 0-1 to Trinidad’s Central FC at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Sunday, described the situation as “unfortunate”.

“It’s just unfortunate. After I got there I went to do a medical and they found out about the groin problem I had and they sent me back.

“This is really unfortunate as I have been looking forward to this for the last two to three four months, only for this to happen. It is just disappointing,” he said.

Williams said he had been playing through the pain and discomfort of the injury “for about a year and six months now”, while he explored his options.

“I have to do the surgery, but I want to find out how long I will be out and not allowed to train,” he noted.

Williams says he has the option of rejoining the team in the second half of the season.

“The earlier I do the operation, the better it will be as I will be able to go back for the second half of the season in July or so,” he said.

The NASL season is due to get underway on April 2.

American Coach Tim Hankinson, who worked with Williams when he was in charge of Montego Bay United earlier in the season, was the man responsible for the 26-year-old striker transferring to the NASL team.

According to Williams, the 60-year-old American coach was also disappointed.

“Coach was also disappointed a lot as he was also looking forward to me playing,” he told the

Jamaica Observer.

Despite only playing the first round of the Red Stripe Premier League, Williams scored 14 goals, the most he has ever scored in one full season in the local Premier League.