Dennis Russell has been given the boot by Union coach Jomar Wilkinson because the striker was becoming a disruptive influence in the dressing room.

The Island Soccer League's (ISL) defending champions, who have had a sluggish start to the season, dropped Russell last week for not following team orders and has subsequently been released.

Union, along with the Titans, are the only teams still without a win this summer.

Southampton Rangers' Russell yesterday blamed Wilkinson's tactics for Union's poor run of results and accused the Dandy Town assistant coach as having "a robotic" approach to the six-a-side game.

"The whole thing is about us not playing the same set-up as we did from last year.

"We had a winning formula from last season and we wanted to bring it into this year, we all agreed on this," said Russell, whose 20 goals last term made him the ISL top scorer.

"But the coach seemed to have other plans and a style that wasn't fitting with the squad we had, it was robotic almost.

"We had a talk after the first game as well as the second and words were exchanged and I was informed on Friday that I was no long on the team.

"I'm a goalscorer and when you look at last year, I scored 20 goals and (Shaki) Pearman scored 14, so there was nothing wrong with how we played, obviously we did something right because we were champions."

Last season saw Russell and Pearman shred defences as a two-pronged attack but the Union have switched to playing one up front this campaign.

With the team now staring down the barrel after three consecutive defeats in their opening matches, missing the play-off berth has become a distinct possibility.

Despite being axed from the team, Russell remains hopeful the Union can quickly return to winning ways.

"Last year we played with two strikers and we were scoring and having fun," said Russell,

"we didn't even have a coach for the early part of last season after Meschach Wade didn't come to the games, now he has reappeared."

"Our system of playing one striker isn't working as you can see. You only need to look at the last game when we let go of a comfortable lead and are still winless.

"I have nothing against my team-mates or coaches, I wish them the best for the rest of the season."

Union play Kings at 4 p.m. at the National Sports Centre on Saturday.