Last season's soccer MVP, Kentoine Jennings, has been accused of reneging on a deal with Southampton Rangers.

Sources claim the star player recently signed an agreement to coach and play at the South Shore club and was actually paid in advance. But neither officials nor players at Rangers have seen Jennings since the deal was struck.

Just two weeks ago TheRoyal Gazette learned that a tug-of-war was being waged behind closed doors over the talented player between Rangers and North Village.

When contacted, Southampton president Aldwin Savery admitted that Jennings was being sought by his club - the offer evidently sounding off alarm bells at Bernard Park.

In response, Village president Sherwin Dill publicly stated that his club had presented Jennings with a counter proposal in a last ditch effort to salvage the services of one of their most talented players.

However, it was disclosed yesterday by one Southampton official, who wished to remain anonymous, that Jennings had in fact agreed to terms with the South Shore club and received payment for his services.

But with the 2002/03 season looming, the player has yet to honour those terms and hasn't been seen anywhere near Southampton Oval, although he's reported to be back on the Island after a brief excursion to Harrisburgh Heat with Village's junior youth teams.

Village are scheduled to meet Devonshire Cougars in this Saturday's Charity Cup final at BAA Field.

Though Savery could not be reached for comment yesterday, one of his club executives stated: "We have not heard anything else from Kentoine and the club is still waiting to receive some sort of contact.

"The bottom line is that the last time we spoke with Kentoine was at the official signing of the agreement - an agreement that Jennings himself requested to be put in writing. He requested to have a binding agreement put in writing which is what the club did, and he and Savery completed that agreement and there was also a signing-on fee involved for his assistance in the coaching programme."

Jennings could not be reached for comment yesterday but Village president Dill, upon hearing the latest news involving his star player, would only state that his understanding of the agreement was that there was always an "option to terminate".

"I don't know how binding it is or even if it was legal, but I'm not even going to discuss that at this time," said Dill.

"As far as I know Kentoine is still with North Village."

Jennings, a Premier Division and FA Cup champion with Village earlier this year, dropped a bombshell during the off-season at the Bermuda Football Association awards ceremony by announcing his retirement from the game, only moments after receiving the prestigious Most Valuable Player of the Year award.

But after being approached by Southampton officials over the summer months, the player was apparently keen on continuing his career and accepted an undisclosed amount of cash.

Jennings is also reported to have signed another agreement with Village to coach one of the club's junior teams.