Technical Director of the national football team, Jamal Shabazz, of the twin-island republic, is confident ahead of the upcoming matches in the finals of the Digicel Caribbean Cup Football Tournament which gets underway on Friday in Trinidad and Tobago.
Speaking to Stabroek Sport by telephone yesterday, Shabazz said the team’s chances of winning the title “are as good as any of the other finalists.”
Guyana is in the Bobby Sookram group along with St Vincent and the Grenadines, Guadeloupe and Cuba.
The other group, the Sedley Joseph group, comprises hosts Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and the winner of a play-off between Haiti and Bermuda.
“We have respect for the other teams, but we do not fear any of them.”
The local ball-weavers flew to Trinidad on Thursday and began their final week of preparation that very afternoon.
“They are working like slaves. They are working just as hard as any of the other teams and I’m confident they will bring home the title.”
He said the new addition to the technical staff, Americo Felopa of Brazil, who is the physical fitness trainer, carried the squad through some intense sessions of physical training in the gym in order to improve their fitness levels, since this was one of the areas of their weaknesses while finishing while on the attack was another.
He added that they were to do a training session on the beach yesterday afternoon.
Asked if the team would play any warm up matches prior to their opening encounter against St. Vincent and the Grenadines on January 14, Shabazz said he would like to give the team a warm-up match against a Trinidadian club side on Tuesday, but plans for that had not been finalized. He did not disclose the possible club team, but stated that “lots of clubs wants to play us but nothing has been finalised as yet.”
Guyana’s second group match is scheduled for January 16 against Guadeloupe, whom the defeated 3-2 in a Group H match at the GCC, Bourda ground last November and their final match two days later will be against the Caribbean’s number-one ranked team, Cuba.
The top two teams of their respective groups will advance to the semi finals and automatically earn a spot to July’s CONCACAF Gold Cup Tournament which will be played in the USA.
Quizzed about the state of Shawn Bishop’s injury, Shabazz informed Stabroek Sport that Bishop had visited a doctor yesterday and had been advised to rest his ankle for two days.
“He will resume training on Monday” Shabazz stated.
Bishop injured his ankle during the recently concluded Kashif and Shanghai tournament.
Prior to the present Trinidad encampment, the `Golden Jaguars’ as they are called, had a four-day encampment in Guyana during which emphasis was placed on fitness and tactical work. The team’s training has been affected by the lack of finance and Shabazz said yesterday the situation had not improved.
“At this point the team is getting by on miracles.
“I don’t know how long it will last, but right now we are looking for someone who can turn water into wine.
“I personally tried on three occasions to get sponsorship for the team but never got anything. So right now we are looking for a saviour to come. We thought at one point that that saviour would have been the Government of Guyana, then the private sector, but we’re still awaiting the deliverer. Right now we’re doing the best with the limited financial resources and with the hope that after this hardship, ease will come.”
Meanwhile, there are two additions to the squad in overlapping midfield player Dwight Peters and defender Anthony Harding, while expected to join the squad in Trinidad over the weekend are English-based players Shawn `Bubbly’ Beveney (defence) and goalkeeper Jason Lloyd, along with US-based defender John Rodrigues and Trinidad-based professional players, striker Randolph Jerome and defender Abassi McPherson.
The full squad reads (goalkeepers) Richard Reynolds, Andrew Durant and Jason Lloyd; (defenders) Charles Pollard, Howard Lowe, John Rodrigues, Leslie Holligan, Walter Moore, Abassi McPherson, Kelvin McKenzie and Anthony Harding; (midfielders) Kayode McKinnon, Gregory Richardson, Shawn Bishop, Konatta Manning, Carey Harris, Shawn Beveney and Dwight Peters; (forwards) Nigel Codrington, Anthony Abrams, Randolph Jerome and Collie Hercules.
The technical staff comprises Shabazz, Felopa, head coach Wayne `Wiggy’ Dover, assistant coach Kevin Pearce and assistant manager Frank `English’ Parris.
