One week after Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson inked his contract with Major League Soccer (MLS) club Colorado Rapids, Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Colin Klass yesterday sent the Guyanese striker congratulations for making history and setting an example for others.
According to Klass, given the fact that Richardson was born and bred in Guyana makes it even more heartening for the local football fraternity.
“This is a player I have watched coming up through the ranks in our local football and to see him make it all the way makes me feel real proud of the player. The fact that he is the only and first Guyanese to play in the MLS is very good so we at the GFF just want to wish the striker all the best and keep up the discipline that got him there in the first place,” said Klass
Richardson who was initially with Toronto FC on a tryout last month ran onto the Rapids roster after the Colorado-based club made a deal with the Canadian club for the striker that landed US$75,000, including a signing bonus.
Terms for additional incentives are also included in the contract should Richardson pick up club and league awards such as MVPs, MLS All-Star selections, etc.
Richardson was high in praise for the GFF head whom he said played a very important part in assisting to make his dream of playing on the big stage of professional football a reality. According to Klass his office wants nothing financially from any footballer but the GFF is there to offer guidance.
“We don’t want nothing from this, at least I don’t; all I want to see is things go the right way in the case of Richardson. We had to work really hard behind the scenes to make his signing a realty. As a matter of fact up to the day of signing we were doing some serious paperwork to make sure that he gets his full share of his money,” the long-standing GFF president said.
He said further that he had learnt from the bad experiences that players from Trinidad and Tobago had in the early days with regards to receiving money. Due to bad paperwork many of them barely made a mere three percent from their signing figures while the bulk of money went to the agent.
However, he made it clear that this would not be the case in Richardson’s deal since the intervention of the GFF would ensure that the striker is rewarded financially and he would be even happier once he starts producing.
It was stated also that several other players from Guyana would be making their exodus to the USA to play in the first and second division professional leagues and they too can subsequently join Richardson in the MLS.
