– Lumumba
Following his team’s victory in the 2010/2011 Kashif and Shanghai football tournament Saturday night at the Guyana National Stadium , Providence, president of the Alpha United club, Odinga Lumumba, has raied the bar as it pertains to his club’s participation in future local tournaments.
At a press briefing held at the Waterchris Hotel, yesterday, Lumumba announced the decision not to compete in any football tournament in Guyana with the top prize money under one million dollars.
“If anyone is hosting a tournament and wants Alpha United involved and the prize money is under one million dollars don’t buzz us, don’t call, ring or email. We will not be interested so email some other address,” said President Jagdeo’s Advisor on Empowerment.
Lumumba whose aim it seems is to empower local football clubs, said he was concerned for football and the under-facilitated teams that posed no threat for the better facilitated teams.
According to the Alpha United boss, approximately 2.3 million was spent preparing his team for the Kashif and Shanghai tournament.
Lumumba said the sum was what was needed to make his team competitive.
“Let’s face facts. Once Alpha United and Pele football teams are powered up there is no other team that can defeat them. Those other teams are just bait for the sharks,” he declared.
“I think it is time for all the clubs in Guyana to form a clubs association if they are concerned about the future of their football. Trinidad has one, Jamaica has one and most other countries so why don’t we have one?” he questioned.
Lumumba, though, pledged Alpha’s commitment to the National Super League because, as he said, it was a national league even though the prize money was not much. He urged corporate Guyana to make more of an investment in the sport and support the under facilitated teams so they can be able to draft in a guest player or two to become more competitive.
“Alpha United, we’re principled people so it is only right to congratulate Kashif and Shanghai on a terrific tournament and creating an avenue for us to claim victory,” Lumumba declared.
Lumumba said that his team was put under intense pressure to win the tournament but they showed the professionalism in the team and held together to win.
“Extra credit must go to Wayne Dover who coached the team to victory. We won because we had the will to win which was developed during our dominance of football over the five years in existence,” he stated.
Dover, in brief remarks, extended gratitude to the club’s supporters, especially those who were at Saturday night’s final.
Lumumba thanked the Courtney Benn and Cummings Electrical companies for their support which he described as “powerful and prolific.” He then disclosed that Alpha United will host a football tournament and said that informal confirmations from teams from Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Barbados and a few other countries have come in. “This tournament is not to compete with the Kashif and Shanghai tournament but to put emphasis on the pavement to develop teams,” Lumumba ended.
