The newly selected head coach of the National Under-20 team Collie Hercules is confident that the side will give a good account of itself in Suriname as it trods the ‘rocky road’ to gain a spot in the final of the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship.
Guyana will battle with Bermuda on January 19th; host Suriname on the 21st and the Netherlands on January 23rd at the Andre Kamperveen Stadium in Paramaribo.
“The guys are not at the ideal level where they should be, given the short preparation time, but we will not be making any excuses. We are ready to play and I am sure we will make our country proud,” the former national player told Stabroek Sport.
The team was encamped in Linden at the Watooka House where they played several warm-up matches. They defeated Winners Connection 5-1 and sank BK International Western Tigers 2 – 0 at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground, yesterday.
Hercules stated that the encampment has been going very well since the players have had a physiotherapist to work with.
He added that the location has been less distracting so they are more focused and the Mackenzie Sports Complex Ground has also been made available to them.
The Junior Jags lost 2-0 to eventual group winners Jamaica at the Guyana National Stadium but whipped the British Virgin Islands and Grenada to finish second in the group.
“The team has shown great improvement since then because they gained much experience and are now showing more maturity so they are conscious of the task ahead,” Hercules added.
The four teams will all be looking to join automatic North American qualifiers Canada, Mexico and the United States, host Guatemala along with Central American qualifiers, Honduras, Panama and El Salvador and fellow Caribbean qualifiers Cuba, Jamaica, Guadeloupe and Trinidad for the CONCACAF championship finals April 3-17.
Four teams from the CONCACAF region will qualify for the Under-20 World Cup to be held in Colombia from July 20 – August 20.
