Alpha ‘the Hammer’ United was trounced 8-0 by Costa Rica’s Herediano in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League on July 26 but president of the country’s number one football team Odinga Lumumba said that he was not disappointed with his team’s performance.
In fact Lumumba said that Alpha’s mauling raised the question about the poor quality of football and under-development in Guyana. Alpha is the only team in the competition from the English speaking Caribbean and, according to Lumumba, Guyana’s inability to compete with a world class club took centre stage.
“We were beaten badly but I don’t think it is anything to be ashamed of. Costa Rica went to the World Cup thrice and we know that Guyana’s under-23 team lost to Costa Rica seven-nil so we can understand the calibre of this team; this is a world level team and it owns its own stadium.
The style of football was different; we were about four or five levels below this team and it tell us a lot about where are with football nationally. We are way behind what happens internationally. We tried our best and I
wasn’t upset with the team because I actually thought they tried their best but they had no capacity to deal with the team especially in the second half,” Lumumba recalled yesterday at the Convention Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara. The match was played at the National Stadium of Costa Rica, San Jose (Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José) and Brazi8lian Jorge Barbosa scored a hat-trick (70’, 77’, 89’), while the other goals came from Jose Miguel Cubero (10’), Jose Carlos Cancela (30’), Josimar Arias (38’), Pablo Salazar (59’) and Jose Luis Cordero (90+4’).
Alpha’s goalkeeper Ronson Williams and left/back Kris Camacho came for praise from Lumumba, stating that if it weren’t for the national custodian the margin of defeat would have been wider. Lumumba stated:“It was a good experience for the team and we know what we have to work towards if we are to become internationally recognised.
“We have a long, long way to go so we have no excuses to make. We were beaten by a team with tremendous capacity and capability and I think this team can beat our national team,” added Lumumba.
He also pointed out that there are players on the Herediano team play in other countries. The match was also broadcast live on ESPN.
Meanwhile, for the return match at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, on August 4, Lumumba said that the aim of his team will be to survive. According to Lumumba the team has to win nine-nil but he does not see this as a possibility.
His is hoping however that his team has a better performance at home.
Lumumba also took the opportunity to renew his call for, at least, a semi-professional league. He believes that if a league can be set up then players will be able to focus their attention strictly on football, which will become a job, rather than a past time.
According to Lumumba, many of the players have jobs and in many instances their places of employment are not flexible in giving them time off to play football. Therefore, players have to make a vital decision of playing football or working.
He believes that a professional league will solve the problem for the players and he is ready to fund the league if help is forthcoming.
