By Emmerson Campbell
The government of Guyana will reward the history-making Golden Jaguars with $2 million after the team roared to a 2-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors in the penultimate Group B, 2014 World Cup Qualifier at the Providence Stadium on Friday night.
Presidential Advisor on Empowerment and President of Alpha United Football Club, Odinga Lumumba, made the announcement yesterday during a luncheon for the Golden Jaguars at the Waterchris Hotel and Bar.
“We want to let you know that we had an arrangement, we were going to give you a million dollars but because of your level of performance, we are going to give you two million dollars,” he told the team.
The victory means the national side topped Group B and will progress to the third round of the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers for the first time in Guyana’s history. In the third round of matches which will commence in June, Guyana will be in Group B along with Costa Rica, El Salvador and Mexico.
Lumumba also spoke about rewarding the Jaguars in the third round.
“When you come back from Trinidad we will talk about what we will do for the next round and I can say for the next round our support will be much more substantial,” he added.
The Alpha United boss also congratulated the team and remarked that football has finally done the nation proud.
“I want to congratulate Guyana’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars, for being part of an historical activity. In every society it takes an extraordinary occurrence to take a country or a sport to another level.
We have done it in cricket. We have done it to some degree in track. We have done it in boxing; football has finally come of age in Guyana. Trinidad and Jamaica have been the force in football for years in the Caribbean but now Guyana is doing extremely well.”
Lumumba showered praise on Jamal Shabazz the Head Coach of the ‘Jags’ and highlighted that Shabazz can stay in Guyana as long as he wants.
“On behalf of the Government of Guyana I thank Mr Shabazz. We have brought a lot of coaches and technical directors to this country and they have failed. Mr Shabazz succeeded not because he has more skills than the rest, but because he has more patience, more humanity and he behaves like one of us. And I want to say, Mr Shabazz, the President has made it very clear that you can stay in Guyana as long as you want.”
Lumumba also thanked Jaguars Captain Christopher Nurse for his outstanding leadership of the team, Assistant Coach Wayne Dover and the Kashif and Shanghai Organization for the role it played in promoting the game with its ‘wear yellow’ initiative.
Lumumba highlighted that the government will continue to support the development of football and sport in general in years to come.
In brief remarks, Nurse said it is always a pleasure to represent Guyana on the international stage and that the game was a dream game for him. He pledged to continue to lead the team the best way he can. Nurse added that the games in the third round will be very important for Guyana.
Acting President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Franklin Wilson echoed Lumumba’s sentiments and thanked the government for its support; Nurse and Shabazz along with the other members of the Golden Jaguars team. Wilson also praised the media for their coverage and promotion for the game and the fans for being a proper ‘12th’ man.
Shabazz spoke passionately on how successful Guyana can be if each stakeholder plays his role effectively.
“It is not Jamal Shabazz that qualified; it is not the Golden Jaguars that qualified it is a country that qualified,” he said.
“Last night [Friday] we gave them [the world] something more to talk about and it was all of us that did it we have demonstrated how we can make progress when all the stakeholders play their part.”
Shabazz also emphasized that more needs to be done for the local footballers’ livelihood in Guyana.
Lumumba in closing said that subsequent announcements will be made about the land the players were promised for qualifying for the third round.
