-amid football turmoil
Amid calls from team players for new blood in the local football federation here, the coach of the Golden Jaguars yesterday announced he had quit with immediate effect.
Jamal Shabazz, who had been credited with turning around the fortunes of the team, said in a brief statement that he will be convening a press conference today at the Radisson Suites Hotel at 11 am at which questions will be answered.
His resignation comes after days of disquiet in which team members criticized two key local officials and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) revealed that the players had rebelled and issued an ultimatum while in Houston, Texas for a world cup qualifier match. While the Golden Jaguars didn’t go forward to the next round, it was their best ever showing.
Two weeks ago, Captain Chris Nurse and several other players of the Golden Jaguars called for new blood in the GFF because of the alleged incompetence of two high ranking executives.
Stung by the criticisms, the GFF issued a statement on Friday in which it said “It is rather ironic and perhaps unfortunate that after what has been widely acclaimed as the most successful performance by any Guyana Football team participating in the World Cup Qualifiers that a member of the team would seek to denigrate and diminish that performance by prematurely presenting a perspective to the public that is discordant with and divorced from the observed reality. In the circumstances one must wonder what may be the real motives for such action.
“Nevertheless, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will continue to do its duty as it relates to fulfilling its responsibility to its affiliates, sponsors and the general public.
Final Managerial and Technical Reports on the Golden Jaguars participation in the World Cup Qualifiers and the Caribbean Cup Tournaments are being awaited and the GFF is currently compiling information on all aspects of the team’s participation in the Tournaments to enable a full review and holistic report to its membership and the public via the media. If there are changes to be made at any level by the GFF, they will be made after such a review.”
The GFF said it was unaware of any players who would have lost their jobs or contracts, as claimed by the players, as a consequence of their participation in the two tournaments that Guyana played in. The GFF said that it was aware that to the contrary two players, and perhaps others, would have benefitted from new contracts.
“Furthermore, as regards the Agreement entered into with the players in Houston, Texas, yes, the players did rebel; they did present the Executive body of the GFF with an ultimatum that, notwithstanding our previous Agreement, they would not be playing for the country unless they received a part of the ‘package’. Executives did agree to three (3) components for payment to players which included:
1) An increase in our previous agreement for Match Fees for Starters and Substitutes used from US$350 to US$500, and for Substitutes not used from US$200 to US$300.
2) Twelve per cent (12%) of the Game Fee received from Sponsports for staging the match in Houston Texas, after deduction of expenses.
3) A win/draw/lose bonus of US$500 each for players and officials.”
The Federation said that by way of letter dated 8th November 2012 to players and officials it subsequently confirmed the decisions in respect of items (1) and (2) but noted that in retrospect a bonus payment for a loss was a contradiction in terms and possibly illegal. It said that further advice has been sought in that respect.
The GFF said that in the last two years it had committed significant amounts of its resources to the support, preparation and participation of the Golden Jaguars in the World Cup Qualifiers and other tournaments. “This was not meant to hinder the team’s performance but to help, and we believe that was accomplished.
The Federation has always been very clear that it will honour any legitimate commitments made to players and officials despite the limitations on its resources, and it will continue to do so as long as those claims are justifiable and verified”, the GFF statement said.
