The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has been invited to send an U17 football team to participate in a tournament in Martinique in March.
“They [Martinique] sent an invite and the GFF has to do a budget and work out if they can go but very sure they will be going. The GFF will have to reply and then they [Martinique] will give us the rules for the tournament as well as the year of the players’ age,” sources with information of the invitation told Stabroek Sport.
“It is being budgeted and organized right now but it’s very likely they will be participating. It will more than likely be the same team which played in the CFU championship,” the sources added.
Apart from the Martinique tour, the GFF will also participate in tournaments in Suriname and French Guiana during 2017 aimed at exposing youth players to international competition.
According to the sources, who are close the GFF, the aim of the executive committee is to provide international experience to all levels of the national programme.
Last year, Guyana participated in the CFU u17 tournament finishing with a 1-2 record in Group-4 in the US Virgin Islands.
In the opening match Guyana lost to Jamaica 1-4 but defeated the hosts 1-0 two days later to keep their hopes alive of progressing to next round. However, they were eliminated after going down to Antigua and Barbuda 3-0 in the final group fixture.
According to the sources, the Suriname engagement forms part of an exchange programme where players will contest matches in Nickerie and Berbice.
This programme, conceptualized by the Technical Directors of both countries, will occur during the Easter period and will focus on the U13 footballers.
“That is happening for Easter and they are still in the negotiation and planning stage,” the sources said adding that Guyana’s participation in the Claude Elise football tournament in French Guiana will continue.
“There will be a re-occurrence this year and steps are being taken by the GFF by make it an annual event.
“The aim is establish relations with the French Guiana association and secure regular participation in the tournament as the event has been going for 16 years already,” the sources disclosed.
The Guyana National Under-15 team competed in their first ever Claude Elise football tournament in December, ending with a 0-3 record following defeats to Martinique, Guadeloupe and Suriname.
The Guyanese lost 0-5 to Martinique and Guadeloupe before going down 1-2 to traditional rival Suriname.
