With the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) ushering in a new dawn with the utilization of more homegrown players for their senior men’s national team setup, several foreign born players are showing a reluctance to make themselves available for possible selection.
This was disclosed by a source close to the federation. According to the source, while several overseas players have been identified and scouted by the GFF for possible inclusion into the programme, many have shown an aversion to commiting to the process.
Among the notable players who have decided against representing Guyana at the moment are Ryan Fredericks of English Premier League unit West Ham United and Morgan Ferrier of Tranmere Rovers of League One.
Fredericks, 27, has one cap for England at the U19 level, and is also eligible to represent Scotland. On the other hand, Ferrier, 25, is also eligible to represent Jamaica via his mother.
According to the source, “We are missing out on the opportunity to acquire the services of several talented players, some whom are also eligible for direct rivals within the Caribbean region and which will make it certainly harder for us to qualify for major tournaments.”
The source added, “Our prior success which was the maiden qualification for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, was based entirely on foreign born players. We simply cannot deny that and we are still at a place where we are dependent on them due to the lack of local of football structures. While promoting homegrown is essential, we can’t at the moment because of the lack of playing time afforded to them because of the dearth of tournaments.”
The decision of the GFF to utilize more local players coincided with the appointment of current tactician Brazilian Marcio Maximo on August 21st 2019, a coach who is noted for his development of youth players in his native land, following a stint with the country’s U17 and U20 programmes respectively. He has also coached the Qatar U20 side.
Recently Guyana has begun to field an increasing number of locally based players on their playing roster than foreign born and based individuals, which is a far cry from previous years.
Interestingly enough, the cadre of foreign born players who are selected for competitions, have all formed part of the starting XI during the two previous fixtures contested by the Golden Jaguars during the five game reign of Maximo. Analysis of the matches paints an interesting picture.
The former Tanzania coach oversaw Guyana’s League B campaign in the CONCACAF Nations League. In the first match against Aruba on September 6th, which Guyana won 1-0, he fielded six locally based players in the starting XI. They were Akel Clarke, Kevin Layne, Clive Nobrega, Daniel Wilson, Kelsey Benjamin and Sheldon Holder.
Against Jamaica three days later on local soil, the identical six of Clarke, Layne, Wilson, Nobrega, Benjamin and Holder retained their places in the starting XI, which they lost 4-0.
Meanwhile, Clarke, Layne, Nobrega and Trayon Bobb started in the 2-1 away loss to Antigua and Barbuda on October 11th 2019. Interestingly, all seven foreign born players started, the first match of Maximo’s reign where this occurred.
Three days later in the return fixture, Guyana defeated Antigua and Barbuda 5-1. Clarke, Layne, Nobrega, Wilson, Bobb and Benjamin were in the starting XI. The trend continued with all five overseas based or born players starting in the match.
In their penultimate encounter on November 15th 2019, host Guyana defeated Aruba 4-2, with Nobrega, Wilson and Bobb featuring from opening whistle alongside all eight overseas born players. On November 18th in their final match against Jamaica which ended 1-1, the visiting side fielded all eight overseas born or based players once again alongside Nobrega, Wilson and Bobb.
The Golden Jaguars was scheduled to be in action against Barbados in the 2021 Gold Cup Playoff Qualifiers in March. However the matches have been suspended by CONCACAF due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (NCoV-19).
Guyana was set to face-off with Barbados in a home and away series on March 26th and 31st respectively. The first match was billed for Barbados, with the Golden Jaguars to host the return leg five days later at the National Track and Field Center, Leonora. The winner of the match was set to face-off with Trinidad and Tobago.
