Golden Jaguars captain Sam Cox says that Guyana must ensure the selection of the best available players for the Group-F campaign in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers, which is scheduled to start on October 7th against Trinidad and Tobago.
“For me how we prepare for our upcoming fixtures we have to ensure that we are bringing our best players. Of course they are going to be hurdles and we know that this has been a difficult period of time for everyone including footballers, “he told Stabroek Sports in an exclusive interview.
“There are footballers out of contract and players that aren’t playing competitive football which has been the case locally and difficult as we know. Maximo (Marcio) has been doing a great job with the locally based players, but we have to ensure that the squad is fit and firing for our first fixture against Trinidad and Tobago because they are going to be difficult opponents. But we will ensure that all of our squad and players available are match fit and ready to go into battle,” he declared.
The Tottenham FC academy coach revealed that many of the available foreign born and based players have secured beneficial contracts with several clubs throughout England and Europe adding that as such the start of the pre-season activities will provide the ideal platform for many from the available foreign contingent to be match ready ahead of the event’s start.
“A lot of the overseas players have done well for the last couple of months either extending contracts with their respective clubs or getting moves into the football league or overseas. We are quite fortunate that we are back into the pre-season where the physical condition is at the highest level. Fitness levels have to be at a premium and you have to think by time October comes everyone will be fit and firing and ready to go,” he elaborated.
He added, “There have been some good moves for the boys Liam Gordon and Reece Greenidge have gone to Bolton, Terrell (Ondaan), Emery(Welshman) and Keanu Marsh Brown are all back at their clubs fit and firing. Matt Briggs is on trial at a club in Denmark, Danns (Neil) is still training with a league side. Kadell (Daniel) and I sorted deals at our clubs and Steven Duke McKenna is getting another year at QPR. Elliot Bonds another year at Hull, Kyle McKenzie at Liverpool, (Terence) Vancooten another year at Stevenage so those boys are fit and firing and ready to go. That’s up to the manager now and everyone involved to select who they feel is right for the game against Trinidad and Tobago and Bahamas.”
The Golden Jaguars were officially drawn in group-F in the first round of the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers for the prestigious championship in Qatar. Guyana were paired with Caribbean heavyweight and traditional foe Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
Guyana will start their campaign away to Trinidad and Tobago on October 8th before hosting The Bahamas five days later. Guyana will then travel to St. Kitts and Nevis on November 13th, before ending the first round at home to Puerto Rico four days onward.
