The impending exit of Brazilian native Marcio Maximo will create a void in the head coaching post of the senior men’s national team, better known as the Golden Jaguars in local parlance.
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), the local governing body of association football, and Maximo, reached a mutual agreement to terminate the latter’s contract as manager of the Golden Jaguars Senior programme, when it officially concludes on August 31.
Under the reign of Maximo, the GFF allowed mediocrity to become the new norm.
The highlights during his stewardship of the touchline included the disastrous 2022 World Cup and 2021 Gold Cup Qualifying campaigns.
The Brazilian ended his tenure with a record of four wins, six losses and a draw in competitive or international friendly play, of which four losses occurred in his last five fixtures.
While several names have been bandied about, such as Charles `Lily’ Pollard, Chris Nurse and Bill Wilson, for possible appointment to the vacant post, the name which stands out among the list of possible local candidates for consideration is former Alpha United coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover.
While the GFF is expected to fill the void eventually, the lack of international engagements for the Golden Jaguars who will be in competitive dormancy until May 2022 means that the federation is not pressed to appoint a candidate.
Despite his contributions and accolades, Dover is a polarising figure on the local coaching circuit whose successes, according to his critics, are due to his former club Alpha United monopolising the nation’s best players throughout his reign with the ‘Hammers’.
His detractors highlight his inability to develop players (despite the senior national programme traditionally not being a haven for local development) and his competitive struggles following the introduction of fellow powerhouse outfit Slingerz FC, which was arguably the best club locally before their self-disintegration.
However, objectivity and context needs to be applied in a fair analysis of his coaching career. Simply put, and despite wherever you sit on the debating divide, Dover’s numbers and experience within the national setup at the various levels, certainly presents a case for possible appointment.
Dover possesses an English FA B-licence with a B-grade and UEFA Preparatory A-Licence certificate along with other international and local coaching accolades to support his case for selection.
He has also been a cog in the national setup since 2004, and has participated in more than 100 international fixtures for both club and country at various age groups inclusive of the women’s division.
More than 63 of those encounters have occurred in the capacity of head and/or assistant coach in the senior men’s programme at the FIFA World Cup qualifiers [2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018], Caribbean and Digicel Cup campaigns as well as international friendlies.
His record during the aforementioned timeline stands at 35 wins, 21 losses and seven draws. Interestingly, it is under the former Beacons FC stalwart that Guyana achieved its highest ever rankings of 86th and 90th respectively, as well as won its first ever senior international tournament which was the Independence Cup in Suriname.
On the club stage, his international record stands at seven wins, seven losses and as many stalemates. The zenith of his club management is underscored by Alpha United recording a third place finish in the Caribbean Football Union Club championship which secured historic qualification for the CONCACAF Champions League playoff round.
Dover has been there before which brings a sense of stability and familiarity. After all, his first stint occurred in 2005-2008, with the period of 2009-2010 being his second coming. He also served as assistant to Jamaal Shabazz from 2011-2012.
Following the exit of Trinidad and Tobago native Shabazz (who was in his second stint) in 2016, after the embarrassing 2-4 loss to Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Qualifiers on local soil, Dover was appointed on an interim basis.
During this timeline, his record stood at two wins and as many draws in four matches. A scoreless draw with Martinique and a 1-1 result with Trinidad and Tobago are positioned alongside a 0-1 loss to Grenada and a 1-2 defeat to Indonesia.
A local selection would bring a sense of understanding of the intricacies of our sporting culture, an issue which seems to plague previous coaches of a foreign persuasion. However, this missive is not intended as an advertisement for Dover’s appointment, but an examination of his previous work.
While he does possess the experience and certification, Dover has also been criticised for his failure to showcase tactical intellect, often operating within a pragmatic and dogmatic existence. As such, he would not fit the bill for the purists who emphasize quality and flair over functional play.
Nonetheless, and despite his apparent shortcomings, the dreadlocked tactician will be among the select few who will be shortlisted as a possible replacement for the departing Brazilian. Whichever direction the GFF eventually opts to take, the hope and vision is that the programme will benefit following a period of ordinariness and humiliation. Numbers don’t lie!
