Golden Jaguars assistant coach Wayne Dover affirmed that the absence of head-coach Jamaal Shabazz during the ongoing CONCACAF Gold Prelim preparation phase will not serve as a distraction for the squad heading into the playoff campaign.
This was disclosed during a virtual press briefing staged yesterday. According to Dover, who is at the helm of the programme since the absence of the Trinidad and Tobago native, “There is no distraction with the absence of the head coach because the head coach is very much present daily through meetings via Skype or WhatsApp and I think his presence is still here despite his absence physically.”
Presently, Shabazz is not a member of the team as he awaits the possible approval of his United States visa from the local embassy. He also did not travel to Jamaica due to the ongoing process.
Dover further said that is comfortable at the helm of the programme given his prior involvement with the setup, noting that while he wasn’t part of the 2019 Gold Cup training staff, he was a member of the 2021 Gold Cup Prelim team under the stewardship of previous coach Marcio Maximo, which adds to his level of experience at this juncture.
Asked about the timeline for selection of the final squad, Dover said, “The timeline could go as late as next week so it’s not a worry in terms of not breaking down in Jamaica but we still have some time.”
Probed on the expectation for the Grenada clash, he said, “The expectation is to come out on top on the 17th, and we will do everything in our power as coaches and a group to best achieve those results which is our ultimate aim as we prepare for that.”
However, he conceded that the technical staff is managing the expectations of the public, explaining, “We are managing the expectations of the fans by not ultimately saying to them that we are definitely going to win these games and qualify. In football there is no guarantee, every team is preparing for the match, and the game will be likely very competitive, and the team that plays well and makes the least mistakes and score their chances will most likely come out of the game as the winner. Many times we have seen teams that don’t play to their true potential but still get the result because they might have a chance or two and take it. In that regard, we are not declaring that we will definitely win the game. That is a form of managing the expectations of the spectators.” He further said, “Internally the players know what we are preparing to and we are confident as well in terms of our approach to the game. We know collectively we can do a good job so there is no hype amongst the staff to tell the players that definitely we are going to qualify.”
Guyana, who is penciled to battle Martinique in a practice match tomorrow from 18:30hrs, is slated to face Grenada on Saturday, June 17th at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. If successful, they will play the winner of the Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago fixture for a place in the Gold Cup.
Guyana’s Gold Cup Preliminary Roster comprises Marcus Wilson, Daniel Wilson, Emery Welshman, Terrence Vancooten, Anthony Smith, Marcus Simmons, Pernel Schultz, Quillan Roberts, Terrence Ondaan, Sese Norville, Colin Nelson, Joshua Naraine, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Deon Moore, Tre Medford, Kai McKenzie-Lyle, Keanu Marsh-Brown, Leo Lovell, Connor Kurran-Browne, Curtez Kellman, Jalen Jones, Akini James, Sheldon Holder, Callum Harriott, Reis Greenidge, Jonathan Grant, Liam Gordon, Akel Clarke, Jeremy Garrett, Stephon Duke-McKenna, Elliot Bonds, Samuel Cox, Kadel Daniels, Neil Danns and Trayon Bobb.
The Golden Jaguars qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup Prelims following a runner-up finish in group C of League B in the 2022/20223 edition of the Nations League.
