Describing the process that led to the employment of Lady Jaguars head coach Omar Khan as comprehensive, Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde has confirmed that the former RKSV Spartaan manager has been appointed for two years.
In a brief interview with Stabroek Sport, Forde said, “He has been retained for two years; it’s a two-year stint.” The GFF announced the appointment of Khan as the new head coach of the Lady Jaguars national team on September 8th via an official press release.
According to the correspondence, the Guyanese-born Khan, who is a UEFA A license holder, boasts a wealth of experience following stints with several clubs in the Netherlands, with his most recent post being the manager of RKSV Spartaan Football Club. Khan, 49, who is also a certified sports and performance psychologist, replaces long-serving Lady Jaguars head coach Dr. Ivan Joseph, who exited the post in July 2022, following a four-year stint at the helm.
Probed if the vacancy was advertised, Forde said, “I’m sure the media would have known that we advertised for the job. We had 26 candidates, and there was a comprehensive vetting and interview process. We had a committee that comprised members of the international support group, the technical department, and the GFF Executive Committee. It was then narrowed down to the final five.”
Asked if local coaches applied for the post, he disclosed, “We had local coaches and former players; two former players had applied. Based on my recollection, I don’t think we had anyone from the local bunch shortlisted.”
When asked if the women’s team is being compensated following years of not receiving match fees under the current and previous administrations, he disclosed, “The ladies are being compensated.”
However, he did not disclose the amounts received by the females. Asked if the compensation package is equitable to their male counterparts, Forde said, “It’s equitable to the program; you can’t make a comparison between the men’s game and the women’s game.”
According to a previous GFF Golden Jaguars 2022/2023 CONCACAF Nations League Payment contract, “Match Fee: Starter: 350 USD; Match Fee: Substitute Appearance: 250 USD; Match Fee: Unused Substitute: 150 USD; Win Bonus: 200 USD; Draw Bonus: 100 USD; Goal Bonus: 25 USD per goal (maximum bonus of 4 goals); Per diem: All players: 50 USD per night for in-camp days prior to June 1, 2022.”
In April 2021, the Lady Jaguars wrote to First Lady Arya Alli and Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., highlighting the one-sided and unequal allocation of resources by the federation to the program. The Lady Jaguars program, despite being predominantly made up of foreign-born players from Canada and the USA, is the most successful football team that comes under the umbrella of the GFF. The Lady Jaguars senior side became the first team, male or female, to qualify for the Gold Cup, a feat that took place in 2010, nine years before the Golden Jaguars. They also secured Guyana’s first ever appearance in the Concacaf Olympic Qualifier Championships, which occurred in 2016.
