– Dover unqualified based on job criteria
Despite Wayne Dover presently serving at the helm of the programme in an interim capacity, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has advertised for suitable persons to fill the post of head coach, a position recently held by Trinidad and Tobago native Jamal Shabazz.
The vacancy was posted on their official Facebook page. According to the vacancy, interested candidates must possess a “UEFA Pro License or equivalent, the highest-level coaching certification. A minimum of five years of professional coaching experience, including managing at least two senior national teams. A track record of measurable success in international football competitions and in-depth knowledge of modern football tactics, analytics, and player development strategies.”
Interestingly, the aforementioned criteria render Dover’s possible application invalid given his lack of qualification and experience.
The document further stated that new head-coach will have key responsibilities such as developing and executing a competitive strategy to garner success at regional and international tournaments such as the CONCACFA Gold Cup and FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, creating a professional environment, identifying and integrating local and overseas talents, and collaborating with the GFF Technical Director to align the national programme with the overall football developmental strategy among others.
The notice further stated that the successful applicant will have several performance benchmarks, including securing competitive results in the CONCACAF Nations League and FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, securing promotion to League A of the Nations League following its relegation, improving the team’s FIFA ranking, creating a unique playing philosophy and identity, and developing a scouting and recruitment network for local and international talents.
The Golden Jaguars head-coach post was vacated and subsequently filled by Dover in a caretaker capacity after the GFF ended its contractual engagement with then trainer Jamaal Shabazz for the fourth time.
Under the stewardship of Shabazz, Guyana made their debut in League A of the CONCACAF Nations League following a perfect 5-0 record in Group D of League B. The Guyanese defeated Antigua and Barbuda [5-1, 6-0], the Bahamas [3-2], and Puerto Rico [3-1, 3-1] to secure their place in the upper echelons of regional football.
Unfortunately, Guyana was also relegated from League A following a record of three losses [3-1, 5-1 Suriname, 3-1, Guatemala] and a draw [2-2, Martinique]. In 2024, Guyana sports an unenviable record of seven defeats, two wins, and a draw under the Trinidad and Tobago native. Overall, in 27 official matches since his reappointment, Shabazz sports a record of 12 wins, 12 losses, and three draws, according to the digital football database ‘Transfer Markt’. The former Caledonia AIA manager, who has been at the helm of the national setup on three previous occasions (2005-2008, 2011-2012, and 2015-2016), created history when he oversaw the local unit’s record-setting FIFA World Cup 2014 campaign.
The local side, under the stewardship of the Trinidadian, also qualified for the CONCACAF semi-finals of the World Cup qualifying campaign for the first time in its history.
Presently, the Golden Jaguars, under the guidance of Dover, have qualified for the CONCACAF Prelims following a 9-4 aggregate victory against Barbados in their two-match series.
