… Team urged to be good ambassadors

MINISTER of Social Cohesion, with the responsibility for sport, Dr George Norton, on Wednesday made an impromptu stop at Guyana’s national senior men’s team, the Golden Jaguars, who are in preparation for their October 7 clash against Grenada in St George’s.
Guyana will play the Grenadians at the Kirani James National Stadium for the first time since 2015 after having their 2–0 win over the men from the ‘Spice Isle’ at the Guyana National Stadium overturned by FIFA.
“I read about the team training in the newspapers and I felt it was necessary to show my support,” Dr Norton told the players who gathered at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Camp Ayanganna ground, under the watchful eyes of coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover.
Norton is no stranger to the sport and is considered a big fan of football. He always lends support, especially to the hinterland players, even before his tenure with the David Granger-led Government of Guyana.
“I don’t want to sound like a politician but when we were going to send in our list for the elections, some young men saw me going down the road with the party and they said,: ‘our future minister of sport’ … but of course they (Government of Guyana) made me Minister of Public Health. Somewhere along the line, I felt that something was missing,” Dr Norton said.
While pledging his support to the team and sports in general, Norton spoke about his ‘take over’ of the ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, after former Junior Minister Nicolette Henry was elevated to the post of Minister of Education.
Norton, who also served as a vice-president of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), told the players about his love for the game, and while his heart is in the right place where sport is concerned, “we don’t know it all. Sometimes we can’t do it but what we must prepare to do is give it our best shot and that is what I’m prepared to do with sports.”
The minister also stated that his ministry is prepared to work closely with the GFF to help present a well-rounded team and one that truly represents Guyana’s diversity.
After calling 28 local players to trials, Dover initially said the players earned their ‘call-up’ to the squad from performances in the Corona Beer Cup and Mayor’s Cup.
The other players, Dover said, who make up the squad are players who are part of the senior national pool. According to Dover, a shortlist of the local squad will be done prior to departure and they will be joined by the selected international players.
Guyana team will make a two-day stop in Trinidad and Tobago before leaving for Grenada on October 5.
Pernel Schultz had led Guyana to a 2-0 victory over Grenada on March 29, 2015 at the Guyana National Stadium, scoring both goals in the first half, but FIFA declared it a loss by forfeit for Guyana (3-0), citing articles of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
The GFF was fined 4 000 Swiss francs (G$859 000) for playing Matthew Briggs, after FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee had conducted an investigation in the England-based player’s participation in an International ‘A’ friendly match.
The squad: (goalkeepers) Richie Richards, Alex Murray, Jonathan Copeland, Kellon Major. (defenders) Jeremy Garrett, Jamaine Cummberbatch, Delroy Ferdinand, Travis Henry, Cecil Jackman, Shomol Smith, Solomon Austin. (midfielders) Curtez Kelman, William Europe, Ryan Dowding, Denzil Fordyce, Delwyn Fraser, Eusi Phillips, Anthony Benfield, Eon Alleyne, Ryan Hackett, Delon Wrights, Jamal Pedro, Darren Benjamin, Dwyane McLennon, Jamal Haynes. (forwards) Gregory Richardson, Shane Haynes and Randolph Wagner.