– GFF calls 21 local-based players to camp

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has shortlisted 21 local-based players as preparations begin for Guyana’s participation in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Challenge Series Tournament, scheduled for April 18 – 29.

Guyana have been placed in Group E of the five-group tournament with Suriname, Grenada and hosts Trinidad and Tobago, with all matches being played at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

The Lady Jags, as they are more popularly known, will open up their campaign against Grenada on April 25, followed by a clash with rivals Suriname two days later. The Guyanese women will then close things off with a match against one of Caribbean’s leading female side and hosts Trinidad on April 29.

Tricia Munroe, GFF’s Women’s Development Officer, said Guyana will be using this tournament as preparation for the CONCACAF Qualifiers, scheduled for May 2018, and the final squad will include overseas-based players.

“In keeping with the Technical Development Strategy, the provisional Team Guyana has 21 locally based females, many of whom were taken from the GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres (ATCs).

To increase our competitiveness in the tournament, Guyana will put forward the best team possible so the final 18 will comprise the most-talented local and overseas-based players. Guyana will also use this tournament as preparation for the CONCACAF Qualifiers so ensuring match readiness is key at this moment,” Munroe said.

Meanwhile, Women’s International Team Coordinator, Paul Beresford, said the international ‘Lady Jags’ programme was relaunched last weekend and he is looking forward to have integration of the international players.

According to Beresford, “This past weekend, as part of the Lady Jags relaunch, a mini camp was held in Toronto, which was attended by 19 international-based players. We are looking forward to integrating our international-based players with our Guyana-based players to produce a team that will not only be competitive and exciting to watch but will truly represent the diversity that is Guyana football.”

The local-based squad will train twice weekly beginning tomorrow and will focus on technical and tactical skills and fitness.

The format includes four teams each in five groups. The matches in each group will be played in round-robin format, each team playing one match against each of the other teams in the same group.

The tournament will be held from April 18 to 29, and will be played in St Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda and Trinidad and Tobago.

The groups are as follows:

GROUP A: St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, St. Lucia

GROUP B: Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Barbados, Cuba

GROUP C: Haiti, Martinique, USVI, Dominican Republic

GROUPS D: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Curacao, Montserrat

GROUP E: Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Grenada