… turns attention to coaching

By Rawle Toney

WALTER Moore, who will go down as one of the best defenders Guyana has ever produced, has decided to call it a day on his playing career, for both club and country, and has now shifted his attention to coaching.

Moore, 35, who has made over 100 caps for Guyana, dating back to his time donning the colours of the Golden Jaguars at the U-15 level until his last appearance for country in their lead-up to the Gold Cup, during the CONCACAF Nations League qualifiers.

Having played locally for Santos FC, Georgetown Football Club (GFC), Fruta Conquerors, Alpha United and Slingerz FC, the 35-year-old Moore featured in Trinidad and Tobago’s Pro-League with North East Stars and Morvant Caledonia, the USL with Charlotte Eagles, the Kazakhstan Premier League with FC Vostok and Astana FC, and later settled in Finland where he suited up for FF Jaro and AC Oulu.

“Well it started for me as a young boy watching football on TV and playing in the playground and I knew I wanted to play football. I guess it was in my blood,” Moore reflected with Chronicle Sport.

He said his late mother, Yvonne Moore, was not convinced that he can make a living from playing the sport he loved and pushed him to choose another profession. However, despite not being known for being disobedient to the woman he called his ‘backbone’, Moore ignored his mother’s concerns and stuck with his beloved craft.

“I got so much negative feeds from people about how footballers from Guyana never make it and was determined to prove them wrong,” Moore stated, and pointed out that his Mother eventually saw his passion and encouraged him to follow his dreams.

“To be honest it happened all so fast! I went from the U-15 national team all the way to senior team, to Trinidad to the USA then Kazakhstan and now Finland, where I’m married and settle with my family. I can say I enjoy it all; met some good people and friends and I thank God for this.”

Moore, who is now a UEFA B Licensed Coach and is currently in the process of acquiring his A Licences, encouraged aspiring local players, to stay focussed and “that you can be whatever you want, all it takes is the mind-set to make it no matter how hard it seems.”