… Teammates remember stalwart defender
By Ras Wadada
THE Pele FC continues to mourn the recent loss of the club’s first captain Wendell Manifold, who passed away due to cardiac arrest at the Brooklyn Downstate Hospital last Wednesday.
Sunrise:23-051954 – Sunset 25-03-2020.
The 65-year-old former student of Charlestown Secondary School had to be rushed to the Medical Centre via EMS after he took ill at home last Monday.
The former national Under-18 captain who left Guyana in 1974 on a football scholarship to Clemson University in South Carolina, USA at the age of 20 is considered by his peers and many others, who were privileged to see the big 6-footer commanding and leading on a pitch, as the best defender ever to don the senior national colours.
Chronicle Sport caught up with several players who played with ‘Dragga’ or ‘Ganghi Boor’ as he was affectionately known, and all expressed glowing tributes.
Bert Smith, Administrator/Coach NY Santos:
Dragga is the premier centre-back that I have seen coming out of Guyana, and probably the best ever. In New York he was always outstanding when he played for Blackpool FC and Santos FC. His versatility was, in fact, the reliability for the team because when a goal was needed he would calculatedly leave the defence to join the attack and either scored or assisted.
He was rock solid in defence and in my estimation the best sweeper back Guyana has produced. Besides being an extremely talented player, he was an extreme human being off the field of play, a very nice person. He truly loved the game and still played in the Masters Over-50s with command and respect.
Wendell ‘Figaro’ Sandiford, former Pele, GFC and (Youth and Senior) National Goalkeeper:
Wendell was my first captain at Pele FC and it was a pleasure playing with him as my fullback cause he was like a wall in defence. We communicated well and had a fantastic understanding as goalkeeper and sweeper. I would always know when he played the ball back to me without being called out. What stands out in my memory of ‘Dragga’ as captain and senior player to the team is his advice along with instructions to younger players on all aspects of the game which enabled us all to improve and develop to the next level. He definitely moulded us, before he migrated to the U.S., into becoming the top football team in the country.
His vast knowledge of the game at such an early age was phenomenal. He earned the respect on the pitch everywhere he played and no doubt Guyana has lost a great son of the soil. He will be missed.
Brenthley Babb, former Pele and Santos FC midfielder:
He was one of Guyana’s greatest-ever footballing talent, a defensive icon and leader. Wendell mastered every aspect of the defensive game and was an imposing and tenacious player with supreme confidence and at times demonstrated the skill and fluidity of a central midfielder.
He was the most resolute tackler on any field, but always a gentleman off the field. Always he was encouraging and respectful to his teammates and opponents, even the least talented. Although he never represented Guyana at the senior level he was being compared, as a teenager, with the likes of the legendary Earl O’Neal, who at that time was Guyana’s top central defender. I must admit he was the most difficult defender to dribble and was enormously influential to me in my football. He will never be forgotten.
Clyde ‘Farmer’ Browne former Santos and national defender:
Wendell was the personification and face of Pele FC when it was formed. I was the coach in charge of the defensive section of the team and had the pleasure and honour to coach him. As the captain of the team he was an astute defender and is the reason why Pele FC became so successful.
We were roommates at Clemson and became even greater friends mainly because of his jovial character. I always felt assured that he had my back both on and off the pitch. I have no doubt that myself and all of his former teammates will surely miss ‘The Captain’, but we all will forever cherish the great memories that he has left us.
Gordon Alphonso, former national youth player and teammate at Clemson:
“I had the privilege and honour of playing soccer with Wendell at the club, National U-17 level and at Clemson University. He was a very skilled player who played in defence with an icy coolness, fierceness and intensity. I always knew that with Wendell in defence our team always generated the feeling that we could not lose. He was not only combative but was a very good reader of the game and always aware of situations and how to counter.
He was a defender and student of the game of the highest order. Off the field he was nothing short of a ‘Gentle Giant’ who was a very loving and caring person towards his friends and family. His conversations on life’s experiences were always a pleasure to engage him on. I am sure we all who had the honour to know him will surely miss him.
Patrick ‘Labba’ Barton former Pele FC captain and youth and senior national player:
“Wendell was a fullback who had tremendous attacking abilities whenever he chose to or saw the need to join the attacking flow. He was incredibly fit and had a great awareness without leaving too large a gap between him and the rest of the team which allowed him to quickly recover in the event of a counterattack by opponents. His main strength was his decision-making ability and he was always calm and composed under pressure and never panicked.
He understood his teammates and was gifted with sound technical skills that allowed him to dominate any player within the 18-yards box which was his domain. I was fortunate to play with Wendell for both Pele FC and Blackpool FC in NY.
Taking over the captaincy from Wendell when he departed for Clemson was a pair of huge shoes to fill but he had laid the foundation and set the bar. We will all be indebted to him for the success Pele FC enjoyed and surely he will be most remembered and missed.
James ‘Berbice’ Paul, former Arsenal, Santos and National (youth and senior) player:
With the passing of Wendell Manifold, Guyana has lost a gentle giant. That ‘gentle’, however, only applied to his cool demeanour off the field since on the pitch he was as cagey and resilient a baller as any. A tall, skilled and tenacious defender, Wendell commanded the centre-back position like a general. I had the honour of playing against him in his twilight years and though he had passed his prime he won most of the many battles we were engaged in at the notorious ‘Dust Bowl’ at Caton Park in Brooklyn.
As a young footballer from Berbice I distinctly remember seeing his name and photos featured prominently in the newspapers and have also heard many stories of his outstanding contribution to the success of perennial league champion, Pele FC. He will certainly be missed.
Wendell Peter Manifold will be buried this coming Wednesday in New York, but due to COVID-19 only immediate family will attend. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date for friends and well-wishers.
Rise In Power Dragga/Ganghi Boor!
