LOSING to Barbados is not an option, according to head coach Jamaal Shabazz, as the Golden Jaguars prepare to face the men from the ‘Land of the Flying Fish’ on February 1. 

The two sides will meet at the Barbados National Stadium in an International friendly which will be played as the feature event to mark the opening of the island’s domestic league.
Speaking to Chronicle Sport yesterday after the team’s training session at the Guyana National Stadium, Shabazz made is clear that “we have to get a result; we’re going with a strong intention to get a result because this is what we want to do – to get our minds to know that we have ambition. I can only talk about that. After the game we can talk about what happened but for now, we’re preparing to get a result. No excuses. We have time on the clock and we’re going to get that win.”
The Trinidadian who first took charge of Guyana’s senior National team in 2005 said that at present, he feels that it’s back to the drawing board; something he believes should not have happened when you consider Golden Jaguars’ sensational run in the 2014 Brazil World Cup qualifiers.
“I’m trying not to get involved with who was in charge and that sort of thing, but the thing gone very far back because Guyana have not been playing enough on the international dais,” Shabazz said. dais
He added “Let’s look at Trinidad, Guyana beat Trinidad in 2011; what did Trinidad do from that disaster? They picked themselves up, played on every friendly international. They didn’t have any money. They begged, borrowed and tried to get matches for the team and now they’re up in the FIFA ranking and now, they got a bye to the semi-finals stage (of the qualifiers).
Guyana, who reached further than Trinidad, in two years did nothing but argue the constitution, about who should host tournaments, who should be in charge and who do/don’t like who and who suffering now? Guyana’s football!” Shabazz said.
In contrast, Shabazz believes that “all the people who have fuelled this division and this disunity, how do they feel now to see where we were then to where we are today. I am by no means a saviour because the effort that we made is always a collective one and it really burns you in your heart to know that the effort the country made to get us where we were and the people who took the baton just dropped it on the floor”.
Asked to give an update on the team after just three days of training, the Trinidad pointed that the technical staff has “seen a good effort from the players. Of course fitness is a concern but where we’re lacking in that area, we’re making up for it in enthusiasm. It’s a good bunch, good attitude. We have absolutely no problem with the guys in the squad.”
The team is expected to depart on Friday but it is not yet known when the final squad will be selected, with the staff being tight-lipped about the final composition of Guyana’s redemption team.

(By Rawle Toney)