willing to assist GFF
ENGLISH based Guyanese Peter Barry said he is willing  to assist the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) develop the sport locally if the Federation request his assistance.

However, Barry who migrated to England in 1997 said he must be given adequate notice so that he can make the necessary arrangement as he currently has an academy in London that is basically serving the needs of delinquent youths in the county that he resides.

In an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport on Thursday last, Barry said he is more than willing to impart his knowledge to local coaches here in Guyana and even conduct training sessions with clubs and national teams

According to Barry who secured a degree in Sociology at the University of Guyana in 1997 before migrating to London, England, he had sessions with Fruta Conquerors and his former club Santos, as well as with club coaches, while on a one week holiday in Guyana, and the sessions were fruitful…

Since migrating to London, Barry who was called up to national trials in 1994 said he did a short coaching stint with the Cambridge University’s semi professional team that competed in the Craydon Cup League.

He subsequently went on to the Wickham Wonderers ‘team and coached the junior side (Under-15) for the following 12 months and the team placed fourth in League that year.

He then went on to form the Addington Victors Football Club and reaped his richest reward as a manager/coach for the team, finishing runners up in the under-17 Tandridge League.

The team went on to play in the Surry South Eastern Combination League and won the fourth division, was promoted and six or seven of the players managed to secure contracts with semi professional teams.

According to the former Santos player, he had a short stint with Selsdon juniors after which he established his own academy which is Solidrock Academy in Croydon, London in which young people would come and access tuition to mathematics and English and they would participate in serious sporting activities including basketball, football and table tennis as well as music

He told Chronicle Sport he works professionally for the local authority – Croydon Council, with young offenders, helping them to resettle in society and he is also a pastor for the Solidrock Ministries International.

Barry who represented Santos from 1986 to 1992 and was called up for national trials in 1994.said while pursuing his degree at UG under the then Guyana Football Federation Technical Director Jorge Ramos, he served as the national women’s football coach.

Asked what caused him to donate gear and equipment to the GFF last week, Barry said during a conversation with GFF’s president Colin Klass recently, he knew he was coming home for a holiday and decided to do something for the sport in his homeland.

“I just want to assist in developing Guyana’s football at whatever level I can” Barry stated.

He said while conducting sessions with Fruta Conquerors and Santos, he realised that there is a lot of talented players in the country and he is willing to assist them in securing try outs with English clubs.

It is his hope and dream to one day return home and take a Guyana national team to a World Cup final.

Barry said the GFF asked him to scout for players in England who are Guyanese by birth or who might have Guyanese parents.