… Brazilian team to battle Golden Jaguars
CORPORATE support for the 21st Kashif and Shanghai Football Extravaganza continues to flow, with cell phone merchandiser and repairs outlet, Cellphone Shack, being the latest entity to offer support to the dynamic organisation.
At a simple presentation ceremony held in the showroom of the North Road and Camp Street outlet, managing director of Cellphone Shack, Christopher Low-Koan, handed over a trophy, one of two that will be awarded to the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament along with several cell phones and a cash donation.
In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport, Low-Koan said he always found it a joy to give back to the community in whatever way he can, and being associated with the Kashif and Shanghai, he had no hesitation to join forces when invited to do so.
“Certainly, it’s a pleasure to be associated with this organisation, whose tournament is being looked forward to eagerly by the local clubs. We had no hesitation jumping on board, as we feel the work being done by this dynamic duo at this time of the year is excellent and anyone would grasp at the opportunity to jump on board with something like this.”
Co-director of the K&S Organisation Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major thanked Low-Koan for his timely contribution. He stated that the cell phones will be distributed to a few lucky spectators at the games, while the player who scores the most fantastic goal can also walk away with one of the cell phones.
Major also stated that while the response from Corporate Guyana has been overwhelming, it is not in the way they would have liked it to be, but it’s still good enough.
“For those who are unaware, the cost to offset this year’s tournament is very high as we are importing two foreign teams that are on par with our local teams, to compete in the tournament and this alone has made it an expensive tournament for us,” said Major.
He further disclosed the team that will be engaging Guyana’s Golden Jaguars on the opening night will be Boa Vista’s national side, once the necessary plans that are at present ongoing are finalised.
“We know it is hard for us to top the visit of King Pele for our 20th edition last year, but the tournament must go on and it is our every intention to have something spectacular for the spectators on the opening night of every tournament.
“To that effect, preparations have been coming along excellently, with the support from corporate Guyana being fabulous as we have been getting the rush even though it is not in the way we wanted it to be, but still good enough for us and the tournament on the whole,” stated Major.
He added: “The two foreign teams we are bringing for this year’s tournament are on par in terms of the level of skill and technique with our local clubs. While it will be good for Guyana’s football if we bring teams that are above our level, we believe that giving the local clubs an opportunity to perform against teams within their calibre, no one can cry foul on their behalf if they lose.”
Major further disclosed his entity’s intentions of having the Georgetown/Linden rivalry in sports continue as they are looking closely at having junior teams from both Associations battle it out as part of the opening procedures on December 12 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
BK International Western Tigers are the defending champions, having defeated Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United 1-0 in the final at the same venue of the opening for this year’s tournament and with a first prize in excess of $2.5M (trophies and cash) being guaranteed to the winning team, the battle for supremacy will be fierce and enthralling.
In comparison to previous years when they had approximately five and six teams out of that area doing so, only Bakewell Topp XX and Milerock Football clubs will be representing Linden, Liquid Gold (Bartica), Seawall United (West Demerara), Victoria Kings and Buxton United (East Coast) and New Amsterdam United and Rosignol United (Berbice).
They will be doing battle alongside Georgetown’s Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United, GDF, Pele, Santos, Sunburst Camptown, Fruta Conquerors and Riddim Squad along with the defending champions who recently won the Mackeson Stout/Digicel Sweet 16 football tourney in the premier football tournament in Guyana. The contest culminates on January 1, 2011 with the final.