TECHNICAL Director of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and head coach of Guyana’s national football team known as the ‘Golden Jaguars’, Jamaal Shabazz, yesterday reiterated his call for the support of the nation behind the team. Addressing the media at the GFF’s Prashad Nagar’s head office yesterday afternoon, the Trinidadian who is on his second stint with the Golden Jaguars, said he saw the people rallying around the team before, with the performance and results being great.
“I recently visited Costa Rica – who were not at full strength – during their game against Honduras and what struck me the most, was the support of the 12th man towards the home team, especially during the second half.
During the first half, the visitors (Honduras) had dominated and even led the home team 1-0, but when the Costa Ricans turned out in their numbers to fill the venue before the start of the second half, the energy they brought with them was phenomenal and at the same time, frightening, as they ran Honduras out of the park,” said Shabazz.
He spoke of Guyana’s important second round encounter against Trinidad and Tobago last November, which was dubbed 11.11.11, for which the GFF and Shabazz called on the football fraternity to come out in their numbers and play the role of the 12th man.
According to Shabazz, who was joined at the head table by acting president of the GFF, Franklyn Wilson, and the Federation’s Director of Marketing Faizal Khan, what is educating to know is that Guyana has the capacity and ability to execute the duties of the 12th man, but refuses to capitalise on such.
“Looking back at last year’s fixture against Trinidad and Tobago, which was an important one for the country, Guyana, came out in their numbers as the 12th man. With much more at stake now, it would be great for us to capture this time and bring everybody together as the 12th Jaguar.
“I saw the people connecting with the team before and the performances of the players as well as the results were electrifying and I see no problem with the country rallying behind the Golden Jaguars again.”
The Jaguars will leave the country today for Martinique and Guadeloupe, two formidable opponents whom they face in two warm-up games ahead of their opening third round fixture against Mexico in the Spanish speaking country.
Looking at the team which will be making the journey to the French-speaking countries, Shabazz said the GFF has decided to continue to work on the second tier of the Golden Jaguars, since they would not have the services of the foreign-based players for certain matches outside of the World Cup qualifiers.
“When you look at it, there is the Digicel Caribbean Cup and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under-20 championship in which Guyana will be competing and for the former, we would not have the services of the United States- and England-based foreign players.
“Added to that, the GFF got and accepted, an invitation from Suriname to compete in the Parbo Bier Cup and this gives us the opportunity to widen our pool of players, such as Pernell Shultz and Colin Nelson, whom I feel are close to making the 23-man squad of the Golden Jaguars,” said Shabazz.
The Golden Jaguars is set to take on Mexico on June 8, before they engage Costa Rica at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, four days later in their third round qualifying encounters and having played five warm-up matches in February and Shabazz said he is looking to do so again before the clash against Mexico.
Reflecting on the player’s fitness, something Shabazz himself had spoken about during their tour to Trinidad and Tobago, the Technical Director said the players did some work with Ivan Persaud and assistant coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover, but more needs to be done.
“While we are doing our part, as it relates to the players’ fitness, we have to depend on the clubs and also the attitude of the players themselves when they are away from us and their respective clubs, as the fitness level of some of the locally based players is below that which is required for the top tier of the Golden Jaguars.
“When I look at the players, such as Dwight Peters, Anthony Abrams, Konata Mannings and Richard Reynolds, I see a core of players who are capable of breaking into the top tier in the not-too-distant future, once they can up the ante and maintain their fitness.”
Shabazz said he had the privilege of witnessing Peters in action last Sunday, while he was involved in a GFF Super League fixture between Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United and Pele and he was impressed by technique and attitude.
“He (Peters) has a chance of starting against Mexico, since his technique and attitude are far above some of the foreign players in the top tier of the Golden Jaguars’ unit, but his problem would be his fitness, as that is what is needed up there and if I have a fit local-based player who can do the work, he will be given a chance.
“When I looked at players of the calibre of Colin Nelson, Trayon Bobb and Sheldon Holder, I had no second thoughts in calling them from Trinidad to come and join the team for the trip to Martinique and Guadeloupe, since I know of their fitness level, as well as their ability to execute on the pitch and that sort of confidence and I am looking to have in the locally based players.”
Wilson thanked the members of Corporate Guyana for their support given to the team so far, but when questioned on the possibility of a longer encampment period for the Jaguars, said ‘same cannot be achieved without sponsorship,’ while stating that an official launch of the Golden Jaguars along with their theme song will be done on May 12.
In his brief remarks, Khan said persons desirous of following the achievements of the Golden Jaguars can do so online at www.guyanagoldenjaguars.com or www.twitter.com#goldenjauguars.

Meanwhile, the squad which leaves for Guadeloupe and Martinique today to play the latter tomorrow and the former on Friday reads: Richard Reynolds, Colin Edwards, Julien Edwards, Kester Jacobs, Ryan Crandon, Travis Grant, Daniel Wilson, Anthony Benfield, Sheldon Holder, Pernell Shultz, Konata Mannings, Anthony Abrams, Quincy Madramootoo, Kris Camacho, Colin Nelson, Trayon Bobb, Eon Alleyne, Devon Dennis, Brian Baker and Dwight Peters.
They will be accompanied by Shabazz (head coach) Dover (assistant coach), Persaud (trainer), Mark Xavier (manager), Rawle Adams (general manager), Andrew Hazel (goalkeeper coach), Trevor Burnett (equipment manager) and Donna Marie-Wickham (physiotherapist).