WHILE cricket, the nation’s number one sport is in turmoil at the moment with no national competition being played for the year, football, which was forced to play second fiddle to cricket, has been bringing to the Land of Many Waters, pride and joy in recent times. Our Golden Jaguars have reached the third round of qualifications for a place in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, even though they have suffered humiliating 3-1 and 4-0 losses to CONCACAF powerhouses Mexico and Costa Rico respectively.
However, the recent culmination of the second annual Digicel Inter-Secondary School Football Championships saw last year’s runners-up Wismar/Christianburg Secondary School walk away with the championship trophy. The on-field performance by the players who participated in this tournament augurs well for the future of the sport locally.
Despite the tournament being marred by protests, as some schools fielded either overage players or non-students, the level of competition on the field was high and intense, especially in the final, where the eventual winners were made to work hard by their opponents Waramadong Secondary School.
Both custodians, Wismar/Christianburg’s Daniel English and Waramadong’s Gerald Isaacs, lived up to the reputation of being the best for their respective teams that carried them to the summit of the tournament, which was described by General Secretary of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Noel Adonis, as the nursery for the national team.
What Adonis and acting president of the GFF Franklyn Wilson should look at now is strengthening their relationship with the telecommunications service provider, with the aim of having qualified coaches work along with some of the schools, in order to make next year’s tournament more competitive.
One such school is Region 2 champions, Paramakatoi Secondary, who have talented players within their lineup who need technical and tactical guidance in the sport.
If they had such then WCSS would not have been contesting last Sunday’s final, since they were given a run for their money in the national playoffs by Paramakatoi, who had lost to Mahdia Secondary School the previous day, but were awarded the victory on protest, as their opponents had played an old student.
Certainly, with proper guidance and coaching, they (Paramakatoi) can be a force to be reckoned with in this tournament next year, especially if they will have the services of their energetic and diminutive skipper Emery Wilson, who was a thorn in the flesh of both Mahdia and WCSS’ defence.
There are some other players, such as New Campbellville Secondary School’s Shamar Barrow and Kareem Knights, Lodge’s Keith Fletcher, Kareem Johnson and Jamal Daly, St Ignatius’ Cirilo and Kenzy George who need to be harnessed for the future of Guyana’s football, if they do not migrate.
Add WCSS’ skipper Travin Dryden, who was a tower of strength in defence, Leon Hohenkirk, another defence marshal who is not afraid to overlap when the opportunity presents itself along with Marmalique Davidson and young Lyndell Joseph. And there is not one football enthusiast who can doubt the healthy future of the sport in Guyana.
Digicel’s Chief Executive Officer Gregory Dean said his company will sponsor the tournament again next year and no doubt they will be coming bigger and better, since they are known for taking on challenges for each project they venture into, with the aim of making the next one better than the one before.
Chief Education Officer within the Ministry of Education Olata Sam showered praise on Digicel for organising the tournament, which he describes as a platform for the talents that lie within the schools to be showcased.
The top three eams of this year’s tournament walked away with $500 000, $300 000 and $200 000 which will go towards a project of their choice, while both finalists got personalised trophies, with members of the victorious WCSS lineup each taking home replicas.
Next year’s tournament, according to reports, will be held early in the year. Guyana’s football future is bright and we just need to harness the talent in a correct way to better serve the country in the future.