WITH less than a week before the most anticipated football polling date, popular and successful promoter Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major is exuding extreme self-assurance that he will top the 4-pack presidential hopefuls for the top post in Guyana.
“I am the clear winner, there is no opposition. I can say after the 12th we will all be one, working together to develop the sport in our country which is

at a critical juncture in its history,” Major replied when quizzed by Chronicle Sport on the likely outcome of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) upcoming elections.
‘Shanghai’, as he is more popularly called, is one of two sons from the Bauxite mining community of Linden who will be challenging for the GFF’s presidency.
The other is former Junior and Senior National player, Ivan Persaud. ‘Shanghai’ added that his love for the game and the experience he has garnered since his involvement with Eagles United in 1985 paved the way for him to establish long-lasting relationships which he knows will serve the game in a positive way.
“In Guyana football is much too divided so my first major task would be to unite the football family. We can never go forward while being divided. I am pleased to have a group of positive and passionate people to work with so we can eliminate the micro management that has been hindering the development of the sport for the longest while and this is a situation that is also destroying other sports in Guyana too,” Major posited.
“I intend to work with all businesses. I am not a particular one-business man or a particular group’s man, I will do business with all. Football is big business and we need all of them on board to effectively execute our programmes.”
“I would seriously love to bridge the gap between Government and football. No country can develop the sport without the government’s involvement so working with the Ministry of Education as well as Culture, Youth and Sport will be very critical.
It is time we pay more attention to schools football and have it regulated under one umbrella and that is a priority as well,” the 47-year-old Major opimed.
“Facilities and infrastructure are very important also so that will be a certain priority as well. We cannot develop sport without proper facilities.
Already negotiations have begun with the FIFA GOAL Project for two facilities in addition to the one which started sometime ago. Linden and East Coast have been identified as the sites for the much-needed training facilities and that we will pursue into making a reality very soon.”
Major thinks, generally, Administration needs urgent restructuring and regulating as to how business is conducted, especially within the Associations.” Offices of the various associations will have to function on a daily work hour schedule with a well equipped staff,” Shanghai suggested.
“I always feel competent. Administration is important for development that is why I am surrounded by such a team. It would never be I, but we in making decisions.
It must be collective work in order to have the required results and benefits. I could not ask for a better team to work with. We are all willing and ready to work in the interest of developing football in Guyana,” Major added.
The man who has held the post of Organising Secretary of the GFF since 2003 believes that while the elections have generated much interest and debates he is a bit disturbed about a recent rumour which he says has even gone as far as the social media networks.
“I want to make it quite clear that the talk that if I ascend to the leadership I intend to bring back Colin Klass is totally false and malicious. There is a lot I will say but not until the elections are over, for now the focus of me and my team is the way forward.”
In tandem with business partner Greg Charles the duo firmly established themselves as the leading promoters of the best organised football tournament in Guyana and it is all the links and experience gained Shanghai would be utilising to implement his vision for the advancement of the sport. According to Major of particular interest would be Marketing.
“There is immediate need to have a dynamic Marketing department as well as Training and Planning departments. We intend to market and promote the game of football and reclaim its integrity and good image,” Major promised.
“For much too long we have been telling the youths to do the wrong things. The time has come now for us to provide proper guidance for our youths and that is what the new executive would be aiming for. We will incorporate all the stakeholders who are willing to help nurture and guide the way forward for our football.
“If we do the right things and involve all we could achieve much more and that is the aim of our team – seeking to assume the direction of football in Guyana.
In life there are battles and in battles there is a winner and a loser but at the end of the battle we must be able to move on progressively because the game is bigger than all of us,” Major concluded.