IT would be a historic occasion when Slingerz FC and Jamaica’s Boys’ Town Football Club face off at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground this evening for the start of the Vizion Sounds Entertainment Goodwill tournament. 

“The last time I was in Guyana was in 1993, when I was playing with the Kingston Lions. We came here to play against the GT Cobras,” said coach of Boys’ Town Football Club, Andrew Price, at a press conference hosted yesterday by the oganisers.
The two teams, spoken of by Price, played in the Caribbean Professional Football League that was eventually disbanded and since then no Jamaican football club has visited these shores.
As much as the tournament is not being played for a cash prize and out of goodwill, the clubs made it clear that they will be treating the event as serious as any other in which they compete for a high purse.
Slingerz FC showed just how serious they are by investing in Surinamese international striker Wensley Christoph, national goalkeeper Richard Reynolds and Pele FC’s Solomon Austin.
Alpha United also recently updated their roster in preparation for the upcoming Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship against Jamaican side Harborview and Trinidad and Tobago’s Defence Force.
Slingerz FC is one of Guyana’s emerging clubs and, according to coach and former defending stalwart Charles ‘Lily’ Pollard, the players are more than looking forward to the encounter and welcome fresh competition.
“We’re a new club but with players who are very experienced. It’s always good to play against fresh opponents. It gives you a chance to see where you’re at and where you need to be,” Pollard said.
Boys’ Town FC coach disclosed that his side is going through a transitional phase and as such the tournament against unknown opponents will be a good enough test to see the progress they have been making.
“It’s nice being here and getting a chance to play against Alpha United, Slingerz FC and Buxton. I don’t know anything much about them and that is a good thing. We are going through a phase right now where we are blending our squad with some youths and some experienced players but we are looking forward to playing,” Price said.
In the opening game tonight, Alpha United will be playing Buxton United and the East Coast Demerara club secretary Eton Moses said that his players are aiming to use the tournament to expose their list of young players.
“We will be using the same players we have in the Premier League and this will give them a chance to be exposed to very high level of football. We have a very young team and we’ll have the youngest team out there just like we do in the Premier League. We are happy to be part of this event as well,” noted Moses.
Meanwhile, for Alpha United coach Wayne Dover, the event is more than welcoming; given the fact his side are heightening their preparations for the CFU Club Championship.
“This is exactly what we want because this is how the CFU tournament will be played in Jamaica and it gives me as the coach a chance to see what a Jamaican team has to offer. I think they all have a similar playing style and it would be good for football in Guyana,” said the longstanding Alpha United coach.
Friday’s matches will be played in Buxton with the host team taking on the Jamaicans and Alpha United and Slingerz FC meeting for the third time.
On Sunday the curtain comes down at the GFC ground when Slingerz play Buxton United and Alpha United meet Boys’ Town.
Admission is $1 000 nightly.