BANKS Beer Knockout champions Alpha `The Hammer’ United had a remarkable run in 2014 and the plan is to transfer success in the local arena to Caribbean Football Union and CONCACAF competitions. 

Alpha coach Wayne `Wiggy’ Dover disclosed that the club would be focusing on rebuilding during the coming year with special emphasis on the moulding of young players.
“We had a remarkable year in 2014 and it is my desire that we achieve this form of success when we take it to competitions at the international level.
“We have proved without a doubt that our club is physically and mentally equipped to take on any force in local football. We now need to transfer this to CONCACAF and CFU,” Dover said.
During the past year Alpha retained the Banks Beer trophy. During that tournament the club created history by scoring 44 goals and conceding only one in six matches. Alpha also won the Georgetown Football Association Futsal competition, and were crowned Second Division champions. Dover claimed that the club’s youth brigade played a pivotal part in the recent success.
“Evidently there was the integration of a few of the younger players who turned out to be outstanding. We were able to blend our younger players with our experienced legs and this paid dividends,” the former national coach added.
“We will continue to see how many young players we can mould. It is no secret that some of our outstanding players are aging and at some point in time would have to be replaced. So we will be concentrating on getting younger legs on the field.”
Meanwhile, Dover reasoned that a semi-professional league is needed if any local club is to make an impact in CFU and CONCACAF. He pointed out that the disparity between local clubs and those in the Caribbean and CONCACAF can only be lessened through semi-professional football.
“We have shown over the years, while playing at the CFU and CONCACAF levels that there is a large gap between us and the local clubs.
That of itself underlines the need for the administration of football in Guyana to move towards getting a semi-professional league started. It is the only way that we would be able to truly compete on the international club stage,” argued Dover.