GUYANA are grouped with home side Aruba, Cuba and Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) leg of the 2016 Olympic Qualifiers. The ‘Jags’ will play their first game against Antigua on June 24, followed by Aruba on June 26 and will wrap up the competition against Cuba on June 28.
The winners of each group advance to the final round where the four teams play a single-elimination tournament between August 14 and 16, 2015. (Host to be determined), where the top two teams qualify for the 2015 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship, joining Mexico, USA and Canada.
Head coach Jamaal Shabazz recently held the first practice session following a weekend encampment then a break to allow the players to be part of the just-concluded regional and general elections.
According to Shabazz, just like when the senior national team began their quest for their first International Friendly against Barbados this year, “80% of the squad is totally unfit”.
Shabazz noted that the blame squarely should sit on the shoulders of the various Federations that are all inactive, noting “to me it seems the associations are more concerned about the constitution and who are in charge and are not concerned about having football played”.
“When I look at the players, tremendous, but we need to have football played at all the sub-associations because the National team is not the place where you bring players to be fit,” Shabazz said.
Speaking to Chronicle Sport at the Guyana National Stadium during the team’s practice session, Shabazz added that “you have 8-10 days to prepare a team for an international tournament and out of it, you now have to put a lot of emphasis on getting players fit and that means some people have not done their job”.
Meanwhile Shabazz said that at present, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is finalising friendly matches for the team ahead of qualifiers.
“We’ll be playing the senior team of course then we have a game or two against Slingerz because they are one of the teams who are actually match-fit right now. But we’re finalising a game against a Brazilian club soon,” said Shabazz.

By Rawle Toney