TECHNICAL Director of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Claude Bolton yesterday released his 10-man team who will represent the ‘Land of Many Waters’ at the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Futsal Tournament in Cuba from January 22 to 26. While no captain for the team was announced, the line-up features Pele FC pair Travis ‘Zorro’ Grant and Konata Mannings, Slingerz FC defender Solomon Austin, Alpha United’s Sherwin Skeete and Daniel Wilson, along with Eusi Phillips and Jerome Richardson of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). Travis Bess and Richard Reynolds are the goalkeepers.

Bolton, who once served as Canada’s National Futsal Team head coach, will lead the Guyanese contingent and will have Joseph ‘Bill’ Wilson as his assistant and Denzil Thompson as the goalkeeper/coach. Mark Young was named as team manager.
“It is a significant moment in our football development. The assembly of this National Team demonstrates our commitment to grow the game of futsal,” explained Bolton.
He added, “This venture, regardless of results, can be the catalyst for the new Futsal Association to organise the game across the country and deliver it to a new breed of players”
As it relates to the composition of the team’s composition, Bolton highlighted, “It is a talented group that at first glance seem excited and anxious to see what the tournament will hold.
“They genuinely look eager to get to know each other on field. However, they do understand where we are right now and that this is a starting point. Importantly it is a group most proud to don the colours of Guyana,” Bolton said.
The team will head into their three-day encampment today and will depart Guyana on January 19.
Guyana will be placed in Group ‘A’ with Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and Haiti, while in Group ‘B’, hosts Cuba will be joined by St Maarten, Costa Rica and Guadeloupe.
The top two teams from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament will advance to the CONCACAF Futsal Championship. The 2016 CONCACAF Futsal Championship will be held in Costa Rica in May.
Same as previous editions, the CFU Futsal tournament acts as the CONCACAF qualifiers for the FIFA Futsal World Cup. The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia as the CONCACAF representatives.

Guyana last participated at the CFU Futsal Tournament in 2008, finishing fourth behind winners and hosts Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti (second place) and Suriname (third place).

By Rawle Toney