By Rawle Toney

JAMAAL Shabazz yesterday announced his 26-member provisional squad ahead of the CFU Caribbean Cup, which kicks off on March 21 across the Region.

The Golden Jaguars were drawn alongside Puerto Rico and Anguilla, in the 26-team Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament which is being sponsored by Scotiabank.

Round two of the championship is scheduled for May and Round three in October. The fifth-place playoff will take place in November and the finals in May 2017. The top four teams will qualify for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Since their 2018 World Cup qualifier against the ‘Vincy Heat’ (St Vincent and the Grenadines), the Golden Jaguars were dormant and now, Shabazz will re-assemble his troops to better their 2007 showing in the tournament, where Guyana narrowly missed out on a spot in the semi-final and ultimately the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson, who, since the 2010 World Cup Qualifier has not represented Guyana, was called by Shabazz, along with Pele teammates Konata Mannings, Travis ‘Zorro’ Grant and defender Jumaine Somerset.

Vurlon Mills, Devon Millington, Solomon Austin, Joshua Brown, Colin Nelson, Sherwin Skeete, William Europe, Andrew Murray, Dwain Jacobs, Dellon Lanferman, Anthony Benfield, Kester Jacobs, Domini Garnett, Mark Mclean, Alwyn Mc Donald, Kevin Cottoy, Linden Pickett, Delwyn Fraser, Dwain Lindie and Eon Alleyne are the other players called.

Wayne Dover will once again be the team’s assistant coach; Rawle Adams,Team Manager; Faizal Khan,Player/Press Liaison Officer; Andrew Hazel, Goalkeeper-Coach; Anson Ambrose,Trainer; Beverly Nelson,Physiotherapist; Trevor Burnett, Equipment Manager; and Earl Paul,Equipment Officer.

Notably missing from the squad announced were the overseas-based players including captain Christopher Nurse, Morvant Caledonia duo Pernell Shultz and Sheldon Holder and the UK-based trio Matthew Briggs, Samuel Cox and Neil Danns.

However, Chronicle Sport understands that the provisional squad was named ahead of a proposed International Friendly game against Suriname on February 21 at the Guyana National Stadium.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is yet to issue an official release in that regard, but a source close to the team and federation said: “We will be using local players for the Suriname game and then, depending on if the overseas guys are available, they will be included in the team.”

For the want of ensuring that all participating teams are at ‘full strength’, the CFU has decided to play the tournament on FIFA International dates only, giving some clubs little or no excuses for not releasing their players.