UNDER-17 footballers from eight football associations of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will this weekend converge on the GDF ground to vie for places on the National U-17 team to play in next month’s CFU Championship.The two-day trials will commence this morning at 08:00hrs and conclude at 17:00hrs while tomorrow’s sessions will begin at the same time but will end at 13:00hrs. At the end of the trials 26 players will be selected for a ten-day encampment beginning July 2.
The GFF in a release also disclosed that Anthony Stephens has been appointed the head coach with Vurlon Mills as his assistant and Andrew Hazel (goalkeeper/coach).
Together with the GFF Technical Development Officer, Lyndon France, they will form the selection committee of the squad. Carlos Bernard is the manager and Pablino Cupideo the physiotherapist.
The final 18 players will be announced during the encampment and the team will depart for the USVI on July 13. Guyana will begin their campaign in Group 4 against Jamaica on July 15, before engaging the home team two days later. The final group match will be versus Antigua and Barbuda on July 19.
Each member association, except the Bartica and Essequibo Coast/Pomeroon FAs, is expected to send eight players to the trials. The Rupununi FA will not be represented.
The Bartica FA is being asked to send 6 players while the Essequibo Coast/Pomeroon FA is allowed four players. A reliable source indicated that the Rupununi FA is expected to send 8 players to the encampment for possible selection.
Head coach Stephens is being given his first national duty after four consecutive wins with Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School in the annual KO schools football. (Ras Wadada)