… bows to players’ request

THE GUYANA Football Federation (GFF) was again embroiled in another off-the-pitch issue that threatened a boycott by the Golden Jaguars to last night’s crucial 3rd round CFU-Scotiabank encounter against the defending champions, the Reggae Boyz.
On the eve of the important game when the players were scheduled to have their final training session, the Golden Jaguars were otherwise engaged in intense discussions with the GFF on outstanding payments dating as far back as the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and as recently as last Saturday’s game against Suriname in Paramaribo.
According to GFF president Wayne Forde, there was a meeting with several members of the Golden Jaguars where several issues that centred primarily on finances were discussed.
“We had very in-depth exchanges and got to the point where players wanted to have a written commitment from the GFF to honour any obligations determined after a thorough investigation was conducted. We had two rounds of discussions with the first ending with the executive committee finding it difficult to concede to a position where a document will be signed.
“We think that some of the posture of the group that we met with and the language appeared to be very threatening and I personally felt that it was unfair, and it was not in the spirit of compromise that I was being placed in a position to concede to something, of course not having all the information at my disposal.
After a few hours had passed and we had our second round of discussion I can say from all appearances that the way the conversation ultimately unfolded, better judgement had prevailed.
“We gave them a document that essentially said what has always been our intentions and had been stated repeatedly within the press that the moment we have all the information pertaining to what transpired with the Mexico game, if there is compelling evidence that there is a financial obligation on the part of the Federation, those obligations will be honoured,” Forde stated publicly.
Chronicle Sport learnt that the meeting between the two parties went past midnight, but an amicable resolution was reached and the threat of a no-show by the Jaguars was withdrawn.