– hoping to be pushed to certification by the GFF

GREGORY ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson said that he’s willing and ready to embrace his new role with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), where he serves as a coach for the Federation’s national academy, working with the country’s National youth teams.

All part of the GFF’s plans, orchestrated by Technical Director Ian Greenwood, Richardson will join former national players,Bryan Joseph and Charles ‘Lily’ Pollard who have all committed to working with the local federal at the various levels of the national teams.

“I’m committed to coaching, you know, I’m trying to help the youngsters because it’s better to help the youths, so eventually you get them out at an early age. Eventually, everyone will want to come on board to play football because before some use to say that football has nothing to offer” Richardson said.

The 34-year-old is often times mentioned as one of the most gifted players Guyana has ever produced;his exploits saw him reach as far as the USA’s Major League (MLS) when he signed with the Colorado Rapids in 2009.

Also establishing his dominance in the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League, Richardson found success in the second tier of USA’s football system with the Carolina RailHawks as well as with the Puerto Rico Islanders,and later Alpha United.

The foundation Pele FC player, however, of recent has been finding favour with the Wayne Forde-led GFF, where his expertise on playing ‘upfront’ was highly sought after by Greenwood.

In fact, Greenwood told Chronicle Sport yesterday that Richardson’s exceptional ability to control the game as a forward and his skill is something that’s seriously lacking in football in Guyana, while Forde stated that Richardson’s god-gifted skill will surely be needed in the country’s rebuilding process at the youth levels.

“If the GFF put that trust in me I will continue doing it because I love coaching and playing football,” Richardson said when asked if he intends to go all the way with the coaching role, as the GFF talks about investing in his future once committed.

“I coach, even at my club I would continue coaching because most times I don’t even feel like play, I just want to coach, especially with the those youngsters” Richardson said.

Richardson was a part of the Walter Moore scouting programme, where his former Golden Jaguars teammate along with the FF Jaro Coach,Kristian Heames,held a two-day scouting clinic with Guyana’s National U-17 players.

“Well the experience is good and we were able to see some of the good talent. We still have some more good players outside that didn’t come, but we have some promising players that could make it out there,so we’re trying to push them a lot now”

“Majority of the players from Georgetown knows me. I coach a couple of them at Morgan and those from Chase and a few are with my club. I speak to them a lot, tell them what to do and what not to do, show them how to get certain things done and they adapted very quick” Richardson pointed out.

Despite still stating his willingness to don the colours of the Golden Jaguars once given, Richardson, however, stated that his primary focus now is to see the young players “get the knowledge of the game, understand the game the right way, because as long as they understand the game it will come easy to them.”

Richardson plans on using every opportunity given by the GFF to his advantage to help better his coaching ability.