DESPITE winning only one of four games, head coach Bryan Joseph and Technical Director Ian Greenwood have both labelled Guyana’s showing at the CONCACAF U-15 Championship a success and a step in the right direction.

Guyana was among 39 countries that participated in the August 13-19 Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Under-15 Championship, which was said to be the largest CONCACAF tournament ever, including 39 member associations and over 700 youth players from across the Confederation.
The developmental tournament featured 81 matches played entirely at the world-renowned IMG Academy campus in Bradenton, Florida.

The Guyanese opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw against St Kitts and Nevis, but were beaten 3-1 by rivals Suriname. Guyana wrapped up Group F with a 1-0 win over St Lucia, but later on had their hearts broken by Puerto Rico, who edged them 6-5 on sudden death after finishing regulation 1-1.
Joseph hailed the players’ competitive nature but stated that the team lacked the concentration to focus for 90 minutes. He said this was evident since in every match, Guyana were first to get on the scoreboard.

However, Joseph pointed out that they received positive feedbacks from spectators, and forecast that in time and should the players continue along the path set by the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Technical Director Ian Greenwood, they will have a bright future representing both club and country.
Meanwhile, Greenwood, who touted players’ development from the youth level since arriving at the GFF, said the team’s showing is a reflection of the players’ commitment to the ongoing work done at their respective Academy Training Centres (ATC).

Greenwood, while hailing their good showing at the CONCACAF tournament, challenged them to keep working hard, since there are both local and overseas players who are just as talented, who are “putting in the work” for a chance to represent Guyana.
President of the GFF, Wayne Forde, said his federation was “extremely proud” of the team, calling the ATC and Greenwood’s youth development initiative “a worthwhile investment.”

Forde pointed out the GFF’s commitment to not only ensuring that the players are afforded the opportunity to train on a continuous basis and at an enabling environment, but also promising to provide a platform for them to showcase their talent both locally and overseas.