WITH the CONCACAF Nation’s League set to kick off in September, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) yesterday announced former Jamaican International Michael Johnson will be the new Head Coach of Guyana’s senior National Men’s football team, popularly known as the Golden Jaguars.
The GFF in a release stated that the 44-year-old was the standout candidate from more than 200 applicants worldwide, with the defender who turned out 13 times for Jamaica between 1999 – 2003 being the holder of a UEFA Pro-Licences, making him the most qualified to lead the ‘Golden Jaguars’.
Johnson, a British national, according to the GFF, “brings a wealth of professional coaching and playing experience to the role, alongside sparkling recommendations from the English Football Association, former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and the English Premier League.”
“I just can’t wait to get started – I’m really looking forward to the project the GFF President and the Technical Director have set out,” Johnson said.
“The attraction of the role was the direction of Guyana: The GFF is looking to really make strides: to qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and to break into the FIFA top 100.
But it’s not just about results, it’s also about helping to grow the infrastructure of the country regarding coach education, youth talent, and the possible links between our nations – that’s what’s exciting.”
All but one of the shortlisted candidates selected by the GFF following a rigorous recruitment process had obtained the UEFA Pro Licence – the highest coaching qualification in global football.
“The GFF team is delighted to welcome Michael Johnson on board – the best qualified national coach in the history of the Golden Jaguars. With his professional expertise and top-level experience as a player, Michael will set a new gold standard for the football in Guyana,” says GFF President Wayne Forde, while adding, “the GFF is determined to elevate Guyana to the level it belongs – a Caribbean football powerhouse at the top of the regional rankings.”
“I also would like to take this opportunity to offer my heartfelt thanks and respect to former interim coach Wayne Dover for his ongoing service to football, and to the many impressive applicants for the huge interest generated by this role,” Forde said.
Johnson will visit Guyana shortly to meet the GFF team, players, football stakeholders and the national media, and to observe progress in the construction of the GFF National Training Centre at Providence. Full details of his visit will follow.
Johnson was part of the Jamaican national squad that competed at the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup and boasts a professional playing career spanning two decades in the English Football League Championship and the English Premier League with clubs such as Derby County and Birmingham City.
His coaching career includes successful stints at Cardiff City, Birmingham City and Notts County. He is currently an ambassador for Derby County, and it is expected that this connection will bring benefits for Guyana, including technical development exchanges, player scouting, and the hosting of training camps and international friendlies in England.
“Michael comes with outstanding references from the very highest level of the game, including former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and the English FA. He fits perfectly with the profile we were looking for as we look to build for the future and prepare young Guyanese talent for success at international level,” said GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood.
“With Michael in charge, we are confident we can qualify for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, on our way to the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Greenwood related.
The ‘Golden Jaguars’ will roar into action in September when they host Barbados in the qualifiers for the newly-established CONCACAF Nation’s League.
The CONCACAF Nations League begins in September with a one-off qualifying phase, while the group phase, consisting of three-tiered leagues will kick off in 2019.
The top league will end with a final to crown the Nations League champions and the competition will also serve to unify the qualifying path for the region’s national teams to the newly-expanded Gold Cup.
With matches being played on the FIFA dates between September 2018 and March 2019, Guyana, after their clash with Barbados, will then travel to Turks and Caicos for a meeting between the two countries in October, followed by an encounter against French Guiana in November before hosting Belize in March, 2019.
ABOUT MICHAEL JOHNSON
COACHING QUALIFICATIONS
∙UEFA Pro Licence; UEFA ‘A’ and ‘B’ Licences; FA Youth Module 1, 2, & 3; FA
Coach education course; League Management Association Diploma in Football Management
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
∙2015 – Cardiff City U21 Assistant Manager
∙2012 – Birmingham City Academy Coach
∙2010 – Interim Notts County Manager
∙2009-11 – Notts County Youth Team Manager
∙2008-9 – Notts County U16s Manager
PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
∙Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson
∙The FA Technical Director Dan Ashworth
∙League Managers Association Chief Executive Richard Bevan
∙Premier League Executive Director William Bush
