GUYANA dropped 38 places on the latest FIFA world rankings, reaching 182, just one place above the country’s lowest, but new head coach Michael Johnson said he expects things to change, as he also promised qualification for next year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The 44-year-old former Jamaican International who was selected from over 200 applicants, according to the GFF, said he’s “excited and can’t wait to get going” in his attempt to change the image of the ‘Golden Jaguars’, Guyana’s Senior Men’s National Team.

Johnson is a former defender who turned out 13 times for Jamaica between 1999 and 2003 and is a UEFA Pro-Licences holder, making him the most qualified to lead the ‘Golden Jaguars’.
With his first outing in charge of the country’s flagship national programme coming on September 8 when Guyana host Barbados in their first game of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Johnson told reporters at a press conference yesterday at the SleepIn International Hotel that he is looking forward to the challenge of taking Guyana to their first ‘Gold Cup’ tournament, but more importantly, building a formidable national team during his three-year contractual period.

Johnson pointed out that his vision for Guyana’s football is aligned with that of the GFF, noting, “We’re going to go places; we have to believe we can do it.”
Before 2007 when Guyana, behind Trinidadian Jamaal Shabazz, were ranked 90 by FIFA, Guyana’s highest ranking (86) came under coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover. Since then (2010), the country’s other best placing came in 2011 (91) and 2012 (92).

One of many areas of development for Johnson will be bringing Guyana back into the top 100 countries. The former Cardiff City, Birmingham City and Notts County defender added, “That for me is also making me really excited about the potential of doing something that is achievable. If it wasn’t achievable I would be sitting here saying, ‘You got no chance’, but I actually believe in that the vision and direction we want to go is achievable’.”

“I believe we can do something with the youth talent, I believe we can get to top 100, I believe we can qualify for the Gold Cup. So that attracted me to the role; now it’s my job to go and attract other members of potentially the incoming staff,” Johnson said, with a smile.

The Derby County ambassador posited that for him, “It’s about the process, rather than looking at the result, For me, it’s about making sure the players do the role, do the job. Let the time, let the result look after themselves.”

Johnson added, “My role and what I’ve always been about in my coaching and managerial style is making sure my focus is on players. Everything else regarding the result, and, of course, result is important, qualification is important … But what I can do from now is make sure the players from day one start getting better and better, and the minute I start focusing on that then I think the achievable will start to happen.”

After Guyana’s opening game in the recently revamped CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers (Nations League), the Golden Jaguars will play travel to play Turks and Caicos on October 13, and French Guiana on November 20. Guyana will wrap up the Group stage at home against Belize next March.

In an effort to truly maximise the team’s chances of qualifying for CONCACAF’s showpiece, the GFF announced that Johnson and troops will head to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August for an intensive “train and play” camp.