… to reach out to GFF to invite players

ALEX Bunbury, one the most recognisable figures in Canadian football, is making a publish pitch for Guyanese players to take advantage of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) try-outs which start in September.

The fledgling Canadian pro football league is holding open try-outs for players from as young as 16 years old, in seven Canadian cities, starting September 20 in Halifax. Registration is $200 for the two-day trials, although players will have to survive the cut to get to Day 2.

It’s a start to populating the rosters of HFX Wanderers FC, York 9 FC, Forge FC, Valour FC, Cavalry FC, FC Edmonton and Pacific FC ahead of the league’s kickoff in April of 2019.
It was announced that Bunbury will lead the trials, with coaches and/or technical staff from each of the seven CPL teams in attendance (Hamilton’s Forge FC has yet to announce its coach).

Speaking exclusively with Chronicle Sport yesterday, Bunbury who hails from the village of Plaisance said that he’s looking forward to “working with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to bring some players (from Guyana) over for try-outs, to give them an opportunity to play in Canada.”

Bunbury said that he sees this move from him to open doors for players as delivering on a promise made three years ago.

“I gave the general public my word when I came (to Guyana) three years ago, that I want to give opportunities for young people, and I wanted to make sure that doors are open for them. Sometimes, these things take a little time and I hope that people can see we’re making that effort, that is the people in my organisation, ABSA Inc. My managers like Junior Forester, are doing their part to ensure that we doing things on a local basis as well,” the Canadian Hall of Fame inductee stated.

CPL Open Trials Dates:
Halifax: September 20-21
Montreal: September. 27-28
Hamilton: October 1-2
Toronto: October 11-12
Winnipeg: October 18-19
Calgary: October 25-26
Victoria: November 5-6