THREE national players departed today to participate in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Caribbean Combined, scheduled for Bridgetown, Barbados from October 22 – 25.

The three – Ryan Hackett, Kevin Layne and Kevin Dundas – were shortlisted from a six-member player profile submitted by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).

Dundas said he is looking forward to the opportunity to make an impression, stating “I feel really grateful for this opportunity to showcase my skills and talents at this level.

With the help we have been getting from GFF’s technical staff as well as the technical staff of the senior national team, I hope to go, impress, and make the squad. Post the Brazil “Train and Play” encampment, I have been doing a lot of physical work, including agility.

 I have also been doing ball control work just to improve and get the final touches right. I have also been working on fitness, as that’s really great to have, so I can improve on my game and work hard when I get there.”

“I’m very overwhelmed with the opportunity to participate in the MLS Combined in Barbados,” Layne said, while further pointing out that “for the last few weeks, I have put in a lot of hard work with the senior team as well as when I’m not active on the field. I have been working to develop my game with guidance provided by the national senior team staff.”

For his part, Hackett said he has what it takes to compete and will grasp the opportunity with both hands, and according to the Fruta Conquerors player, “I feel that I just have to be focussed, put my best foot forward and compete with the other players from across the Caribbean.

I’m currently a part of the national U-20 team and also did work with the senior team, so that will help me get ready for this experience and push me to compete at a higher level. I definitely feel I have what it takes to be selected and it will be a good moment when it happens. I just need to work hard, listen to the coach and execute.”

Guyana is among 15 countries whose players will be competing for a chance to play in the MLS. The other teams are St. Kitts & Nevis, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Grenada, Antigua & Barbuda, St Lucia, Montserrat, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Suriname, St Marten, St Maarten.

According to the MLS, should a player be selected, the player’s club will receive an Adidas Allotment, as well as a US$50,000 transfer fee if the player’s MLS option for 2020 is exercised.

As it relates to performance fees, a player will pocket US$25,000 to the player’s former club, once the player starts in 15 official MLS matches, $50,000 to the player’s former club once the player starts in 30 official MLS matches and $100,000 to the player’s former club once the player starts in 60 official MLS matches.

Future sell-on: The player’s former club shall receive 20% sell-on on any transfer fee received by MLS within the first 4 years of the player’s employment with MLS.

This year, the 2018 MLS Caribbean Combine was/is being hosted at two venues – Jamaica, October 15 – 18 and Barbados. It is open to players 18 – 23 years old and who have a minimum of one U-20 or senior cap since 2017. A detailed eligibility profile was required for consideration.