WITH the National U-20 team’s first match of the CONCACAF Championship set for November 2 against Guatemala, head coach Wayne Dover said the team has had a successful training period and he is optimistic that they will represent the country well.

Dover’s comment was made on the backdrop of the team’s three training matches during the period and he conducted a courtesy visit to the National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) on October 22.

Dover said the squad played two matches against two selected Elite league squads and the Police FC respectively and while the results of matches were not the key focus, he was satisfied with the steady progress made by the team, noting that the “results in these games were not the main aim for us. We looked to see the level of implementation of the areas worked on, the execution of the game plan and the consistency with how they have been done.”

“We tried to build on and correct those areas, which were not as strong so we can be more effective. We saw an organised group of players who were collective in their approach and more disciplined to carry out their function,” Dover said.

The head coach pointed out that the final training game last Sunday, against one of the selected elite squads with a heavy presence of current senior national players, was a “good test” as the team seeks to have its shortlisted players.

“The game was a very good test for us, which highlighted many areas that we had to return to the training ground to fix. The senior players provided exactly what we wanted and they tested the lads to the point that, at one stage in the game, we had to dig deep mentally to stay in the game and that was the highpoint for us as a staff.

The lads showed a tremendous level of fitness and we saw a tactical display that clearly borders on improvement from the previous games and even some of the sessions done,” Dover claimed.

According to Dover, the last two weeks were spent focusing on improving the team’s tactics to the level that could bring good performances and results since “we definitely will be going into the tournament very optimistically. We will make ourselves and the country proud. I want to implore the players and staff to continue working as hard as we have done over the past four weeks. I’m sure we’ll get the just reward”.

Meanwhile, during a courtesy visit to NAMILCO by 16 members of the team including technical staff, the company’s Managing Director, Bert Sukhai, congratulated the players for making the team. 

Sukhai said football is a journey and he was very proud of NAMILCO’s role in the development of so many players that came through the youth programmes especially the GFF-NAMILCO Flour Power U-17 Intra- Association League. He also stated his company’s continued support for the development of football in Guyana and wished the players well.

In extending best wishes, NAMILCO’s Finance Controller, Fitzroy McLeod, echoed Sukhai’s comments and said the players must grab the opportunity with both hands especially as scouts and other technical staff will be on hand to view their performance on the field.

McLeod stated that NAMILCO is interested in the total development of the person and is therefore happy when players have a balance between their academics and education. He urged the players to represent well both on and off the field.

Other persons present at the visit were GFF president Wayne Forde and Ralf Hemsing, NAMILCO’s Operations Manager.

The National U-20 team is scheduled to depart on Sunday, October 28. Their match schedule in the first round is as follows:

November 2 vs Guatemala, 10:30hrs

November 6 vs Cayman Islands, 10:30hrs

November 8 vs Curacao, 12:45hrs

November 10 vs El Salvador, 19:45hrs.