DESPITE the CONCACAF U-20 championship this year being a gateway to the FIFA U-20 World Cup and the Pan American Championships, Wayne Forde, president of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), said his federation views Guyana’s participation at the November 1 – 21 tournament as part of their developmental programme.

Not since competing at the 1984 and 1994 tournaments has Guyana featured at the CONCACAF U-20 showpiece, and as such, Forde believes that this alone should speak volume of his Federation’s developmental plans to allow their best talents available at this level to match their skills with some of the region’s best.

Guyana got off to a rocky start at the tournament which is being played at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, USA, losing 4-0 to Guatemala.

“The entire executive committee and all of Guyana’s football is behind you,” the GFF boss lamented, “We need to speak to the objective to the CONCACAF U-20 Championship; it’s a developmental tournament where the format has been tweaked a bit to allow some of the Caribbean countries to match their skills with some of the stronger Central American opponents. It’s a work in progress and I have every confidence that we will progress (because) it’s only game one and we’re going to do much better.”

After the team’s opening game performance, Guyanese didn’t hold back their frustration of the team’s lacklustre approach against the Guatemalans, with many taking to social media to chastise some players individually and even Coach Dover.

However, Forde called some of the comments “completely inappropriate,” while adding “it’s sad and it troubles me deeply because, while we might insinuate that they are men, many of them transitioning from 16 to 17, and 17 to 18 and while legally they’re adults, psychologically they are not there and we can’t afford to break them.”

“It’s the first time at that level, many of them are travelling for the first time and they’re doing their best and we really have to support them. All of Guyana is proud they’re out there, this is the third time that we’re making an appearance at that competition and it’s really a big step and a huge investment on the part of the GFF to be able to afford those guys the opportunity,” said Forde.

The GFF president was confident that the players “can recognise that they could do be better than they did. I would admit that the game was a bit painful for me to watch because I know that team could play much better than they did, but I have faith that the technical staff will review the game and they will make the necessary tactical adjustments that will allow the boys to play the kind of football that we know they all capable of playing, so this is all developmental. Wherever we come out, the experience itself will be invaluable as we continue to build on this team.”

 Guyana will play their second game today at 12.30hrs against the Cayman Islands, after which, they then face Curacao on November 8 before closing their group stage against El Salvador on November 10.