By Ras Wadada

IN my 35 years of Sports Broadcasting/Journalism, here in Guyana and around the Region, there is no other adage that I have penned or used more often than “failing to prepare, is preparing to fail”.

In an exclusive interview, yesterday, with Chronicle Sport, the National U-20 Head Coach, Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover expressed satisfaction with preparation and the performance of the U-20s at the recent CONCACAF Group competition played in Nicaragua and stated, “Guyana’s football is bright and It is a sense of great satisfaction to all who have been involved in nurturing these talents to see 13 players being called up to the senior national team.

 I am hoping, if not all, most of them go on to form the core of the next generation of senior national footballers.

The ‘Dreadlocked’ Coach declared that he was pleased with the approach and preparation by all despite the financial difficulties of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).

“The success of the team is as a result of tremendous team effort, inclusive of the Federation and the entire Technical Staff of the GFF. This is the first time I can safely say that I was satisfied with the preparation.

I recall in September of last year the President called me into his office and reminded me that the last time we did not make a good showing, losing 3 and winning one, so we need to start preparations now so that we can make an improvement.

I started the process by putting together a budget and proposal to him and within a month a national talent scouting began right across the country with talent who were not on the radar being discovered.

 We began at the National training centre at Providence where we looked at players from East Bank, East Coast, Georgetown and West Demerara…we then moved to Linden followed by Berbice. Rupununi, Bartica and Essequibo were not reached due to lack of funding but they were asked to send players. Hopefully funding will be available the next time so we can physically visit these and other areas, including where there is no Member Association(MA).

Dover shared with a broad smile his 4 game winning run and was high in praises of the GFF’s Academies.

“From 2018 when we defeated El Salvador 2-0 to record our first win in our final game we continued in Nicaragua with three more wins before losing in the final game to the host. We scored 13 unanswered goals in registering 4 consecutive wins. Credit must be given to the GFF’s Academies where most of the players came through so they understood Tactical football and were technically equipped so that was a plus in the preparations”.

The Young Golden Jaguars’ arrival in Nicaragua was a very distasteful one as 5 players were refused entry due to replacement Yellow Fever Vaccine Certificates dated the day before arrival when the mandatory amount of days is ten and according to Dover it was an unfortunate issue that was dealt with expeditiously. 

“One of the factors I honestly felt that caused us not to advance out of the Group is the unfortunate situation that greeted us on arrival in Nicaragua where five players were refused entry, including a starter and our only reserve goalkeeper. It surely impacted on the team but the Management and Coaching staff quickly called a meeting and discussed a collective approach to the players on the situation before we called a general team meeting. We implored them not to dwell on the fact that five of their teammates were not there but to focus on the fact that they have to fight to the death in their upcoming games since they were there as ambassadors of Guyana. We told them that we have every confidence in them representing the country honorably and doing well and in unison their response was we are going to go out there to fight and win”.

They responded affirmatively with comfortable wins against Montserrat 3-0, St. Vincent and the Grenadines 3-0 and USVI 2-0 before disappointingly surrendering 0-1 to Nicaragua. The aftermath Dover exclaims was very touching.

“It was the first time I have seen in all the teams I have worked with a great feeling of disappointment in losing because they knew they gave it their all in front of a hostile crowd and playing with a man down for most of the game and generally inconsistent refereeing. It was heartbreaking for them and I felt it too. It was a task to get them off the pitch as at the end of the game most of them were in tears and immovable. There were so many sad faces and silence in the camp thereafter. I have never experienced anything like that before in any national team I have been around”.

“While the entire team performed well and were discipline throughout, I can single out the shining stars to be: Forward, Omari Glasgow of Conquerors who will be eligible again in two years’ time, as well as Defender Nicholai Andrews of Santos and Goalkeeper Shawn Adonis from Golden Grove”, the Coach opined.

Dover explained that the process of preparation for the Tournament in two years time has already started.

“Preparations must start immediately and it begins with me evaluating what we did and what more needs to be added to strengthen the program. I am in the process of completing the proposal for the Technical Director of the GFF so he can forward to the executive so we can have an early start.

 One of the things that must be implemented by the MAs are domestic tournaments so as to keep the players active and mind you that would mean U-17s this year. This is where the scouting must start since these are the players who will be eligible to play in the U-20s in 2 years.

A competition among the GFF’s Academies will be ideal for the talent scouting to begin and that could be before the year is over, but that depends on how our present Global situation improves. I would love to see the squad playing as a team in the Elite League or any other league so as to get valuable playing time. International exposure should be included in going forward. These are some of my recommendations”.

Dover added that all efforts must be made to include all and sundry to arrive at the best team, while citing the input of the GFF

“I know for a fact the hinterland is blessed with many talents and that’s an area we must tap into. I saw an extremely talented 15 year-old in Bartica who should have been part of the last team but unfortunately we could not have him as logistics for him being in the City could not be worked out with his mom.

We have seen progress under this current Wayne Forde-led administration with organized structure that was definitely lacking in past Administration and I am proud to be part of this. My urgent call to all stakeholders is to put our differences aside and let’s work together to develop Guyana’s football”.