… midfield player still eager to represent Guyana

NEIL Danns is heading back to the UEFA Champions League, the place where he made his professional debut (with Blackburn Rovers in 2002) but this time with Connah’s Quay Nomads, after he helped the club clinched their second consecutive Welsh Premier League recently.
Danns, who signed with Wales side Connah’s Quay Nomads this year, said he’s still the same player that rocked English football since bursting onto the scenes with Blackburn Rovers in the Champions League 20 years ago. “It feels amazing to gain qualification and to obviously win the league title which is brilliant,” Danns told Chronicle Sport, adding “it was a great way to end a long season and a tough one because of the COVID-19 pandemic and everything.”
A hailstorm of criticism fell on the roof of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and head coach Marcio Maximo, following the non-selection of Neil Danns for Guyana’s opening matches of their FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifier campaign.

However, most pundits and fans who vented their frustration were a bit more perturbed by the manner in which the former Leicester City and Crystal Palace midfield player was treated by the Brazilian coach who, Danns said, refused to even engage him on his involvement with the Golden Jaguars.
Since lacing up for Golden Jaguars in 2015, Danns found the net nine times, while assisting on most of Guyana’s goals since then.
The Golden Jaguars are currently in preparation to face St Kitts and Nevis on June 4, followed by a clash with Puerto Rico on June 8. Both games are reported to take place in St Kitts and Nevis. Despite being snubbed for Guyana’s opening matches, where they went down 0-3 to Trinidad and Tobago, and rebounded to win 4-0 against The Bahamas, Danns says he’s still eager to once again suit-up for the National side.

He told Chronicle Sport, that “after watching the TT game, I feel I can still offer something in the midfield with my experience. I still feel fit, obviously and I’m ready to go and if the opportunity to play in the Gold Cup and World Cup qualifiers presents itself, I would grab that opportunity with both hands. I still love representing Guyana. It will be the end of the tough year for everyone.” The 38-year-old former Leicester City and Crystal Palace midfield player said, “Irrespective of a players’ age, if you perform well enough and are fit, you should be allowed to keep playing.” The midfielder started his career at Blackburn Rovers, during which time he had loan spells at Blackpool, Hartlepool United and Colchester United where he spent two years before joining Birmingham City.
He has made 103 appearances for Crystal Palace, whilst also having permanent spells in the Football League at Leicester City, Bolton Wanderers, Bury FC and Tranmere Rovers.
Most recently, Danns has played for the likes of Radcliffe, Halifax Town and was on trial at Chorley, where the Nomads spotted him after their season was curtailed.