THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is going above usual means to ensure the nation’s men’s Under-20 team can be best prepared for the upcoming CONCACAF qualifiers in the Dominican Republic.

President Wayne Forde disclosed on Friday that the total sum will be in the vicinity of G$12M to $14M.

It is understood the GFF has encamped the entire squad in Guyana, and Forde said it has already cost the Federation over $12 million, but by the time the “final tab comes in”, it should be close to $14 million.

“We are very open with these things; I don’t think the general public for one reason or the other has a real appreciation for the cost that goes into a national team and when you see us organise multiple national teams, it is not just the cost and financial implications, but the logistics,” the GFF president disclosed at the press conference.

The investment is also being done to safeguard the squad, given the prevailing COVID-19 situation. As such, the Federation moved to encamp the entire squad.

Forde indicated that at the moment, all funds are being sourced from its FIFA Forward Development Programme and CONCACAF funding.

Guyana have been drawn into Group D of the CONCACAF qualification process with matches against the Cayman Islands (November 6), US Virgin Islands (November 8), and Nicaragua (November 10) to be played in the Dominican Republic.

The winner of each qualification group will progress to the round-of-16 finals tournament next year.

The technical staff of the team indicated in a GFF press release they are very optimistic about their chances of qualifying for the next round.

In their last game in Group D, the squad will be hoping to exact revenge on regional rivals Nicaragua, following a nail-biting 1-0 defeat to the Central American side in the last edition of qualifiers for the 2020 competition.

That narrow loss cost Guyana a place in the final tournament, despite commanding victories against Montserrat, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the US Virgin Islands.

The 2020 tournament was eventually cancelled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The diverse 20-man squad features four players from Santos FC, three from Georgetown FC, and three players from Fruta Conquerors, including star forward Omari Glasgow, who shone in his first appearance for the Guyana Senior Men’s National Team in FIFA World Cup qualifiers earlier this year.

The final squad will depart Guyana for the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, November 3.