THE Golden Jaguars football team assured President Bharrat Jagdeo that they will make Guyana proud in the Group B 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Barbados later today at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
The team made the pledge to the Head of State in person after a meeting at the Office of the President that ended with a pledge of a sizeable incentive that will be awarded based on the team’s performance.
President (ag) of the Guyana Football Federation, Franklyn Wilson, who accompanied the players and top executives of the team to meet President Jagdeo said the incentive, which he was not at liberty to disclose, is likely to increase provided that the team emerges victorious.
“We are grateful to the government for coming on board and we are happy with the kind of incentives that have been put forward to the team … it’s going to be done in a phased manner. As we win, it will increase and once we win the group there is a bigger incentive in place for the team,” Wilson said.
Among those present at yesterday’s meeting were Presidential Adviser on Community Development Odinga Lumumba, who has been playing a key role in local football, Parliamentary Representative to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Steve Ninvalle GFF Organising Secretary Aubrey Major, Team Coach Jamal Shabazz and, Barbados Assistant Coach Thomas Jordan and other executives.
Guyana will be host for the match against Barbados and subsequently Bermuda, on a roster that includes fixture matches overseas, all in the lead-up to the World Cup in neighbouring Brazil in 2014.
Coach Shabazz described the meeting as a “big moment” for football and for the country, given the relationship with football and the government, quoting a scripture from Islam which says “he who comes to help first is better than he who comes to help last”.
In an invited comment, captain of the World Cup qualifiers, Christopher Nurse, spoke optimistically about moving on to the next round given the high spiritedness of the team and backing from the coach.
Asked about President Jagdeo’s pledge of a performance-based incentive, Nurse said it is very important for the team to know that it has the support of the Government and felt reassured hearing such words coming directly from President Jagdeo.
Lumumba assured that never again will the Guyana football team be without a place to train, offering the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) ground and the other at Eve Leary as the permanent training venues until another facility is made available.
He said that was a petition of the President and vowed to write the two agencies to communicate that information.
“It’s a new way forward, a working relationship between Government and football and all sports … it’s up to those in football to understand that we have to put aside the pettiness and move forward,” Lumumba said.
Today’s investment by the Government is indicative of its commitment towards the development of sport and adds to major projects under way such as the construction of a synthetic track, Olympic-size swimming pool, squash courts and velodrome cycling track. (GINA)