Alpha United President encourages footballers at special dinner ceremony

By Michael Benjamin

Alpha Goalkeeper Ronson Williams (right) collects his gift from Parliamentary Secretary Steve Ninvalle in the presence of club president Odinga Lumumba at their appreciating dinner at Water Chris hotel Saturday.

President of the Alpha United FC, Odinga Lumumba called on his footballers to demonstrate more self discipline in their endeavour to retain their coveted position as the best football club locally.
Lumumba was at the time treating his boys to dinner at the Water Chris Hotel, Waterloo Street Saturday evening. Several other football notables were also present at the function and included President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Colin Klass, Kashif and Shanghai football duo, Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Mayor and Kashif Mohammed, coach Frank Parris, Parliamentary Secretary, Steve Ninvalle and GFF Vice President, Franklyn Wilson among others.
Lumumba told the group that the activity was merely to forget all the stresses and just eat, drink and be merry after an arduous year of football. “We have just won the Premier League and we will win the (upcoming) Kashif and Shanghai tournament,” Lumumba boasted. Despite his obvious pleasure at the achievement, Lumumba said that he was not entirely happy with the team’s performance. “The Alpha Utd is undoubtedly the best local football club but it bothers me that we are barely scraping home in our victories,” Lumumba lamented. “We must win by at least 4 clear goals then we can truly lay claim of being the most superior team,” he asserted.
Mr. Klass also congratulated the Alpha boys but bemoaned the level of discipline demonstrated during matches. “Development is a process and so is winning and losing,” Klass pointed out. He said that he is a mite perturbed over numerous acts of indiscipline by members of the Alpha squad. “This type of indiscipline transcends to the national team and we must curtail it now or face the embarrassment later,” said Klass. He further said that the executive of the GFF would be adopting a zero tolerance stance on indisciplined behaviour since it is only through such sanctions that the footballers would understand the serious nature of their transgressions.
Klass warned that his executives would be examining the number of red cards issued to respective players during upcoming tournaments and then devise ways of curtailing those breaches. He then informed the footballers that his executives are considering the expansion of the National League from a knockout format to a two rounds tournament. “In 2010 much more would be required of you,” warned Klass.
Meanwhile, Alpha United goalkeeper, Ronson Williams was adjudged his club’s Most Valuable Player for the year. He was presented with a gift and urged to continue in the same vein. The lanky goalkeeper said that he has been between the uprights for approximately 8 years. He cannot remember the amount of goals he has saved but his remarkable goalkeeping skills have seen his team through many an important tournament. During the just concluded National League he played 10 matches and conceded just 6 goals.
When questioned on his prowess he humbly responded, “I like doing what I am doing because football is my life.” Williams nurtures a healthy respect for the Manchester United goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar and hopes one day he could emulate his feats between the uprights. For now the 22-year old is content to hone his skills locally ‘flying between the uprights’ in pursuance of greater accolades.