Confidence levels high as footballers leave for Twin Island Republic for CFU engagement

The feats of Guyana’s premiere footballers, The Golden Jaguars, in their quest for honours in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, are well documented and seem to have injected fresh enthusiasm among pundits and the nation as a whole, of the positive direction the sport is heading. It is with this high level of enthusiasm and hope that a team of U-17 footballers leaves for Trinidad and Tobago this morning to participate in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament.

Mr. Wilson poses with the management team and a few players at yesterday’s function. L-R Kareem Knights, Robert Christiani, Sampson Gilbert,
Carlos Bernard, Michelle Jackman. Jermaine Fletcher and Daniel English

Consequently, the players will be in action on Tuesday July 24 when they face off with Suriname. Two days later, the local ball weavers will clash with the British Virgin Islands and on Saturday July 26, they will engage Trinidad and Tobago’s ‘Young Soca Warriors’ in their final game.
Yesterday afternoon, the management team, accompanied by a few players briefed the media of the players’ itinerary and other topical matters at a press conference at the Section K Campbellville offices of the Guyana Football Federation. Those in attendance were President (ag) of the GFF, Franklyn Wilson, Manager of the team, Carlos Bernard, Coach Sampson Gilbert and Medic, Michelle Jackman. Some of the players were also in attendance including Kareem Knights (midfielder), Robert Christiani (defender), Jermaine Fletcher (midfielder) and Daniel English (goalkeeper)
Mr. Bernard informed that the players commenced preparations for the tournament on May 26 with a rigid physical test. He explained that the youngsters were committed to exams at their respective schools and during that time they were encamped for brief periods, over two weekends.
The manager further said that these arrangements were subsequently formalized and they were encamped at the Watooka Guest House, Linden, on a more sustained basis.  During that time they honed their skills on the Bayrock and the Linden Technical Institute grounds.