Latest update January 25th, 2025 4:54 AM
Sunburst Camptown hold ‘Golden Jaguars’ 0-0
Rebuilding process commences
By Franklin Wilson
The local based ‘Golden Jaguars’ were held to a 0-0 draw by host team Sunburst Camptown as preparations for the 2008 Digicel Caribbean Championship heightened yesterday.
With over 30 players on the local end in the squad, they were all given the opportunity to get a run yesterday in heavy conditions at the Campbellville venue.
Camptown, the current leaders in the Georgetown Football Association/Cellink Plus Premier League proved why they are in the lead with a solid performance against the Jaguars. Both sides tried their best to get the ball forward in challenging conditions.
GFF Technical director Jamaal Shabazz commenting on the game said he was impressed with the competitive performance of the Sunburst Camptown side which is coached by club President, Troy Mendonca.
“You can see why they are at the top in Georgetown, they are well organised on the pitch, you could have seen shape and I’m very impressed with them.”
Shabazz said the aim of the game was to expose the young brigade of players here to see who has the ability to be included in the rebuilding process.
“We saw some good things from Colin Nelson, Edison Gomes, Devon Millington and Shad Fernandes. These were some of the boys that stood out for me.”
With regard to the overseas based players, mainly those plying their trade in the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Shabazz noted that the Guyana Football Federation has stated that they only have money to encamp the team five days prior to the DCC Group ‘B’ games which will be held here from August 4 – 11. “We know the guys coming in would be fit and we have five days to organise them.
The ones here would work with coach Pearce and Dover and they would focus a lot on fitness so that when we bring them together we just focus on tactical work.
We can’t cry and complain about what we don’t have we’ve got to try and make use of what we have and try to come up with the best formula.”
The players in Trinidad play twice a week and train every day and will be a fit bunch when they return join those selected from the local end.
In the 2006-07 DCC Guyana had one of the fittest teams and this was evident in their performances in the group matches (6) which they swept.
Shabazz was very impressed with the results of the Beep Test which kicked off preparations on Saturday and believes that it is left to the players here to come out and train and stake a claim for the final team. Sessions are expected to continue twice daily.
Rebuilding Process
Shabazz, who has been at the helm of the national team when it achieved its best ever FIFA Ranking, is of the view that the rebuilding process will attract younger players who need the international experience.
“If we bring in players who have the same age as Bishop, McKinnon and Lowe and they have no caps it would be a step backward.
We need to look for talent coming from the under-20 and the last under-23 team who’ve been exposed before and any young talent in and around that age so that we could secure the future.”
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Development requires more than oil revenues
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- In one of the most impassioned pleas ever made, an evangelical Bishop Rev. Mariann Edgar... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
