Latest update May 12th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 17, 2021 Sports
Kaieteur News – The domestic-based Guyana Senior Men’s National Squad will restart training sessions at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Training Centre today, in preparation for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches in June.
Twenty-eight players, who will undergo regular testing for COVID-19 while in training, have been invited to train for five sessions per week until the final squad is selected before Guyana take on Puerto Rico and Saint Kitts and Nevis in the last two matches in Group F of the first round of qualification.
Guyana currently lie third in Group F following a 3-0 defeat to Trinidad and Tobago and a 4-0 win against the Bahamas in the Dominican Republic in March. Only group winners progress to round two.
The extraordinary domestic squad training arrangements, also deployed in the months before
March’s games, have been arranged and fully financed by the GFF to provide players with a professional coaching environment to compensate for a lack of club and competition activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In normal circumstances, national squads only convene for encampment in the days before international fixtures once released by their clubs and when the FIFA international window opens. Squads are also generally only announced in the days before the window opens, once it is clear which players are fit and available.
“We’ll be looking to work on more technical and physical aspects for the next few weeks,” said Golden Jaguars Assistant Coach Charles Pollard. “We will be looking for good commitment and attitude. We always know that the local players are never short of commitment and attitude – so that’s a plus.”
“We want to continue to build on their fitness and awareness and to get them to concentrate for longer periods of time,” the former national team captain added.
Twelve places in the 23-man final squad which faced Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas in
March were handed to domestic-based players, including eight alumni of the GFF’s pioneering Goalkeeping coach Eon DeViera said: “With the goalkeepers coming back from a short break, we would like to reinforce the importance of the many games we have coming up in FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the Concacaf Gold Cup playoff. With respect to training, we will be focusing on strength training mainly for the next few weeks.”
Guyana face Guatemala in part one of the preliminary round of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup in July.
The GFF has set the following key targets for the Golden Jaguars this year:
• Reach round two of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
• Improve on the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup performance, when Guyana secured one point in the group stage of the tournament
Guyana must win both matches against Saint Kitts and Nevis and Puerto Rico to have a chance of qualifying for round two of FIFA World Cup qualification.
Listen how to run an oil country
May 12, 2024
– GCF yet to respond to concerns regarding race course By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – Some of the country’s leading cyclists are considering boycotting the National Sports...By Anasa Williams Kaieteur News – Millicent Mary Frank was born on May 11, 1924, at Lot 103 Leopold Street, Werk-en-Rust,... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Is it ever justifiable for journalism to fan the flames of geopolitical tension? This question arises... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]