Football’s current state of torpor is unpardonable

Nov 28, 2023 Letters, Sports

Dear Sports Editor,

The question as to whether Guyana’s football will progress or remain in its current state of torpor will be answered in eleven days when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) stages its Electoral Congress, at its National Training Centre, Providence.

Incumbent Wayne Forde will have as his challenger Franklin Wilson for the top post in the sport here in Guyana, and many observers believe that while the country’s national teams have performed outstandingly in regional competitions, the sport locally has suffered a sharp decline in visibility and grassroots development.

They view the Congress and its outcome as extremely important to the future advancement of the sport, having witnessed its fall off the top tier of the sports list.

Forde, who has been in office for the past eight years, is attempting a flurry of activities lately, perhaps to persuade the electorate to grant him another term, at the expense of the sport’s development.

He has had an unimpeded opportunity over the past eight years to maintain the momentum provided by the Clinton Urling-led Interim Management Committee set up by the World Governing Body FIFA, but instead, he has effectively managed to slip the sport into retrogression.

This happened despite him benefiting from the huge financial generosity given by FIFA to its member associations, so because of this unpardonable act, there should be no forgiveness come Election Day.

As well – defined in the world of sports, no official is bigger than the sport, and after nearly a decade of being in charge of the game’s destiny, it is clear to see that he does not possess the administrative insight to address the present situation on the local landscape.

Forde is solely responsible for the situation in local football, he has failed to inspire member associations to perform at their optimum and this is largely due to his sole focus on the retention of power.

This was evident in his actions to install handpicked cronies which ultimately resulted in square pegs in round holes, so the associated result of his deed was failure all round.

He is now reaping the rewards of his act and the electorate must never allow such efforts to go unpaid. The result, as we are witnessing, will always prove disastrous to the sport.

There can be no repudiation of this analysis since the current condition of the sport locally easily supports this scrutiny.

Private promoters have had to perform rescue acts to salvage the wreck time and again with barely any input of note from the governing body.

All the boast of its achievements can be effortlessly dispatched just by having conversations with associate members, national players, and even those within the current administration.

They all moan about the lack of inclusion by the President, citing his solo interaction with Member Association’s executives, during his appeal to them for another term as evidence of his doubt about their abilities.

The square pegs in round holes policy have never worked be it in the national political sphere or sports entities, the result has always been chaos or the lack of achieving strategic goals.

It therefore means that those vested with the power to avoid the replication of such mischief must be acquainted with the past and present conduct of the current administration.

Football Enthusiast.

• decline, Guyana Football Federation, National Training Centre, Providence, unpardonable