GFF names CONCACAF Men’s U-20 squad

The Head Coach of the National Under-20 Men’s team, Wayne Dover, has named a 26-man provisional squad as the Junior Golden Jaguars prepare for their first match of the CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship against Guatemala on November 2 at IMG Academy, Florida, USA.

The squad consists of Guyana-based players, including four Goalkeepers, seven Defenders, 11 Midfielders and four Forwards. Two of the Forwards were selected from the recently-concluded Indigenous Heritage Sports.

In an invited comment, Dover said training commenced last Sunday with physical evaluation of the players: “The week began with physical evaluation of the players to test the level of fitness of players. Our aim as a staff is to qualify and we made it clear to the players the level of discipline, dedication, commitment, and hard work that is required to achieve the objective. The teams in the group are very tough on paper but we all know that the matches are played on the field, and every team has a chance to win and qualify once they apply themselves.”

“During the Indigenous Heritage Sports, we did some scouting and identified two talents, which add strength to the Under-20 national programme,” said the Head Coach.

Neston Brown and David Coates, both from the Rupununi FA, will join the team the new week. “Brown is a left full back, a position which has slowly become a dying breed in Guyana. He possesses qualities, which once harnessed properly, can see him become a senior national player who can perform as (Walter) Moore and (Chris) Bourne did with distinction. Coates, on the other hand, has demonstrated qualities as a Forward, which can match the talent we have seen in the past such as Gregory Richardson. We will nurture them to realise their potential.”

Commenting on the physical evaluation of players conducted, the National Under-20 Coach Developer and Head of Sports Science, Wilson Toledo, said the group has done fairly well over the past week.

“Prior to the technical and tactical training sessions, it is helpful for the coaches to have a determination of the players’ fitness level to enable them to tailor their session. The coaching staff is prepared to work very hard to bring the team to the level required for international football.”

Guyana’s match schedule in the first round is as follows: November 2 vs Guatemala, 10:30h; November 6 vs Cayman Islands, 10:30h; November 8 vs Curacao, 12:45h; and November 10 vs El Salvador, 19:45h.