The selection process for Guyana’s first appearance at the Concacaf Under-17 Championship for boys in May has been decided according to the availabilities of eligible players sitting CSEC exams this year, GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood said on Friday.
The scheduling for the tournament meant participating Caribbean Football Union nations have had to factor in study commitments and exam timetables as part of their tournament planning and squad preparation.
Players selected for a preliminary Under-17 squad are currently preparing for the tournament, with at least five training sessions per week at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence under the guidance of GFF coaching staff.
The final squad will be announced on April 15.
“The GFF is committed to ensuring our young players focus on their education as a priority. We have worked closely with parents and put contingency measures in place to prepare the best talent available to us for our debut at this Concacaf U-17 Championship,” said Greenwood.
“Some of our more experienced U-17 players will be absent from the tournament or unavailable for certain matches.”
The Concacaf Under-17 Championship takes place between May 1-16 at the IMG Academy in Florida, with Guyana drawn in Group G with Honduras, Haiti and El Salvador.
The top four placed teams from a total of 20 participating countries will qualify for the 2019 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Brazil. Guyana’s Under-17 boys are ranked at a record high 18th out of 41 Concacaf nations.
“We have competed at CFU level before, but this is the first time boys from Guyana will compete at Concacaf level in this age group. We are extremely confident our players will make the nation proud by giving their all in what is a tough group,” Greenwood said.
“After our success at the U-15 Souliga Cup in 2017, this regional U-17 tournament is a big opportunity for players nurtured through the GFF’s Academy Training Centre system to continue their development within our national pathway.”
