The Guyana Senior Men’s National Team moved a step closer to the full resumption of training on Sunday with the first wave of physical evaluations of players taking place at the Guyana Football Federation’s National Training Centre in Providence.
The fitness tests provide important information for the coaching staff and will inform individual and squad training regimes in the run up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March.
The evaluation, conducted over two days with different cohorts of players, follows testing of the domestic-based squad and backroom staff for the COVID-19 virus this week as part of protocols put in place under the UEFA Assist 100-day “Bounceback” programme.
The National COVID-19 Task Force has granted permission for training to resume as long as strict measures are in place to defend against the spread of the virus.
“Today’s rigorous tests give our coaches a clear idea of the fitness levels of individual players and what we need to work on to ensure the squad is in peak condition come March,” said GFF President Wayne Forde.
“Considering the lack of competition over the past year, we are pleased to report that the squad is already looking in good shape thanks in part to the individual training plans they were given by the GFF technical team during the lockdown.”
“Going forward, we will be taking every precaution necessary to ensure that the squad and staff remain safe and well during this time, including regular testing for COVID-19. We look forward to the full resumption of training in the coming days, as long as conditions allow, and remain ready to take any action required if the pandemic enters another difficult phase.”
GFF Fitness Coach Wilson Toledo and Golden Jaguars’ Assistant Coach Charles Pollard oversaw the fitness evaluations on Sunday, with a total of 25 players going through their paces.
Guyana has been drawn in Group F with Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas for the Concacaf regional qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which takes place in Qatar.
The Golden Jaguars will kick off their delayed campaign away against Trinidad and Tobago on March 25th. The winner of the group will proceed to the second of three qualification rounds.
