National U-17 boys encamped ahead of Concacaf Qualifiers

The male Under-17 national players are hard at work in preparation for the forthcoming Concacaf Under-17 Championship Qualifiers, under the watchful eye of Head Coach and former Golden Jaguar Vurlon Mills at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Training Centre.

Drawn in Group A of the qualification stage, Guyana will take on Bonaire (August 30), the Bahamas (September 1), Saint Martin (September 3), the British Virgin Islands (September 5), and Bermuda (September 7) in Florida to decide who will progress to the championship stages in a competition sponsored by Nike, Scotiabank and Qatar Airways.

The winners of each of the four qualification groups will join the 16 top-ranked nations in the region to compete for the confederation’s title in 2023.

“We are delighted to be able to bring this squad of players together again after a history-making stint in Europe earlier in the year. We have invested heavily in the preparation phase and I believe they will do very well in Florida,” said GFF Acting Technical Director Bryan Joseph.

“We have been drawn in a competitive group, but we are confident the boys will represent the flag with honour,” Joseph added.

“We ask the nation to get behind the team as we seek to secure qualification for the finals.”

The GFF sent an Under-16 boys’ squad to Bosnia-Herzegovina this year as part of a UEFA Assist development tournament – the first time a national team from Guyana had competed in a UEFA competition.

With the squad in encampment since Saturday, GFF President Wayne Forde said the Under-17 engagement was an important pillar in the GFF’s strategy to develop youth football at all levels.

“We are delivering more organised leagues than ever before across the various age groups,” President Forde said.

“The recent renewal of our partnership with NAMILCO to ensure Under-17 football is played across the country is further proof of our commitment to the holistic and continued development of talent throughout the age groups.”

The Concacaf finals will take place in Guatemala in February 2023, with the four semi-finalists progressing to the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2023. (GFF)