- entire Golden Jaguars retire amidst calls for Guyana Football Federation president Colin Klass to resign
By Rawle Toney
Guyana’s national football team known as the Golden Jaguars yesterday moved their battle from the field to the office of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) with the members of the team which participated in the Group H matches of the Digicel Caribbean Cup tournament in Trinidad retiring from the sport until president of the GFF Colin Klass steps down.
However, contacted for a comment yesterday Klass surprisingly told this newspaper that he knew nothing of the development.
Reports are that the players met with Klass approximately 3:00am yesterday morning outside of the Crown Plaza hotel in Trinidad and Tobago (after drawing 1-1 with Trinidad and Tobago in their final group match) as Klass was about to return to Guyana.
All 20 players told him that they would not represent Guyana any longer if he remained as president of the GFF.
According to reports, the players complained of poor standards, poor training equipment, the poor state of encampment, monies outstanding and constant disorganization during international duty.
Speaking to Stabroek Sports yesterday, captain of the national team Charles ‘Lilly’ Pollard said that the decision was made because the players felt they have had enough of the ill treatment from the Klass-led GFF.
“This move is to make sure that our future generation doesn’t suffer the same fate like us. For far too long we have had to contend with held up in allowances, asking for proper conditions for our camps among plenty other things,” said the out-spoken Pollard.
He added that although no time frame was given for Klass to step down, the players were deadly serious about their decision and would be making another statement shortly. But Klass told this newspaper that he was not aware of this development.
“This is news to me. I know nothing about the players resigning if I don’t step down. I spoke to the players in Trinidad before I returned home about other issues but not on this, so as far as I know this is not so,” said the
GFF president.
Colin Klass
But Stabroek Sports contacted an official at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Trinidad and Tobago who reported that the incident did take place and that the players did in fact issue that ultimatum to Klass.
The official, who asked to remain anonymous, said that as a matter of fact there was even some altercation as voices were being raised by the players in what sounded like a heated argument.
“I thought that they were going to harass him (Klass) because of how furious they were. This occured around three something this morning (yesterday) as he (Klass) was preparing to leave along with some other players who checked out to return home,” said the source at the hotel.
The players are calling for support. In a statement sent to this newspaper they appealed for help and asked their fans not to support the GFF and its activities.
“We are appealing to all our fans to boycott all GFF sanctioned football until Klass and his administration go,” the players said in a statement, adding …”enough is enough!”
Charles Pollard
Klass has been at the helm of the GFF for the past 20 years and has been coming in for strong criticism for not doing enough to enhance the sport despite the fact that the GFF receives an annual subvention of US$250,000 from its parent body FIFA.
Recently there were several calls from persons who are very upset about the state of the sport here for Klass to step down but the GFF president has remained completely immune to those calls.
According to the statement from the players it was a shame that such a drastic set of events have had to transpire but they added that they have had enough of the administration’s incompetence.
“This is for the future of Guyana’s football. May the football world hear our cry for help!”
Though I am not privy to all the facts, I am of the opinion that organizational laws and a constitution governs the conduct of management. If as it would appears from all quarters that Mr. Klass is so inept why has he not been removed by way of an election.
This just appers to be another malfunctioning entity that if left unchecked will the future of sports participants forever.
I am however happy that the team has decided to challenge the state of affairs as it is, in order to correct and redirect it to the place where it ought to be. I do hope Guyanese from all walk of life will joint in a show of unity and human decency, abandoning their ill-fated concept of anthropocentrism, each being his own atomistic-agent(s)
(bon voyage) what next for guyana football ?
i honesty think it need a OBAMA in football not only
in guyana but the CARIBBEAN .
jah help us ALL
yes we can
what next for guyana football????????
i honesty feel we need a OBAMA in caribbean football,
a
clean out not bail out.
trust me
yes we can
banos
I believe this could be sorted out quite easily all the sub associations and members / associates of the GFF now have to call for an emergency meeting and propose a no confidence motion against Mr. Klass President and have a vote if this is unanimous against him
Then he is asked to step down simple
Fighting for control of that FIFA money.
Go for it fellas ,it is about time. 20 years in the driving seat but stuck in the reverse gear.That is how you describe football in Guyana.
Added to that this action should be taken accross the board by all concerned.
With the year end tournament weeks from now,well there again you are the ones to decide.
Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse. I guess it has reached saturation point for the players and has finally blown up. Where is the team manager in all this or was he just a rubber stamp? He should be the main link between admin and players, I would love to hear his report. I support our players one hundred percent, “time for change”, Colin Klass must go!
What took you guys so long to understand that success breaths success and failure is a curse for more failure? 20 years?… Klass should have been fired after the first 3 to 4 years of Guyana national soccer losses.
Some kind of positive results must be the answer or throw the bums out is a policy for success. Growth is what everybody wants or else pack up shop and lets move on. I’m embarrassed with the sheer incompetence at all levels in Guyana, even in competitive endeavors like sports. Yes players, get rid of all dead weight in your organization.
This is a SHAME and DISGRACE on the GFF…. 250,000 USD per year and no proper football venue for the National Team….What a SHAME!!!!!
20 years in office, 250,000 United States Dollars each
year, do the “MATS” in US or GT dollars.
No proper football venue for the national team, my god,
sound like ripoff if you ask me.
I don’t know why we continue to live in this world of make-belief and self-delusion as far as the leaders in Guyana are concerned! Colin Klass is no different from most of the other leaders in Guyana whose only agenda is self-interest. If the folks in the soccer “fraternity” really want to get rid of Klass they should put together the relevant documentation and make representation to the world governing body, through the regional powers.