Golden Jaguars head-coach Jamal Shabazz said the management staff has yet to name a captain for Sunday’s fixture against the Canadian Olympic Team at the National Stadium at Providence.
In an invited comment to Stabroek Sports, Shabazz said “We have not yet named one, some of the senior players would not start so the captain may come from either Colin Nelson, Eon Alleyne or Tichard Joseph. Maybe one of the three will be the captain but we have not yet decided”.
Asked about his expectation for the squad in the encounter, Shabazz said the aim is to test the tactical discipline of the squad, noting “We have to test the discipline of the local based players. The Canadian team, all 18 are professionals and while they are only coming together for the same time as us, every one of them already have a tactical base”.
According to Shabazz “They already know how to work, tactical organization is something that is normal to them. Only a few teams in the Elite League stick to a format, this game we want to play in a particular way and only by trying to do that will we be able to see how we are developing”.
“We looking at tactical discipline and their ability to do the things consistently throughout the game. We don’t have much help from outside and I am happy for that”, he added.
Questioned about how important is the Canadian matchup with the CFU fixture against Curacao merely weeks away, he said “We already decided and some of the more senior players like Chris Nurse, Sam Cox and even Brandon Beresford that this game gives opportunity for other players to make their way in the final squad”.
He further said “It lends to the same kind of atmosphere and it’s very important because the Curacao team will be very organized and have 14 professionals. It creates a dress rehearsal and if we could break down the Canadian team, get behind them and get the penetration while keeping them out, it gives us a good chance going into the Curacao game”.
Presently the 25-member squad is conducting training session’s every day leading up to the contest.
The members of the squad are siblings Anthony and Daniel Whyte, Mustapha Hack, Pernell Schultz, Charles Ishankie, Marcel Barrington, Alex Murray, Joshua Browne, Solomon Austin, Colin Nelson, Kester Jacobs, Eon Alleyne, Gregory Richardson, Devon Millington, Daniel Wilson, Dwight Peters, Trayon Bobb, Quincy Adams, Delon Lanferman, Clive Nobrega, Hubert Pedro, Les Charles Critchlow, Jahaal Greaves and surprise selection Cortez Kellman.
