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Klass: Golden Jaguars in rebuilding process for Digicel Cup

By Calvin Roberts

There will definitely be some new faces on the Guyana senior team that will be contesting the upcoming Digicel Caribbean Cup which is slated to commence in August, according to president of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Colin Klass.

Speaking to the media at a press briefing at the GFF Secretariat in Section K Campbellville, Klass pointed out that changes would be made not only to the team, but also to the technical staff for the tournament.

“From a Guyana standpoint, Sunday was historic in all ways it could, but in going forward after the first set of assessments, we are clear in our mind that definitely there will be a number of players that will not be able to continue if we are looking at future,” said Klass.
He added: “There will be changes in terms of a number of players because from a long-term standpoint, there will definitely be an introduction from a large standing of junior players from the under-20 and 23 level into the team.

“We have even received notifications from a number of players from the overseas chapter who have indicated their willingness to represent the country. We had a list within the last three to four months that we could tap into and we will definitely be tapping into it, so you will see new faces on the team. It is a total rebuilding process that has to commence immediately.”

While highlighting the fact that the 2010 World Cup campaign got underway in less than a year or two and such a scenario should not be permitted to happen again, Klass stated that the campaign for the Digicel Cup and other international engagements must commence immediately.
“Our World Cup campaign basically got going in less than a year or two and that should not be allowed to happen. Our campaign must start immediately. We need to start now. The process of rebuilding, the process of ensuring that we are ready and not wait until the last minute to get all our players and be able to have them available,” Klass said.

“In going forward, we are now going through the analysis at the various levels. We have met with some of our colleagues from the overseas chapter and our executives and later in the week we will be meeting with the general council of the GFF in order to look at where, what and all the post-mortem we have to do.”

He noted too that in terms of the team, they would assess how to go forward, what could have been done differently and what must now be done to make improvements.

“As I said, the nation is saddened, but if you look around the world, you would see what is going on in terms of football with many teams not enjoying the best of health,” Klass observed.

Klass said that football teams around the world were getting better as players were making themselves available to their countries, and teams that had been severely trash back then could hardly be beaten these days as they had been attracting the European players who had parentage from their country.

In the rebuilding process, Klass said, much more had to be done in terms of improving the level and standard of the players at home.
Klass further stated that the GFF would be meeting as a general council to see what could be done in terms of building a national league sometime in the not too distant future to have a certain calibre of players, while at the same time attracting scouts to Guyana.

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4 Responses to “Klass: Golden Jaguars in rebuilding process for Digicel Cup”

cochore
on June 26th, 2008 1:16 pm

We never fail at repeating history with officials again blaming the players. Soccer in Guyana has always been an organizational and a coaching problem, the two weakest links in this forever elusive equation. The game needs a concrete plan for implementation first, then the developing of an identity where the Guyanese culture is evident and unique. Right now Guyana soccer is marching to a series of foreign cultures and conflicting styles with a patch work of individual players unknowingly working against each other. Good luck GFF but I think you are the problem.

[Reply to this]
Trooper
on June 27th, 2008 6:43 am

Our soccer needs a new voice. No doubt that talent exists but there is also no doubt that that there are administrative flaws which would ultimately trickle down and affect players and performances.

[Reply to this]
truegt
on June 27th, 2008 2:40 pm

selection of players should be left totally to the coaching staff not thegff and mr class.i agree we need changes in football in guyana but i think it should start with the gff officials.im sick and tired of the misuse of funds by the gff when our footballers,our boys that wear our colours are overseas in rough conditions when touring.mr class has been in seat for too long anyway.

[Reply to this]
brucet
on June 28th, 2008 11:59 am

I totally agree with truegt. It about time that Class and others vacate office. It the players that have done all the hard work not Class or the GFF. The players themselves want to make Guyana proud. The time is ripe for CHANGE.

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