Georgetown football champions Alpha `The Hammer’ United will open their defence of the 2007/08 Kashif and Shanghai football tournament tonight when they oppose Cougars Football Club of Berbice at the Plaisance Community Centre ground.
The question that many football fans will be asking is “Can Alpha be beaten?”
To date, they have hammered all their opponents on their way to being the unofficial champion club here and the same result can be expected when they face the lesser known Cougars.
But in a tournament like this one, which is a marquee tournament on Guyana’s football calendar, anything can happen on any given day.
However, it would be a big surprise if the Georgetown champions are defeated.
In an invited comment with Stabroek Sport, coach Wayne Dover stated that he was not taking the opposition lightly while at the same time he expects his players to go out there and be the same team they have been all season.
“We had a camp over the week in Linden and judging from that, I expect the players to go out there and be the same team they were all season. I will not be taking this Berbice team lightly and I have notified my players of same.”
The 35-year-old Dover, who has been at the helm for the past two years added: “I always tell my players the pitch is flat and the ball is round and what matters is not what you did yesterday, two days ago or even one year ago, but who is determined and hungry for success while at the same time, convert their chances.”
Alpha will be looking to diminutive strikers Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams and Elton Browne to continue their goal scoring.
According to Dover, the two players are responsible for the team’s success in tournaments during the year as they have taken on the responsibility of ensuring all chances created are converted, thus ending tournaments at times as joint top goal scorers. Ample support will be forthcoming from Kelvin Mc Kenzie, Leon Grumble, Andrew Murray Jnr., Gordon Henry and their hard-working custodian Ronson Williams.
While much is not known of the Cougars, president of the Berbice Football Association (BFA) Keith O’Jeer stated that all the other Berbice clubs have thrown their support behind the club. “We have thrown all of our support from the executives of the BFA right down to the clubs affiliated with same. I must say, however, that I am a bit disappointed that the organizers have seen it fit to pit the team against arguably the best football team in Guyana for their first round encounter.”
O’Jeer added: “History would have shown that no Berbice team has ever made it past the first round of this competition and while we are backing Cougars to do so this year, I am disappointed at the fixture for their first round game.” Cougars will be looking to their inspirational captain Horace Roach along with former national custodian Phillip Carrington to see them through this test.
Apart from those two, they also have the services of Winston Benjamin, Adrian Adams, Kelvin Joseph, Junior Simmons and Gregory Tappin to call on, along with the diminutive custodian Marlon Caesar.
Carrington told Stabroek Sport that they would not be showing any fear of their opponents and he believed that once his team displayed the same attitude and intensity they had during their training sessions, the country can very well expect a surprise.
“On any good day, anyone can win. We know that arguably they are the best team in Guyana but we are just as good as them and that’s why we have been selected to compete in this tournament. ”At the end of 90 minutes, they have to prove that they are better and also the top team in the country. One thing is for sure, we are not going out there to show them any smiling face – a level playing field with one ball, three officials and 90 minutes of intense soccer.”
In the other game of the double header Lethem All Stars will oppose Fruta Conquerors.
