-says Harold Taylor
Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Development Officer veteran football administrator Harold Taylor says the involvement of a Women tournament in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Super League is critical to the development of the sport locally.
He made the remarks at the official launching of the League last Sunday at the Le Meridien, Pegasus Hotel.
The former General Secretary of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) said it was the aim of FIFA president Sepp Blatter to increase female participation in the sport internationally and Guyana women’s involvement was of vital importance to that process.
According to Taylor plans are in train for a coaching course for predominantly female coaches which will take place in Trinidad and Tobago where experts from around the world will be invited to train the participants.
Some of the players who are expected to take part in the league were present at the Launch.
He cautioned organizers of the local league that running the tournament will not be easy and called on the GFF to sit down with the teams and iron out problems that may emerge.
“You will need a lot of co-operation and every body needs to work together, you need to sit down and talk to each other to make it work.”
He said it will not be easy because of the geography of Guyana but noted that clubs have to be to a certain standard and all regulations must be worked out.
He also called on government’s support in ensuring the success of the League and cited examples where Aruba was receiving tremendous support for its Goal Project.
According to Taylor he was quite pleased that Guyana’s Goal Project was finally getting off the ground.
The Goal Project which was initiated back in 2001 with Guyana efforts to secure a Training Facility fell through in the initial stage despite a pledge for funding from FIFA to the tune of $400,000 (US) to kick off the project.
The GFF had cited problems in securing a suitable site for the facility but has since secured a plot of land on the East Bank of Essequibo.
Taylor said that several Goal Projects in the region have been successful and in some cases associations have moved on to other projects.
He said that FIFA was extremely pleased to be supporting the “Win In CONCACAF with CONCACAF!” to assist in the development of football in the region.
