The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Football Club, two-time winners and defending champions of the NAMILCO Football Tournament will begin their quest to retain their title starting this evening at the Fruta Conquerors ground.
“The GDF football club are the defending champions of this tournament but despite that, we still have to go out there and execute,” said Denzil Thompson, coach of the GDF side on Friday during an interview with Stabroek Sport.
The military men will tackle Northern Rangers in the feature game of the scheduled double header of the sixth knockout tournament dubbed NAMILCO One Love Football Classic.
“As a coach you will always be confident of your team to play well and win the championships but it’s one loss and you are out because it is a knockout tournament so we have to win if we want to repeat,” Thompson added.
The GDF Coach said that the soldiers are not at full strength but nevertheless they will be looking to ambush the Rangers and avenge the loss they suffered in the semi final game of GFA/Banks Tournament in December.
“The team is not of full strength but we have to make do with this young team that we have started to groom,” Thompson explained.
“We will be looking for a total team effort and win. We lost to them in our last game so will be aiming to turn the tables, the players will be looking to play much better. The players are eager to play against them,” he added.
GDF also won the inaugural tournament in 2007.
The Guyana Police Force will face Seawall United in the curtain raiser which will kick off at 18:00hrs.
GDF along with 15 other teams will compete for bragging rights, the winner’s trophy and the first prize of $1.2M.
The second, third and fourth placed teams will receive $600,000 and a trophy, $400,000 and a trophy and $200,000 and a trophy respectively.
There will be eight playing days and the final will be staged on February 24 at a venue which is still uncertain.
The other teams scheduled to compete in the tournament are Buxton United, Camptown, winners of the second Banks/GFA Tournament, host Fruta Conquerors, Alpha United, Beacon, Pele, Santos FC, Georgetown Football Club (GFC), Western Tigers, Netrockers, Riddim Squad and New Amsterdam United.
The eight playing days are February 3rd, 8th, 10th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 20th and 24th.
