March 23rd 2019 will forever be remembered in the annals of Guyana’s sporting history as on that date, the Golden Jaguars sealed their berth to the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The accomplishment, the first of its kind for the men’s team following the Lady Jaguars 2010 achievement, was realised following a 2-1 victory over Belize on the final night of the CONCACAF Nations League qualifiers.
The venue was fitting, as the episode occurred on local soil at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, creating scenes that forever will be ingrained in our local footballing existence and essence.
The powers that be, the Guyana Football Federation [GFF], must be recognised for this exceptional triumph alongside the brave warriors and management staff, who went to battle in the name of the Golden Arrowhead.
Going forward, as the Golden Jaguars prepare for the Gold Cup campaign, the entire nation will be glued to their televisions and respective mediums of communication, to witness Guyana represented on a global scale, kindling a sense of fulfillment.
However, following the conclusion of the pageantry and contrasting emotions associated with the accomplishment, a debate has been ignited, analysing the monumental achievement.
For pundits, fans and even players, the narrative remains the same. Their queries fixate on a simple premise; how can Guyana benefit from the international exposure when the players who will be in the limelight are not products of our ‘developmental’ system?
It is a legitimate query and concern; after all, the storied squad featured 17 foreign-based players, 13 of whom were born outside Guyana.
No documentaries, publicity stunts or press releases can hide what is quite clear, that the Golden Jaguars have become the male counterpart of the Lady Jaguars.
The same female component, which did Guyana ‘proud’ by qualifying for the CONCACAF Gold in 2010 – the first national team to accomplish such a feat, was criticised in many sections of the footballing landscape for its ‘makeup’.
The America ‘C’ and Canada ‘D’ team analogy still rings fresh in the minds of many fans and pundits, who panned the team for not being a true representation of Guyana.
After all, less than three local players were part of the team that journeyed to the Central American nation of Mexico for the tournament.
It was touted by the then GFF administration that the team’s participation in the prestigious event would translate to significant exposure and development for the women’s game.
Nine years later and we are still awaiting the ‘Promised Land’. The reality is that women’s football did not benefit from the accomplishment of the Lady Jaguars.
It then raises the question, why would any scout worth his salt, come to Guyana in search of talent after viewing the Lady Jaguars and realising that more than 90 per cent of the squad are products of the American and Canadian developmental structures.
This analogy corresponds perfectly to the Golden Jaguars, who will, more than likely, compete with a squad composed primarily of overseas born and based players; individuals who are products of a foreign power.
It is alleged that a further 15 foreign players have shown their willingness to join the project. The aforesaid is concerning for the local content.
Guyana’s participation in the tournament is historic and must be heralded, but does this actually translate into local development?
Honestly, the painful answer is no.
What has occurred is not national team development but simply national team advancement. Our local content has been sacrificed in the bid to create a moment and elevate a legacy.
The argument should never be about local versus foreign; it is whether we can and will actually benefit in the long term following the proliferation and domination of foreigners in the national setup.
The local players are not as talented or well-trained as their foreign counterparts and, as such, blame must fall at the doorstep of the GFF, whose methods continue to struggle in the production of talents. In this regard, the tenure and role of Technical Director Ian Greenwood once again must be called into question.
To compound matters, it is an embarrassment that Fruta Conquerors, the country’s national club champion, does not have a single representative on the national team which created history on that fabled day.
It is equally embarrassing that not a single player from the Elite League, the country’s premier football tournament, was a member of the starting lineup and/or featured in the match as a substitute.
The aforementioned clearly highlights the status of our footballing existence and calls into the question the purpose of the competition, which now can be seen as an administrative burden and overall failure.
It also serves as evidence of a stark reality for the local lads. Although the qualification to the Gold Cup is a wonderful achievement, it simply papers over the huge crevices that exist in the local game and highlights the lack of direction, vision and overall foresight of the GFF Technical Department.
