Golden Jaguars might not qualify for second round
- former Golden Jaguars international Colin Nelson says team built for future not present success
Experienced Golden Jaguar international, Colin Nelson, says he is uncertain if the current national squad can secure qualification to the second round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers as the team is currently being structured for future successes.
According to Nelson in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday, “I don’t think the team is currently built for present success but built for future success. That’s how I view the team’s composition. If I am to say that I am 100 percent confident in the squad chances of qualifying then I would be lying to you and myself, but in terms of the future, it might be good for these youths to get the exposure. The squad is filled with young talent and I am happy to see them given a chance and hopefully, they make full use of their opportunities.”
According to the former Western Tigers standout, he is unsure about the direction of the national programme under the current management team given its current roster composition and selection policy.
The GDF alumni explained, “I can’t tell what the coach’s plan is but it seems he is looking towards the future and not at success and victories right now. He is looking down the road and giving youths’ exposure. I hope the federation plans to keep the coach there for a while. Quincy Adams, Trevon [Lythcoth], Delroy Fraser and a few others have been there for a long time knocking on the door. Jeremy [Garrett] who most people think should be there, is also not there. It should be his time but the coach sees differently.
“Prior to Clive Nobrega having an issue with the federation he was playing well, he was helping the team and making Daniel Wilson play even better as they had good chemistry. Since the absence of Kayode McKinnon and Chris Nurse, Guyana has
been searching for a holding midfielder and Nobrega was playing that role efficiently. He was helping the team with his high level of energy and midfield prowess. I am not siding with any level of indiscipline because I am not an indisciplined player but if there is a way for the GFF to try and rectify the issue with Nobrega, it could help the programme,” he added.
Probed if the current technical staff is engaging and employing in a transitional period, he opined, “It’s evident that there are transitioning to youth, but they could lose a lot of players because of this. I am not even sure if I want to be there, I am not sure if I want to return, the interest is not there at the moment but I am active and I could help but I am not interested at the moment because it’s confusing. I hope they have plans for this coach for a very long time so he can see what we want to do because the programme it seems is being shaped for the future, for the long haul.”
Nelson continued, “If they do not keep this coach for a while and then select another coach who might want to use senior players, how will that work out. I thought it would be a mixture of senior and youth players but the team is pushing towards the youth players, so who is guiding whom? Who is sharing the experience with the youths?”
Guyana’s full squad reads: Goalkeepers - Akel Clarke, Kai McKenzie-Lyle, and Shawn Adonis; Defenders - Miguel Scarlett, Matthew Briggs, Liam Gordon, Terrence Vancooten, Nicholas Andrews, BayliSpencer Adams, and Kevin Layne; Midfielders - Nathan Morian-Welsh, Javier George, Daniel Wilson, Job Caesar, Marcus Wilson, and Pernell
Schultz; and Forwards - Stephen Duke-McKenna, Keanu MarshBrown, Omari Glasgow, Kelsey Benjamin, Osafo Simpson, Trayon Bobb, and Emery Welshman.
Notable absentees from the squad are: long-serving captain Sam Cox, Anthony Jeffrey, Callum Harriott, Terrell Ondaan, Kadell Daniels, Jeremy Garrett, Nicholas MacArthur, Ryan Hackett and Neil Danns.
Guyana plays Saint Kitts and Nevis at 4 pm local time on Friday, and Puerto Rico at 4 pm local time on June 8. Both games will be staged in the Leeward Island nation.
The Golden Jaguars ended the first round of the qualifiers with a record of one win and a defeat, following an opening 3-0 loss to Caribbean heavyweight Trinidad and Tobago on March 25, and a 4-0 victory against lowly The Bahamas.
Presently, the Guyanese sit in third place on three points, trailing St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago who possess six and four points respectively. Only the group winner will progress to the second stage of the qualifiers.