‘Lady Jags’ getting ready for CONCACAF Women's World Cup Qualifying in Cancun

‘Lady Jags’ getting ready for CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying in Cancun

Oct 21, 2010 Sports

FLASHBACK!!! President Bharrat Jagdeo meeting the Lady Jags before their clash against Suriname at the GCC Ground Bourda, earlier this year.

Encampment starts tomorrow in Florida, team leave for Mexico Monday

By Franklin Wilson

Tenyka Francique

With exactly one week to go before the kick off of the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying tournament in Cancun, Mexico next Thursday, Guyana’s ‘Lady Jags’ will commence a 4-day camp in Miami, Florida from tomorrow before travelling to Mexico on Tuesday.
The camp will be held at the University of South Florida and Central Pssco United Soccer Association Soccer Complex.
Despite not having the services of a few main players for this competition, Technical Director Mark Rodrigues believes that they will be a force to reckon with. Rodrigues disclosed that they have drafted in five (5) new players to the team and will do an assessment of them over the next few days.
“The main areas of the camp will be to quickly assess the five new players, figuring out their strengths and weaknesses, and trying to find the best possible fit for them in our system of play. Based on this and what we know of our opponents, we will then decide our strategy against these specific opponents. This will then form our game plan and we will train to this plan.”
Guyana will not be at full strength and this is due to the fact that a few of the key players are will not be able to attend due to school and their commitments to their various Colleges; their coaches not releasing them as their seasons are still being played.
“These players are, Nikkita Persaud (right back), Tenyka Francique (starting goalkeeper), Daria Owen (starting center back), Shondel Archer (starting right midfielder). We are hoping that some of the new recruits will effectively fill these starting spots.”
Rodrigues disclosed that despite the many challenges that they have endured on and off the field of play ever since this programme commenced, they are aiming to qualify for the World Cup.
“My expectations and those of my staff (as always) are to successfully advance to the World Cup in Germany 2011. We have faced many challenges along the way, fought many battles both on and off the field, and yet we have managed to consistently be successful. While winning our games is always important, advancing to the World Cup is paramount. We will do whatever we have to in order to get there and continue making Guyanese proud of their country and their beloved Lady Jags.”
Rodrigues has on a daily basis been studying the playing styles of the opposing teams via the various electronic means and from his network of coaches worldwide.
It was also revealed that the budget for the camp and airfares to Mexico is in the vicinity of US$55,000.
A number of promises were made by a number of entities but to date according to Rodrigues, no help has been forthcoming.
The list of 18-players players attending the camp are as follows: Ashley Rodrigues, Alison Heydorn, Briana DeSouza, Kayla DeSouza, Justine Rodrigues, Donna Carvalhal, Catherine Kobelka, Ashlee Savona, Tessa Edwards, Ronette Cort, Brittany Persaud, Collette Hope, Mariam El Masri – new recruits – Olivia Gonsalves, Karina Moore, Melissia Elie, Roseanna George and Chantal Lynch.
Technical Staff, Colin Baker (Head of Delegation), Vanessa Dickenson (Manager), Mark Rodrigues (Technical Director), Bassam Abou-Naim (Head Coach/Trainer) Ali Tabrizi (Goalkeeper Coach) and Peter Barry (Coach).