Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
GFF to employ Head Coach by February – GS
Noel Adonis
By Franklin Wilson
With the departure of Technical Director Jamaal Shabazz, who served Guyana’s Football diligently for a number of years, General Secretary of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Noel Adonis, says a Head Coach will be employed by February this year.
Adonis, a former Camptown and Georgetown defence player, pointed out that the reason for going this route is primarily because there is no regional tournament(s) slated for the first six months.
“The employment of a Technical Director is not immediate since we have no major commitments in the first six months.”
While the framework for the employment of a Head Coach is being fine tuned, the immediate focus according to Adonis is the setting up of a functional Technical Department which will oversee the implementation of Technical Programmes in the various Associations and Clubs.
“We see this as vital to our development since the forward thrust will be the strengthening and expansion of local and grass roots development.”
The person being appointed Head Coach will also have to work with other local coaches on their growth as well as shape the youth and female and school development programmes.
Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover is the current Head Coach of the GFF but does not hold a full time position with the governing body. He is employed on a tournament to tournament basis. Dover, who is the head coach of Alpha United Football Club, is one of the persons being considered for the position with the Federation.
He is one of five coaches with the English B license Certificate, the others being Lyndon France the current Development Officer of the GFF, Paul James, Collie Hercules and Bilaal Nantambu.
Shabazz, who started his relationship whit the GFF in 2006 and was contractually employed in 2007 until the end of 2008, impacted greatly on the advancement of the sport in Guyana. He was at the helm when Guyana enjoyed her highest ranking ever on the FIFA Coca Cola ranking ever, of under 100.
Jamaal Shabazz with coaches Wayne Dover (centre) and Kavin Pearce during one of the Golden Jaguars games recently.
In September 2006 to January 2007, the Golden Jaguars enjoyed a great run of form in the then Digicel Caribbean Cup and held the distinction of being the only country to win all its matches going into the finals which were hosted by Trinidad and Tobago.
The Jaguars missed out on qualification to the CONCACAF Gold Cup after going down to St. Vincent & the Grenadines in the DCC final, their only loss of the 2006/2007 tournament.
At the 2008 tournament, renamed the Digicel Caribbean Championship, the Golden Jaguars topped Suriname and Dominica in advancing to stage two, which was also held in T&T, but failed to qualify for the finals and Shabazz decided that it was time to call it a day.
Speaking with Kaieteur Sport at the Marvin Lee Stadium where Guyana drew with the Soca Warriors in their final DCC game last November, Shabazz said that he was happy for the opportunity of serving Guyana’s football which would always enjoy a special place in his heart and he was willing to assist in anyway possible in the future.
Also referred to as ‘Captain’ by many, Shabazz who is also Technical Director of T&T Pro League side Neal and Massey Caledonia AIA, has been responsible for contracting over a dozen Guyanese players and facilitating many others in securing contracts with other Pro League clubs.
The exposure of these players impacted positively on the performances of the senior team at the regional level.
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