Shabazz delighted to have Pearce and Dover

Apr 04, 2009 Sports

Jamaal Shabazz

“Coach Pearce and Dover are my brothers what we developed during my stint in Guyana is for life. I will never turn my back on them.”
These were the strong words of former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director Jamaal Shabazz in response to questions about contracting Guyana coaches Kavin Pearce and Wayne Dover to Trinidad.
“Football Administrators in Guyana are still seeing Football coaches as the lowest rung of the ladder when it is the coaches and the players who are the key elements and gives necessity to having a Football Administration, stated Shabazz.
“When I heard of the situation with these brothers I had no choice, this is how we lived for the last 3 years no deceitful thing no back biting, helping each other. And I will do what is necessary to open doors for them in T&T.”

Shabazz confirmed that Dover would work with the Club’s Pro team and will also be Head Coach of the Caledonia’s Reserve team in the Professional League while negotiations form Dover to coach at a Secondary School in the community, are ongoing.
Shabazz stated that Pearce would start with an Administrative role as the Assistant Manager of the Professional Team and will also Coach the Club’s under-15 team.
“Pearce will really be running the day to day operations of the Professional team, which is a huge responsibility,” explained Shabazz.
Pearce and Dover seem to be going to T&T at the right time, since T&T football icon Russell Latapy will play with Caledonia.

“Latapy has brought a football intellect to the Club which will enable us to lay the foundation to run a truly professional team,” stated Shabazz.
Caledonia AIA will be partnering with Latapy in the setting up of the Russell Latapy Youth Academy which will aim at youth development.
Dover and Pearce will also benefit from educational programs, Shabazz confirmed.
“We want to send Dover to Holland in August as part of our Coach development Plan, while Pearce will benefit from several management courses. First we want Pearce to complete his English FA ‘B’ Licence which he will be doing over later this month then the sky is the limit. “
“When they come back to Guyana you will not need any foreign coaches, they would be well equipped and I hope then they will get the respect they deserve.”

“There is no football administration without the football of the field and there is no football of the field without players and it is coaches who produce players, until and unless Guyana accept this reality, the animosity, intrigue and divisiveness will continue to ruin a country with a great potential to do well in world football, added the man who took Guyana to is best ever ranking in FIFA during his tenure as technical Director of the GFF.
Shabazz cautioned that things will not be all rosy and insisted that how far they reach is dependent on Pearce and Dover themselves.

“This is a huge opportunity but they are not coming into a bed of roses. They have to work hard, they have to be professionals and above all they must produce. This is what coaching is about, warned Shabazz.
“In Guyana you hear people complaining about how hard it is but the test is rising above adversity in a strange country, rolling up your sleeves and digging deep to feed your family, insisted Shabazz.
“The Guyana Staff we had was one family, if their family is happy my family is happy. The love and brotherhood I experienced with people like Pearce, Dover, Frank ‘English’ Parris and company is something that I’ll cherish for life and is very dear to me,” Shabazz shared.
‘Golden Jaguars’ Walter Moore and Kestore Jacobs are currently under contract with Caledonia AIA.

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