Talent abounds but need for sustained developmental football programmes exists

Aug 25, 2009 Sports

By Michael Benjamin

Jamal Booker

Coach Sampson Gilbert

The mixed fortunes experienced by the U-15 squad of footballers that participated in the just concluded 4-nation tournament in neighbouring Suriname was indeed encouraging and signals the need for more developmental programmes and overseas exposure for our lads if the are to once again regain a reputable status in the football world.
The squad recently returned after a short sojourn in Suriname to participate in a FIFA organized, Caribbean Football Union (CFU), four-nation tournament between Suriname, French Guiana, this country and the Netherlands Antilles.
The tournament was arranged after local football administrators, with support of other small football nations, appealed to the world governing football body for consideration to organize tournaments for weaker football nations, initially grouped among power nations, to compete in a tournament among themselves that provides a realistic chance of them qualifying for the U-15 World Football Championships. FIFA responded by organizing a tournament in Trinidad and Tobago.
The word out is that the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) is working on a three year plan for footballers up to 18 years old where those qualifying at this level would be eligible to comprise a representative team of countries that comprise the CONCACAF family in the Caribbean, North and Central America.
The plan is also, to give these weak football nations a realistic chance at participating and subsequently winning the U-17 World Cup.
Just when the local players were about to depart for the Twin Island Republic, the reported presence of the dreaded swine flu in that country forced a cancellation of that tournament leaving them dejected by the turn of events.
In a bid to quell their disappointment, the Caribbean Football Union organized a 4-nation tournament between Guyana, the Netherlands Antilles, Suriname and French Guiana.
Twenty-eight relatively inexperienced footballers, under the tutelage of Sampson Gilbert, and drawn from the various sub-associations, represented Guyana in this tournament.
They played three matches and drew all of them. The first game against French Guiana ended in a 2-2 draw while the second encounter against Suriname ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Their fortunes remained unchanged in the final encounter against the Netherlands where that game ended in another stalemate. The players recently returned to Guyana and Kaieteur Sport caught up with coach, Sampson Gilbert who attempted to provide a forensic evaluation of the tour.
He said that even though the footballers failed to register a victory he was pleased with their performance. Gilbert said also, that he was especially impressed with the organizational skills demonstrated by the Surinamese administrators.
“The tournament was well organized and the standard of play was exceptional,” he disclosed. He said that he is satisfied with the general performance of the footballers in the face of numerous challenges.
Gilbert said that while he is hesitant to make excuses about the team’s performance, he was taken aback by some decisions of the Surinamese administrators.
He cited an incident during play in the Surinamese match involving the standard of refereeing. “I believe that the referees in Suriname compromised their standards and demonstrated a bias for the Surinamese footballers,” he said.
He referred to one instance where those officials employed blatant delay tactics to give the advantage to their side.
He singled out one instance during the change over process. “There were instances when I saw the need to effect a particular change to enhance our game and requested such changes.”
He said that their requests were purposefully delayed, sometimes for as much as 5 minutes while similar changes for the Surinamese were prompt and most times took merely half a minute.
Gilbert said that he lodged several complaints and on one occasion, the defaulting official was removed.
He also spoke out against the blatant infringements of the rules by the Surinamese players saying that despite his most impassioned appeals for fairness, his call went unheeded.
“There were times when the Surinamese players committed blatant fouls on our players and we brought this to the attention of the match referee, all to no avail,” Gilbert complained.
Notwithstanding that, he felt that his players, despite their obvious inexperience at this level, were very competitive and stuck closely to the game plan.
The discipline demonstrated by the lads placed the Surinamese under tremendous pressure and resulted in them scoring a default goal.
“Our forward players pressured their defence forcing them to pass the ball back and subsequently caused a goal error,” Gilbert revealed.
He said that after the game the management huddled and discussed the game plan.
The general consensus was that there was a need to strengthen the goalkeeping area. As such, Gilbert decided to wring in a change.
He said that the anomaly emphasized the need for a specialist goalkeeping coach in future squads.
“We started our preparations with a goalkeeper coach but he migrated while the team was still encamped (at the Cyril Potter College of Education) so we were left in a bind in this department,” Gilbert explained.
It was during the Suriname encounter that team Guyana decided to make the crucial change.
Gilbert replaced Romario James, who was performing duties between the uprights, with Jamal Booker.
The ploy seemed to have worked. “Jamal was an exceptionally good forward but I decided to gamble and placed him in the goal after we decided that there was a void in this department that needed to be sealed,” said Gilbert.
The ploy paid off. “Jamaal executed some miraculous saves and I felt vindicated in my judgment,” Gilbert beamed.
The national coach believes that the tour provided the youngsters with the type of exposure that will serve them well in the future.
He said that even though the young footballers were the victims of biased officiating, they were in part responsible for the mixed fortunes experienced by the team.
“I think we ought to shoulder some of the blame for our minimal success,” said he. “On many occasions we created the scoring opportunities but failed to complete the conversions.”
He mentioned the second game against Suriname. “We scored first and held on to that lead for almost the entire game but our concentration waned as the game dwindled to the final whistle.”
He said that the Surinamese seized the opportunity to equalize the situation from a free kick merely 5 minutes before the final whistle.
“I think the pressure was immense and the goalkeeper crumbled a bit. He fumbled the ball at the goal mouth and the Surinamese did not let the opportunity slip by,” said the coach.
All was not smooth sailing for the team. The rough grind resulted in the inexperienced lads incurring several injuries during competition. “Sherwyn Lewis suffered an injury to his ankle while several other players developed various niggles but here I must take my hat off to the physiotherapist.
He performed wonders and the injured players were able to re-enter the fray and complete the game,” Gilbert disclosed.
The final game against the Netherlands was played under immense pressure.
After drawing their games against Suriname and French Guiana, and after the Netherlands failed to score a victory, Guyana was required to win their game by at least 3 clear goals and even then, the game with French Guiana and Suriname had to end in a draw. “We had a good chance of changing our fortunes in the final game but our midfielders did not click” Gilbert lamented.
By then many of the players had developed various injuries and the general level of confidence had waned. Nevertheless, the local lads, after being pegged back 1-0 early in the game, fought valiantly and eventually equalized shortly before the final whistle.
The final results placed them in the third place behind Suriname, who won the tournament and French Guiana, who placed second.
Despite the minimal success of the team Gilbert is assured that they would have learnt something from the tour.
He believes that with constant practice the team would eventually gel into a competent unit. “I think that the team, despite their eventual placing, did exceptionally well.
However, we need to start the grooming process. We need to provide constant international matches for them as well as to identify a team that can be prepared for national duties,” Gilbert expounded.
He also feels that the team should be kept together for short periods during the training periods to familiarize themselves with each other’s style and attitudes.
Consequently, the coach praised the executives of the GFF for their staunch support even as he pointed out their commitment and dedication towards the team’s success. “The GFF offered immense support both morally and financially and must be commended,” he said.
“If they can continue along these lines I envisage a fruitful partnership that would eventually benefit our local footballers and by extension, Guyana,” Gilbert prophesied.