Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:37 AM
Caledonia AIA and Caribbean United football team hope to claim K&S ‘pound of gold’
Trinidad and Tobago Professional League club Neal and Massy Caledonia AIA and Caribbean United of Barbados are in Guyana and has their sights set on this year’s Kashif and Shanghai Football tournament top prize of a pound of gold.
Caribbean United playing in their second Kashif and Shanghai tournament will be in action against Winners Connection today at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground in Linden while Caledonia AIA is set to face New Amsterdam United on Christmas Day at the Blairmont Community Centre Ground in Berbice.
From left - Co-Director Kashif Mohammad, Caledonia AIA Coach Travis Mulraine, Technical Director Jamaal Shabazz and team Captain Walter Moore. (Rawle Toney Photo)
At a briefing at the Wind Jammer International Hotel, Georgetown, Caledonia AIA’s Coach Travis Mulraine, team captain Walter Moore and Technical Director Jamaal Shabazz spoke profoundly about their chances of winning this year’s tournament and displaying high quality football.
“There’s no other tournament in the Caribbean or anywhere else that I’ve heard that has a first prize of one pound of Gold, so we are all Professionals and as such I think that’s enough motivation for us to come here to win this tournament, so we are here and our objective is to win” exclaimed Mulraine.
The former (MLS) San Jose Earthquake midfielder player, who has enjoyed a fruitful career in the sport, is normally a player/coach at the Neal and Massy Group of Companies sponsored club, expressed his delight of being in Guyana and having a chance to play in what he called “one of the biggest tournaments in the Caribbean”.
But Guyanese International Walter Moore, a well known figure in Football here, said that he is overwhelmed at the fact that he’s not only playing in this year’s tournament, but also captaining the Trinidadian club.
Moore a prominent member of the ‘Golden Jaguars’, said that while he knows for one he will be a certain enemy since he’s playing on the foreign team, he’s happy to be on the ‘not so liked side’, given the fact he will “show Guyana that once you’re dedicated you can go places and develop your game. I think it’s a lesson for aspiring young football players to come to the game to watch us play and to know that they too can be just like me”. “I grow up playing in the tournament since at the age of 16” Moore said, adding, “Caledonia has been good to me, I was able to go many places to personally develop myself and skills as a player, they have given me that opportunity, so me being here to play means a lot and more so, we are here to win this tournament, the guys are all hungry to win.”
The team comes to Guyana off a four game win streak in the Pro-League where they sit in fourth position and Jamaal Shabazz though confident of winning the 22nd Kashif and Shanghai tournament remains focused and respectful of their opponents.
“We have a mixed team, a team that has both youth and experience,” said Shabazz. “The team has four players from the Trinidad and Tobago uner-23 team (Nuru Mohammed, Trevin Caesar, Aquil Selby, Jamaal Gay and Zaine Coker) and two senior National players (Atullah Guerra and Akim Armstrong). We also have Walter Moore, Tryon Bobb and Colin Nelson of Guyana, so this team is a team that will easily win this tournament, but I’m aware of the competition.”
It was also noted that Trinidad’s dapper striker in Devon Jorsling will arrive later in the week to compliment the already strong Caledonia line up. Meanwhile, Shabazz, who also coaches Guyana’s senior national team, said that during his tenure, he will invite several local players to train with the team and will allow Mulraine to have a look at them.
“I have a soft heart for Guyanese players, for me, I would take them all back to Trinidad, so I will have Travis [Mulraine] take a look at them also, because trust me, he has very keen eye for talent and I will use his judgment and also we will be looking at players as the tournament goes on,” Shabazz explained.
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