Phillip ‘Pine’ Carrington – Former Guyana Int. 1987 – 1993

Dec 16, 2012 Sports

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– World Cup Goalkeeper 1988

 

Statistician Charwayne Walker continues his series on Guyana’s World Cup players; today we are pleased to feature Phillip ‘Pine’ Carrington, a former Guyana International 1987 – 1993 and World cup goalkeeper, 1988.
The first time Guyana’s national team reached the finals of a Caribbean Football Union Championship, the goalkeeper was Cougars’ Phillip ‘Pine’ Carrington.
Carrington was superb in the final preliminary game against Suriname at the GCC ground, Bourda where Guyana drew the 1991 Shell Cup encounter 1-1. The result saw Guyana advancing to the Caribbean Football Union finals for the first time since entering the Championship in 1971.
Carrington came through the ranks playing at various age levels for Berbice’ top Club Cougars.  His first outing at the International level was April 1984 against Trinidad and Tobago at the CFU Under-19 championship at the GFC ground; although Guyana lost that encounter 1-3 with Richard ‘Lion in the Cage’ Alphonso doing duties between the uprights, Carrington remembered that clash like it was yesterday.
His first tour overseas was the CFU return fixture in Port of Spain Trinidad and again he had to played second fiddle to Alphonso, Guyana lost again and was eliminated from the championship.
After the CFU clash Carrington returned to the Twin Island Republic in August of 1984 with the National Under-19 team this time for the CONCACAF Youth Championship involving giants Mexico, El Salvador, Canada, USA, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica; but the man that was performing duties between the uprights was Richard Alphonso.
Although he was the reserve keeper throughout that tournament, Carrington was always supportive of team members and the Coaching staff.
His next International assignment was October 1985 to Suriname with the National Under-21 side for a triangular series with the host and French Guiana.
After the triangular series in Paramaribo Carrington was included in the National Under-23 squad for two friendly matches against French Guiana seniors at Camp Ayanganna but Gerald Williams and Richard Alphonso were the men that shared goalkeeping duties.
He failed to gain the selector’s nod for International matches Guyana contested against Barbados and Venezuela the following year, 1986. Carrington’s first senior call was October 1987 for two Olympic qualifiers against Guatemala in Guatemala City.
Although Guyana lost both matches 6-0 and 3-0 respectively with Gerald Williams performing duties between the uprights, Carrington was unceremoniously dropped for the next match against Mexico in Los Angeles; the late Colin Pollard was the man selected to backup Gerald Williams.
After the Mexico thrashing in Los Angeles, both Williams and Pollard absconded so the selectors had no choice the following year, April 1988, in naming Phillip ‘Pine’ Carrington for a World Cup Qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago at Camp Ayanganna.
Guyana entered that encounter with several new players because at the exodus of 14 members the previous year, 1987. Carrington and company came under immediate pressure from the experienced T&T ‘Soca Warriors’ unit.
The depleted Guyana side with the only seasoned player being defender Godfrey Gibbons, Guyana suffered a 4-0 whipping, Carrington enduring a dreadful debut. Although he was selected for the return fixture in Port of Spain, Santos’ Andrew Butters was the man that did duties between the uprights, Guyana lost 1-0.
The National team played no International matches in 1989 because of sanctions by CONCACAF so Carrington had to settle for Inter Guyana Games and Inter Sub Association duties. Guyana returned to International action in 1990 in the Shell Caribbean Cup against Suriname at the Andre Kampeerveen Stadium but surprisingly the man between the uprights was Andrew Butters.
The Godfrey Gibbons led squad lost the Shell opener 5-0 and the Coach had no choice but to return to the trusted hands of Carrington for Guyana’s group matches against the Netherlands Antilles and Grenada at GCC, Bourda.  With Carrington in goal, Guyana drew both matches but those results failed to get them to the next round. However, the experience and confidence Carrington gained from those matches would later prove invaluable.
In May 1991, Carrington was fearless against Aruba at GCC where Guyana won that encounter 4-0 but the match of his life was the eliminator against Suriname at the same venue a week later.
Carrington was Guyana’s hero as he denied the Suriname strikers with several breathtaking saves. His brilliance in goal earned Guyana a hard fought 1-1 draw and that result sent Guyana’s old enemies packing from the 1991 Shell Cup finals.
He was let down by poor defending when Guyana suffered a 6-0 thrashing by Jamaica at the Shell Cup finals in Kingston. Carrington redeemed himself against the Cayman Islands in the next match that Guyana won 2-1.
Although he was spectacular in goal against Trinidad & Tobago and St. Lucia, Guyana lost those encounters 3-1 and 4-1 respectively but the National team still placed 4th overall at its first Caribbean finals.
In 1992, Carrington played no international matches for Guyana, missing two friendly matches against Barbados, the clash against Mexico’s Under-23, two World Cup Qualifiers against Suriname and Shell Cup action against Aruba, French Guiana and Suriname.
Selected for duties in goal were Donald Joseph, Andrew Butters and the veteran Kenrick ‘Blackie’ Pollard. Carrington returned to International action in 1993 and immediately his presence was felt between the uprights.
Guyana started the 1993 campaign with an emphatic 3-1 victory against the Cayman Islands at GFC. Floyd ‘Running man’ Cadogan netted the double while the classy ‘Sir’ Anthony Stanton cooled things off later.
Poor defending in the second game against Puerto Rico at GCC saw Guyana suffering a 2-0 defeat. Carrington’s final International also ended disappointedly at GCC against Barbados with Guyana losing 3-0.
International tours
1984    Trinidad – CFU returned fixture
1984    Trinidad – CONCACAF Youth Championship
1985    Suriname – National Under-21 Team tour
1987    Guatemala – Olympic Qualifiers
1988    Trinidad – World Cup Qualifier
1990    Suriname – Shell Cup
1991    Jamaica – Shell Cup Finals

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