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Matthias not being intimidated by those with hidden agendas
-Intends to forge ahead with development plans
By Rawle Welch
President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Christopher Matthias in an exclusive interview with kaieteur Sport recently revealed that he was undaunted by some of comments emanating in the dailes about the new management structure that is taking shape within the local landscape.
Christopher Matthias
Matthias, who took over the reins of office in March this year, in keeping with his earlier pronouncements to chart a new course which would require the GFF to lead the way in good governance, transparency and accountability, said he was remaining resolutely on course in changing the way the sport and its management was being percieved by both internal and external stakeholders and assured that he will not be intimidated by those who are still motivated by self-interest, greed and hidden agendas.
“To date we’ve been able to set up most of the committees that are required to achieve the goals that we had set out to attain, while we’ve been able to start the Premier League much to the puzzlement of the cynics who felt that no one would come to our rescue, but as you can see, we’ve already had some amount of success and the member associations and clubs could attest to this fact,” Matthias stated.
He pointed to the establishment of the Technical and Tactical Committee which is headed by Vice-President Ivan Persaud, the Competitions Committee led by Vice-President Collie Hercules and the Infrastructural Committee of which Committee member Keith O’Jeer is responsible, as ample evidence of the new dispensation.
The GFF President added that only recently they were able to form a Grassroots Committee in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport (MCYS) to develop programmes and teach persons to go back to their communities and run the programmes. This he said will be done nationwide.
GOAL Project-
Matthias said that discussions on the agreement for resiting the Project to Leonora where the synthetic track is being laid is progressing with the Ministry of Sport, while Minister Dr. Frank Anthony has proposed that the Government maintain the facility and negotiations are ongoing in relation to that proposal.
He disclosed that among the facilities that will be built are a Technical Centre that will house at least 80 persons and large and mini pitches and these will be constructed outside of the Track.
Challenges-
FIFA and CONCACAF have mandated that football must be co-ordinated and governed in a structured form and by 2015 every player must become part of a database which will include their history that can be traced to show their development and progression.
To move to this level, Matthias informed, will require clubs to have the requisite skilled personnel to record that history, while the GFF must also move in that direction whether it is to retain such individuals or facilitate such training for the clubs and associations and that will take substantial funding.
Coaches will also be required to attain a certain level of competency and qualification and according to Matthias, one of the current challenges is getting the clubs to sign on to these new arrangements.
The only way for development is to get them structured and he gave as an example, that out of the 108 clubs that are registered, only five ‘B’ Licenced coaches are available.
Another challenge is the fact that many children in schools have a thirst to play the game, but not many teachers are qualified to impart the knowledge to them. All these things the GFF is expected to address so right there is another challenge.
However, the President informed that the executive is keen to address those issues and to find remedy for them so the sharing of information, which he deemed crucial for the further development of the sport, will continue at every level.
He also pointed to the training of over 30 new coaches for the ‘B’ Licence and at least three for the ‘A’ Licence between next year and 2015 as priorities for the administration.
The importance of coaches’ education is paramount and to this end, the GFF will be sending Technical Development Officer Lyndon France to Mexico shortly to enhance his proficiency to impart on his return.
Other personnel will leave early next year to attend a Coaches Workshop in the USA, while member associations have been asked to submit information about an elite coach and referee to attend the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The second part of the interview will be published shortly.
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