Letter to the Sports Editor...Leave Matthias alone, detractors back off

Letter to the Sports Editor…Leave Matthias alone, detractors back off

Nov 28, 2013 Sports

Dear Sports Editor,
Football is considered as the beautiful game with its symmetry and ballerina like effect it has when it is in full flow. Look at Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, just to name a few when they have the ball at their feet as they dazzle the spectators and their opponents with their grace, chemistry and skill.
In Guyana the game is (was) sliding to an all time low with the various distractions. Enter Mr. Christopher Matthias, Customs Officer & Sports Administrator who took up the reign as President of the Guyana Football Federation sometime in March 2013. Since then he has transformed the institution and game to some form of respectability with his charismatic and sometimes unconventional style of leadership.
He was and still is preaching accountability, transparency, technical and tactical development and inclusiveness to all as he go along to ensure that the GFF has a structure.
Associations and Clubs are managing their business in a more professional manner and it is evident on a daily basis. As an employee I am privy to what is going on and things are only getting better.
After being involved in football for approximately 40 years and still counting as a Player (Lodge Rovers, St Barnabas, Santos & GFC), Administrator (Secretary – Santos, GFA & GFF) and Referee (FIFA International Assistant Referee, FIFA Futsal Referee, FIFA Referee Assessor & FIFA Referee Instructor), as such, I am quite confident I am qualified to pronounce on the stewardship of Mr. Christopher Matthias as President during his few months at the helm of this troubled organization.
I am quite appalled by the ill things that are being pedaled in the dailies of Mr. Matthias. With all fairness, this goodly gentleman has only been in office for approximately eight (8) months and he entered with a massive debt in the vicinity of 40 million dollars. For someone to enter an organistion with such debt one must have cohunes and I have pledged as an employee to work diligently to ensure that the GFF become an organization that will be highly respected. However, there are detractors who have their own agenda to destroy this beautiful game just for their personal aggrandizement.
After being one of the few pilot countries to have a Goal Project assigned to us, there is no evidence of same being completed much less being commenced any time soon, why blame the present regime. Guyana has no proper ground, no training facility, no uniform sponsor, huge debts, no proper structure, no proper player data base, just to name a few of the inefficiencies that are prevailing within the football fraternity and we at this end are diligently trying to fix same.
I have known Mr. Matthias for quite a while and I have found him to be a very diligent, honest and hardworking individual who has sports development at heart, he is a community based individual and has under privileged children at heart. Ladies and Gentlemen I am appealing to you all to allow Mr. Matthias to function with some amount of parity and suppleness I know he means well. Don’t judge him until he has been given the time, space and privilege to perform, you out there are not seeing the changes and only time will tell. Just be patient, benefits will be the reward in the long run.
It really amazes me how people in Guyana could be so haughty and mischievous. We in Guyana, I assume and hope, want football to develop and run in a structured manner. Yet the detractors usually assemble and gossip at street corners or beer gardens about the perceived wrong that they say are being perpetuated in the football arena. What they should be doing instead is to sit with the leaders of the football fraternity and voice their concern in constructive remedial meetings so that GUYANA will benefit.
Why should we sit and criticize, and by creating a cordial relationship with the administrators it will only enhance football development for the entire country and all will benefit. “Fools live to regret their words wise men to regret their silence.”
Bill Vaughn once said, “An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old one leaves.” Where do you place yourself, you decide?
Thank You,
Lawrence Griffith

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Letter to the Sports Editor…Leave Matthias alone, detractors back off

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