Former Golden Jaguars Captain, Chris Nurse, lashes out at GFF

Sep 12, 2014 Sports

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Guyana’s bid to qualify into the second round of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU)

Men’s Caribbean Cup tournament recently in St Kitts & Nevis ended dismally with the local team finishing in the third place spot with a goal difference of -4.
While some have lauded the efforts of a team they feel is now gelling, one of Guyana’s leading defensive midfield players and undoubtedly the most successful Captain, Chris Nurse, in a letter dispatched to the GFF President some time ago, has vented his disappointment and disgust at the treatment and apparent exclusion of overseas based players by the GFF selection committee.
Mr. Nurse is aggrieved over the contents of an interview aired on the National Communication Network (NCN) and stated that a number of national team players both in Guyana and overseas have contacted him to express anger and disgust while stating that they felt disrespected.
“The perceived interpretation of these comments is hurtful and disrespectful to all national team players whether home based or overseas,” Nurse wrote. He remains adamant that officials of the GFF are out of line to pronounce against any player of Guyanese nationality, wherever they may reside, that represents Guyana even as he referred to the FIFA constitution. “Each of the senior players of the 2011/2012 national team has met the criteria to represent Guyana otherwise they simply would not have been allowed to participate,” Nurse pointed out.
He further argued that though he was born in London England, he has strong family lineage to Guyana through his father, grandparents, uncle, sister, nephew, cousins and a host of other attachments.
“I am extremely proud to be able to represent Guyana; it is in my heart and in my blood and I will not let anyone rob me of that privilege,” Nurse stated matter of factly. He also stated that his achievements and feats all rub off positively on Guyana.
“Your comments reek of ignorance, and instigate segregation and fascism against your own people; whilst it is your job to foster unity and fight for one cause, you are merely facilitating division and segregation,” declared Nurse in his correspondence to Matthias.
The national ball weaver said that if Guyana is indeed serious of emulating Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Costa Rica among other countries, fielding teams at the World Cup level, then football administrators will have to change their blinkered approach to team selection.
“Eighty percent of their players consist of overseas based players; Costa Rica has Joel Campbell, a tremendous talent from Arsenal now playing in Spain; are you saying he does not merit selection simply because he is not resident in his country?”
Nurse rhetorically queried.  He also posits that by that measure the United States of America ought not to have selected Brooks, Green, Diskerud, Chandler, Jones and Johannsson to its national squad. “If the mighty USA with 3 full-fledged professional leagues, hundreds  of stadia, and the well established amateur collegiate system go the route of selecting overseas based players, why must officials of the GFF frown upon such strategies?” Nurse wants to know.
He also feels that Matthias in his capacity of President of the GFF should generate funding while engaging worldwide corporate support. Further, he is adamant that Matthias’ decision not to recognize foreign based Guyanese players could prove counter-productive as he would fail in his endeavor to attract broad based support from the corporate communities that regard those same players with respect.
Nurse also lashed out on Matthias’ administrative ability and what he termed a lack of transparency; “all promises made and were to be the foundation of your administration, yet 15 months later here we are, still to see the fruition of these promises!” declared an exasperated Nurse.
He maintains that following participation of the Golden Jaguars in the 2014 World Cup Qualifier, the GFF administration had inherited a globally marketable unit but failed to capitalize.
“We tided by devoid of adequate facilities, no league matches, minimal certified or qualified coaches and a struggling economy; the Federation was in possession of the best football asset, a team performing beyond its means,” Nurse ranted. He believes that a senior team capable of success would fuel production at every level with the right investment. “It would generate investment leading to money for facilities, money to educate coaches, money for development ….”
Nurse is adamant that Matthias’ stance is counterproductive and his view that monetary resources are wasted on foreign players is archaic. “It is easy to make unsolicited claims about a topic that fuels resentment towards foreign born players; if you believe that foreign based/born players are the problem with Guyana national team then you should close up the borders and become the first fascist, isolationist football nation in the history of world football,” Nurse suggested.
To add credence to his claim Nurse pointed to the Technical Director, Mark Rodrigues, who Matthias has appointed to that position while sanctimoniously frowning at players of similar dispensation. “You have employed a foreigner to assemble the national team yet have difficulties with foreign based players, how hypocritical!” concluded Nurse.

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