Kaieteur Sports raps with GFF NC Chairman Clinton Urling on way forward

Jan 04, 2015 Sports

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Guyana’s football has seen tumultuous times in the past two years or so, events that we need not

remind you of. However, with the intervention of world governing body FIFA, through CONCACAF, stability at the administrative level has been restored while on field play has increased for the better.
The Normalization Committee that has been appointed by FIFA is headed by successful businessman Clinton Urling. Kaieteur Sports Franklin Wilson posed a number of pertinent questions to Urling on his stewardship to date.
FW – How has short time at the helm of the sport in Guyana been for you and your team?

CU – It has been both an eye-opening and challenging endeavour. Eye-opening in the sense that most of us on the Committee had no idea coming into this of some of the intricacies, and intrigue, involved in managing Guyana’s football both at the domestic, regional and international level. Similarly, we had no idea of the amount of work that achieving our mandate would entail. Speaking for myself, I volunteer four to five hours of my time daily to the work of the Federation. This is largely due to reaching out to football stakeholders for recommendations and to get an understanding of the situation we inherited. Additionally, some of it is as a result of the changes being made at the Secretariat.
FW – Can you share briefly, what the mandate is as set out by the world governing body, FIFA?

Our mandate is to reform and implement strong governance structures for the federation and its member associations through constitutional reform and the hosting of elections for both the federation and its member associations. In addition, we are tasked with managing the day-to-day affairs and strengthening the general secretariat of the GFF until September 2015. We also intend to produce a long-term strategic plan for Guyana’s football and we are also working at implementing some of the developmental programmes, which FIFA makes available to its Member Associations.
FW – What are some of the immediate changes that the football community can look forward to?
CU – Changes will come at the level of the general secretariat of the federation to professionalize the operations. The entire organization will be reorganized with new appointments being made, strengthening and expansion of some of our current departments and the creation of new departments to facilitate the secretariat in fulfilling its objectives.
Some of these changes are already occurring and we have recently appointed a Director of Finance to manage the Federation’s financial system. In early January, we will appoint a new General Secretary and a fulltime resident Technical Director (TD) to manage and coordinate our football programme.
Additionally, the technical and referees’ departments will be expanded to support our players, coaches and officials at all levels of the sport and a coach for our senior national men’s team will be appointed as we make a run in 2015 for the Olympic and World Cup 2018 Qualifiers.
We have also started the process of activating Committees of the federation. The Women’s Committee will be a very active one and we intend to recruit and appoint members to the other committees.
Changes will also come in the way in which we govern the game and organize the work of the federation. We will move away from ad-hoc approaches to ones that are more inclusive, structured, systematic and grounded in a framework of respect and adherence to the constitutional of the federation.
All these changes are geared towards ensuring the growth of the game throughout our country.
Are you on track in terms of the plan you have set out?
CU – We are very much on track with our plans and thus far and we are receiving the support of most of the stakeholders involved. Besides the current ongoing changes mentioned in response to your previous question, we would move in February 2015 to begin the process of reforming the GFF’s Constitution.
Additionally, in January, with our new TD in place, we will begin implementing our football programme, which will see immense focus on coaches, referees, grassroots, women’s and youth development.
FW – What’s your projection (s) for 2015 for the sport in a general way?
CU – For 2015, I project that all stakeholders will unite and cooperate for the love and good of the game and that the sport will succeed as a result. Moreover, an appropriate foundation would be laid for the sport to takeoff in a tremendous way in the future.
FW – Are there any friendly matches on the cards?
CU – Thus far, we are looking to have our men’s senior national team play an away and home game against Barbados. The former will take place on January 25 in Barbados. Other friendlies might be organized between now and June when we begin our World Cup qualifying campaign against St. Vincent, St. Lucia or Grenada. The TD and Coach will make the necessary call.
FW – What is the policy as it relates to overseas players representing the Golden Jaguars?
CU – All eligible overseas-based Guyanese players will be taken under consideration as we put together our national squads going forward. For us to be competitive against global competition this is an approach we must take. Other countries are doing so and we need to do what’s in our best interest to be competitive and win.
FW – Strengthening of associations, what shape this would take?
CU – Strengthening our associations is very crucial for us moving forward.
The federation will work closely with our member associations to strengthen both their governance and technical capacity. We will apply to CONCACAF and FIFA for programme funds in this regard.
Our technical department will reach out to associations and clubs and provide support in helping them develop their strategic plans to help them grow and extend their brand and value.
It must be noted that Guyana’s football is at a crossroads and we can choose to move forward in a fragmented way as we did in the past or we can embrace a united model where we work closely together for the good of the game.

Photo saved as Clinton Urling

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