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Briggs and Danns kick-start Golden Jags revolution
By Santokie Nagulendran
On Monday night it was publically confirmed that UK-based players Matthew Briggs and Neil Danns have committed to play for the Guyanese National team for the International friendly against Grenada next Sunday.
Matthew Briggs (Bottom) and Neil Danns have committed to the Golden Jagaurs.
Both players have substantial experience of playing top-level football and their decisions to represent Guyana could turn out to be the greatest move in the history of Guyanese football.
In what was a first for Guyanese football, the news made headlines in England’s National newspaper the Daily Mail and featured on British National TV Channel Sky Sports News, such is the high level of regard for both players in England. Social media was also abuzz with the news, with many journalists and fans tweeting the news around the globe. Such a high level of interest in the Guyanese team has not been seen since the match Guyana played against Mexico in 2012.
Matthew Briggs holds the record for being the youngest ever English Premier League player; in May 2007 he was aged just 16 years old and 65 days when he played for Fulham FC against Middlesbrough. In January 2010, after a successful period at Fulham, he was subject to a £10 million (around $15m USD) bid from Manchester United, which was rejected by Fulham as they felt he was too valuable to the team. Aged just 24, Briggs is young enough to play for the Golden Jaguars for the next ten years and help the team achieve the long-term vision of making a FIFA World Cup.
He is now playing for Colchester United in England and has electrifying pace that will scare any team in the region. As a Left-back, he will be competing with veteran Walter Moore for a permanent place in the side, and this is what Guyana needs: competition for starting spots to collectively raise the quality of the team.
Neil Danns, a physical midfielder, plays at Bolton Wanderers in England’s Championship, the second division of football, and has previously played in the Premier League for Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City. Danns brings vital experience of top-level football to the Golden Jaguars, which had previously been brought to the team by the now-retired Cort brothers, Leon and Carl.
Danns will play alongside captain Christopher Nurse in central midfield, and if the two combine well, then Guyana will have arguably the most talented midfield in the Caribbean. Speaking of his decision to represent Guyana, Danns said: “What attracted me to the set-up was seeing the progress of the National team and ambition shown to me for the future. It is also a great opportunity to represent the country of my heritage and will allow me to gain further knowledge of my heritage and culture, which I know myself and my family will be proud of. It’s a new experience going to play at an international level and obviously a different tempo and different styles of matches and one I look forward to being involved in. When I first got the call I was actually really excited.”
Importantly, both players will raise the profile of Guyana, and may even convince more overseas-based players of Guyanese origin to join the National set-up. Their experience of playing in Europe will also be of a massive benefit to the local Guyanese players in the squad who will be able to develop their own game by playing alongside Briggs and Danns.
It is not known whether either player will feature in the game against St Lucia tonight, but they are both confirmed to face Grenada next Sunday, in what is sure to be an excellent week for the nation as International games return to Guyana after a near-three year hiatus. Since the appointment of the Normalisation Committee in November, the recovery of football in Guyana has moved at a rapid rate and that is a credit to the committee led by Clinton Urling. With regular friendly matches being scheduled so far this year, the appointment of Jamaal Shabazz as Head Coach working alongside Wayne Dover, and the recruitment of Matthew Briggs and Neil Danns, the future of football looks bright. The World Cup dream edges slightly nearer for the Golden Jaguars.
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