‘Golden Jaguars is about our Country’ says Coach Shabazz

Apr 29, 2015 Sports

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Guyana to clash with old nemesis Suriname tomorrow

By Sean Devers
Coach Jamaal Shabazz is well known for hard work as a Football

Coach. The Trinidadian is also known for his colorful speeches at Press Conferences and yesterday was no exception as he met the Media ahead of tomorrow’s International Friendly between the Golden Jaguars and their old nemesis Suriname in the neighboring Dutch Country from 19:00hrs Guyana time.
After Faizal Khan, who is a part of the eight-man support staff which leaves Guyana tonight along with the 18 players on the flight to Suriname, provided a brief update on the team’s departure, Shabazz stated, “I begin as always in the name of Allah the Beneficient the Merciful. The timing of this game is really a mercy from Allah since it comes during the election period when the society is very charged, as people are so occupied with their (political) party,” the garrulous Shabazz said.
“It’s a mercy because at this time people sometimes put party before country. When we come to understand that our country is greater than any party. So the Guyana Golden Jaguars is about the country……. Our country against Suriname….. It’s so important at this time to keep Country uppermost in our focus,” added Shabazz, who has been appointed National Coach for the third time.
“So we ask that people from all the parties to travel to Suriname together to support your country, Guyana.  And in so doing you demonstrate your allegiance to Guyana in the same way when you support the Rugby team, the Cricket team, the hockey team and all the other sports that’s brings our people together. We are one Guyana ….And this is not a paid political announcement,” concluded Shabazz.
Shabazz explained that when the GFF got the offer to play Suriname he felt that Guyana based players needed more International match minutes ahead the game against St Vincent in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers. St Vincent and Guyana both made it to the third round of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers, but only one will progress this time around.
“If, Allah forbids, anything unforeseen happens, if a key player is injured, if a club does release a player, if a player changes his mind….if any of those things happen, we will still have replacement players with International match minutes and they will not be too nervous since they would have had experience at that level,” Shabazz explained.
Shabazz said tomorrow’s game is very important for his charges since it severs as a great rehearsal for June, adding that this was a ‘big moment’ for the team which will be captained by Dwain Jacobs, since the laws which now allows players from Holland to represent Suriname making the Dutch side a very formidable one.
From November 2012 to October 2014 Guyana failed to play any International football due to off-field problems and Shabazz was high in praise for Normalisation Committee which he said was very brave in spending so much money on getting these matches for the Golden Jaguars.
The Golden Jaguars is one of three South American nations to be a member of the Caribbean Football Union of CONCACAF alongside Suriname and French Guiana and Shabazz lamented that the only thing he is not satisfied with since he returned here in January to prepare the National team for their clash against Barbados, is the level of support from Corporate Guyana.
“They want to jump on the band wagon after the team is successful but we need their support at this time,” the outspoken Shabazz declared.
In 2011 the second round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers saw Guyana grouped alongside a strong Barbados side, Bermuda, and Trinidad and Tobago, the undisputed favourites of the group containing talented players such as Kenwyne Jones in the line-up.
But Guyana managed to top the group and qualify for the CONCACAF semi-finals of World Cup qualifying for the first time ever. This saw them drawn with Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador. The Golden Jaguars’ first group game was against Mexico at the famous Azteca Arena, where Guyana lost 3-1 in June 2012. A 2-2 draw against El Salvador was the only point Guyana managed to gain in the group, but the performances during the games against tough opposition suggested there was lots of potential for the future within the team.
“The pool is larger now and we have players who could step in at anytime we need them to,” Shabazz pointed out.
Skipper Jacobs, making his debut as National Captain at any level, said he and his team are going to Suriname to get positive results and thanked the staff for giving an opportunity to the home grown players.
Jacobs, who is a defender, says as long as the team executes the Coaches’ plan they should at least get a point and this match could be a stern test for the players to get the experience of what to expect in June.
The Golden Jaguars 18-man Squad: Dwain Jacobs (captain), Vurlon Mills (V/Capt), Derrick Carter, Akel Clarke, Jamaal Smith, Colin Nelson, King Solomon Austin, Joshua Brown, Adrian Butters, Kris Camacho, Daniel Wilson, Konata Mannings, Clive Nobrega, Eon Alleyne, Amos Ramsey, Sheldon Holder, Pernel Schultz, Kevin Beaton
Staff: Jamaal Shabazz (Head Coach), Wayne Dover (Asst Coach), Trevor Burnett Andrew Hazel, Anson Ambrose, Beverly Nelson, Mark Xavier, Faizal Khan.

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