CONCACAF boss pleased with progress of GFF as hectic and fruitful visit conclude

Mar 15, 2017 Sports

By Franklin Wilson
Likened to a hectic football match with end to end action from the first to the final whistle, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and a high level delegation inclusive of Presidents from the Aruba and St. Martin Football Federation’s wrapped up an intense and fruitful visit to the Land of Many Waters.

CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani makes appoint during yesterday afternoon’s press conference at Pegasus Hotel. Others in photo from right are, Marco Leal – Director of Member Associations and Legal Affairs (CONCACAF), Fabrice Baly – President St. Martin FA, Wayne Forde – President GFF, Richard Dijkkhoff – President Aruba FA and Ms Debra Francis – PRO, GFF.

Set to leave today having arrived in Guyana on Monday night last and being welcomed by a group of 20 male and female junior footballers from the Kuru Kururu Warriors, Grove Hi Tech and Herstelling Raiders Football Clubs, President Montagliani held discussions yesterday with among others, His Excellency President David Granger whilst also launching the GFF/Frank Watson Memorial Under-15 Intra Association tournament.
GFF President Wayne Forde at yesterday afternoon’s press conference hosted at the Pegasus Hotel, said that his CONCACAF counterpart had an opportunity to see a bit of Guyana whilst also meeting Minister of State, Joseph Harmon.
President Montagliani noted that the highlight of the visit, notwithstanding his meetings with some important people, was interacting with the players at the U15 tournament launch.
”In lying with our football first philosophy, that was the highlight of the tour, seeing the players and their faces and seeing what it means to have a federation that is focusing on football. So I am very pleased with my visit here in terms of what I’ve seen and the direction that the Guyana federation is going under the leadership of President Forde and his team, it’s nice to see that football is first in Guyana.”
Best wishes were extended to the GFF by Montagliani who also stated that he is looking forward to be back here to see more football.
”It’s been an absolute delight to be here and I thank my fellow CONCACAF Member Association Presidents from St. Martin Fabrice Baly and Richard Dijkkhoff from Aruba, it’s great to have the One CONCACAF Team living and breathing in the beautiful country of Guyana.”
Informing that since being President in May 2016, his motto of meeting fellow presidents regularly has been taking root in the first nine months.
”I think it’s important, CONCACAF had a lot of walls around it and we’ve been able to break through those walls by coming together a lot. A lot of the discussions have been around player development, obviously coaching development as well; discussing some of the areas that CONCACAF has already established where our members like Guyana can take advantage of.”
He noted that one of the biggest issues in CONCACAF not just Guyana or the Caribbean or even Central and North America, is a struggle with facilities.
”So those are not challenges that are going to be fixed overnight but I was really pleased to see a government that is really supporting our sport, a sport that I love and the Guyana federation in terms of looking out ways to help, whether it’s redoing fields, whether it’s new lands; so it’s really nice to see the support right from the top in this country.”
With this kind of posture in terms of challenging the issue of infrastructure in partnership, President Montagliani underscored that no one entity would be able to do it on its own, so partnerships is vital.
”I’m optimistic, very optimistic that those infrastructural challenges can be tackled but they have to be tackled in the right way and there has to be a long term plan over the next ten, twenty years quite frankly and I think that’s where we’re at.”
Alluding to the development of the intended Technical Center by the GFF at Providence on the East Bank of Demerara through the FIFA Forward Project, formerly the Goal Project; would be just the start as he sees it.