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Golden Jaguars commence quest for Gold Cup Qualification with physical evaluation
By Franklin Wilson
Guyana’s quest to qualify for its first ever Concacaf Gold Cup is closer to reality following the start of preparation by the local based players yesterday at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Training
Coach Charles Pollard giving a few tips to the players in the presence of staff before some 8 v 8 matches yesterday.
Center Facility, Providence yesterday morning.
The 35-players called to trails by the GFF were taken through the paces to ascertain their level of fitness ahead of what would be a rigorous training schedule in the coming days and weeks ahead of the Concacaf Nations League final round match against Belize, here. Today will be the final day of two-day physical evaluation sessions.
GFF Director of Coaches Education Wilson Toledo, who is conducting the physical evaluation aspect of the sessions, informed that they refer to the exercise as the soccer test and it is designed to evaluate the aerobic conditions of the players.
He noted that two more tests would be conducted today at the same venue: “It will be a speed test and a power test, like a jump test. We hope to improve – after we know the conditions of the players – the physical levels of the players. As you know, football without a high level of fitness is impossible to play. We try to make something different here to improve their fitness condition.”
Charles Pollard (left) and Wilson Toledo.
Charles ‘Lily’ Pollard, a former national Captain and solid central defender who has now embarked on his coaching career, is in charge of the tactical sessions which will see the players coming together twice per week (Mondays and Wednesdays) staring tomorrow.
Once known as the ‘Twin Towers’ when he teamed up with fellow central defender Howard Lowe, Pollard revealed that he is ecstatic about the brand new Training Facility that has been completed (phase one) by the GFF under the FIFA Forward Project.
“Like I told the guys, this facility for me is the best thing, it’s been years that we have been looking for something like this and it has finally come along; this in itself should enhance the national team preparation.”
Developing the awareness and intelligence of the players during the tactical sessions would be paramount Pollard shared: “I think from my perspective and the coaching staff, this is where we are lacking, decision making. So we are here to help them make decisions not to teach a guy how to shoot, how to tackle and how to dribble; they already know that, that’s why they are here.”
Coach Wilson Toledo guiding some of the players through the phy
Guyana, currently holding down the eight (8th) place in the Concacaf Nations League qualification table with six (6) points (2 wins and a loss) will be going all out for victory against Belize on Saturday March 23rd next as the top 10 teams will join Mexico, USA, Trinidad & Tobago, Panama and Honduras at the Gold Cup later this year.
Curacao, Haiti, Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, Martinique and Bermuda in that order are the nations ahead of Guyana in the CNL push for qualification to the 15th edition of the Concacaf Gold Cup which has been expanded for the first time to sixteen teams.
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