Football moving in right direction under new GFF says Coach Dover

Nov 05, 2020 Sports

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By Sean Devers

National U-20 Coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover was a right full back for most of his playing days for YSM Beacons FC and won the league at U-14, U-16, Senior as well as the Kashif and Shanghai K.O Tournament and runners-up in the U-20s, but coaching was his calling.
The 47-year-old was selected in National squads at both junior and senior levels but never played a game for Guyana.
The dynamic Dover singled out winning the inaugural Independence Cup in Suriname in November 2009 when Guyana won its highest FIFA Ranking, as best memory in Coaching.
The National U-20s good showing in this year’s CONCACAF U-20 World Cup qualifier in Nicaragua when they lost 1-nil to the host in the final is not far behind.
During his illustrious Coaching career, which is far from finished, the dreadlocked Coach enjoyed success in the Hamilton Green Birthday, Omai, East Bank and the Bartica Regatta tournaments with Beacons FC, the CFU group qualifiers success in Jamaica with Alpha FC, won four National Leagues, four GT leagues, two Kashif and Shanghai KO tournaments, two Namilco KO tournaments and two Mayor’s Cups with Alpha, Alpha’s qualification for the CONCACAF Champions League.
Dover, who coached in the semi-professional league in Trinidad, is presently employed as a full time Coach by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).
Rated among the best Coaches in Guyana, Dover was born on October 30, 1973 to Godfrey Deane and Joane Dover and is the eldest of seven siblings including a sister. He grew-up in Leopold Street Werk-en-rust, Georgetown.
“In my boyhood days you saw all kinds of people in my neighbourhood. The good, bad, ugly and the indifferent, yet I still managed to among the good,” stated Dover.

He attended the Charlestown Secondary school where sport was encouraged and several football tournaments were played.
“My interest in Football started from watching my uncles and other men playing in the street. I as a youth developed a passion for the game and started to play with other youths in the streets.
Otis James and Julian Masdammer were my close friends and they took me to join the then YSM Beacons football club. We all went on to represent Guyana in different ways.
Otis became a FIFA referee, Julian became a Junior and Senior National player and I became a National Junior and Senior Coach …and we all came from Leopold Street,” stated Dover proudly.
“My most memorable moment in Football is making my senior debut for Beacons against Thomas United FC in 1988 at age 14.
I played my last competitive game in 1999 against Fruta Conquerors in the Mayor’s Cup Finals at GFC and we lost 2-1.
After the game the club was without a Coach and I was approached by the then President Dr George Norton to Coach the club a

nd that’s how I got involved in Coaching,” Dover informed.
“I prefer to Coach U-20 players more than the Seniors since it gives me an opportunity to teach the players a wide range on the pillars of the game. The seniors would have a better understanding of the game, so with them it would be a process of managing the team more than teaching the fundamentals of the game which they would be expected to know at that stage,” Dover said.
Dover said his biggest challenge as a Coach was trying to become qualified with the required licenses.
“The previous Football administration was not inclined to see Coaches become qualified. A number of Coaches including myself acquired the English FA ‘B’ license, but never went on to obtain any other based on a lack of opportunities.
However, this current Administration has embarked on Coaches education, and as such, over 50 Coaches obtained their license. Coaching is now a priority of this administration,” explained Dover who became ‘B’ licenced in 2006 after Joseph Wilson, Collie Hercules and Paul James received certification the year before.
“The standard of Football in Guyana could be and would be improved. It’s a work in progress and as much as the GFF is the governing body it’s not all up to the GFF alone to saddle the burden of lifting the standard of the game.
In order for the standard to rise, we need Government and the private sector’s input. With input from those two bodies, there could be all round improvement, where the Government and the private sector collaborates strongly to build proper Football facilities across the nation so that players officials and fans could be comfortable.
In my estimation I think for football improve the way it should, Government and Private sector needs to work together with one goal and objective,” added Dover.
“My biggest disappointment in my Football career as a player for Beacons FC, was when the club failed to progress out of the group stage of the CFU Cup, while I was disappointed as a Coach that I couldn’t manage to help Guyana qualify or win a major tournament, despite my success in Suriname,” lamented Dover.
“I love coaching more than playing because it gives me the opportunity to play an important role in the lives of many boys and girls.
This, to me, is most fundamental since the youngsters look to us coaches for guidance, protection, inspiration and love.
We play the role of a father, brother, uncle, preacher, teacher and police officer. I give all those examples because of the differences in the environment and mentality of the player.
I prefer Coaching because as a player it was me as an individual, but with Coaching it’s about part of a generation of boys and girls that falls directly under my care, so that’s what makes it so special to me since it’s about helping to shape so many young lives,” Dover explained.
“In previous years, there was much in-fighting that stagnated the game from growing. This current administration has brought about a calm that has never been before in our football and as such, the other ingredients should be mixed with all the efforts made to move the game rapidly forward towards development which has started already through all the programmes that have been introduced,” Dover said.
“When the GFF made the decision to introduce Jamaal Shabazz into Guyana’s football that was the moment there was a transformation of the National team and me as a coach I learned so much from him. Odinga Lumumba provided me with a huge opportunity when he appointed me Alpha United Coach. This was the closest any club from Guyana operates as a professional outfit. It was an environment any coach would want to be in,” continued Dover.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the entire world but personally, it has affected me because the many boys and girls who look forward to us being with them daily to teach them life skills and values that are missing and it hurts very much not to be able to be there for them,” posited Dover who is married with three children.
“I also remember my assignment by the GFF to provide coaching to the inmates of the Sophia Juvenile Detention Centre. That stint working with the lads there is testimony of the importance of us as Coaches. To me the lasting impact the lads left on me was to see them search for a figurehead to be there for them.
I pass there regularly and when the lads see me they shout out ‘Coachman’ from the windows of their cells which has an emotional effect on me, but I continue to pass so the lads could satisfy their eagerness to see me,” disclosed Dover.
Except for two personal trips, Dover has travelled to 30 Countries while on National duty and said when not involved with the ‘beautiful game’ he enjoys spending time with his family and listening to hard-core Reggie music.
Dennis Browne, Bob and Ziggy Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Sizzla Kolanji being among his favourite artistes.
“The biggest difference between the players in my playing days and before my time was that they were more skilful and committed to the game than players now. That’s a reality and not a criticism and I could safely say so since I am actively involved in both eras,” Dover stated.
Dover’s thoughts on overseas players especially the women, is that the Governing body (FIFA) gives every player an opportunity to play for the Country their grandparents or parents were born in and this has been utilised by many of the more powerful football nations and Guyana.
He is in full support of this because he says the overseas players add depth and strength to the programme.
According to Dover his favourite sportsmen are; Pele, Ronaldo Domingues, George Weah, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chaves, Michael Jordon, Brian Lara and Shiv Chanderpaul and locally Gregory Richardson, Anthony Abrams, Anthony Stanton, Mortimer Stewart, Gordon Braithwaite and the late Shawn Williams.
Dover said some of the best players he has coached are Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson, Anthony Abrams, Nigel Codrington, Charles Pollard, Howard Lowe, Collie Hercules, Randolph Jerome, Ronson Williams and Richard Reynolds, while he added that some of the players to look out for are Omari Glasgow, Marcus Wilson, Derron Niles, Osafa Simpson, Nicholai Andrews, Jemar Harrigan, Darwin George and Nicolas McArthur.
“Dr George Norton gave me the opportunity to become a Coach, while Frank Parris and Lawrence Griffith encouraged me to take the job. Derryck White was the first Coach the first and only local Coach who advised and offered guidance as I embarked on my new football journey,” Dover remembered.
He advised young players to take the game seriously, practice hard, be committed, dedicated, determined and disciplined.
“Football is a vehicle that could drive you to economic prosperity and it all comes through hard work. Those in school focus on your academics and strive to come out on top. There are lots of opportunities for you now, especially since the GFF announced a scholarship Committee to oversee young talented and educated boys and girls for opportunities in prestigious Colleges and Universities throughout North America and the rest of the world. Stay away from violence, crime and drugs and make the sky your limit,” encouraged Dover.
“If I had to live my life over, the approach I would take is to focus more on academics and health. When we are small we kinda take things for granted until we are old enough to understand them differently.
During our youthful days we wanted to play more than anything else. We didn’t even want to eat and when we did it wasn’t as healthy as it should be. The knowledge I gained as I grew older allows me to be more focused and gives me the drive now to advise the youths, including my children on what to do to be successful,” concluded Dover.

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