Latest update December 4th, 2024 2:40 AM
Head Coach Máximo is assuring the nation that the Golden Jaguars would be competitive
By Franklin Wilson
Senior Men’s National Team (SMNT) Head Coach Márcio Máximo (center) along with his Technical Staff chatting with his charges just before the final training session here before departure tomorrow for the Dominican Republic. (Franklin Wilson photo)
Kaieteur News – As the team wrapped up preparations here at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Training Center yesterday afternoon, Head Coach Márcio Máximo is assuring the nation that the ‘Golden Jaguars’ would be very competitive against their two opponents come March 25th and 30th, next.
The team and management will jet off to the Dominican Republic tomorrow where this nation will commence its quest in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign which will act as qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Saint Kitts and Nevis have been drawn in Group F which will kick off next Wednesday with Saint Kitts and Nevis battling Puerto Rico; Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago will face off on Thursday.
Quizzed on whether Guyana has what it takes to be victorious, Máximo said, “What I can guarantee for the Guyanese people is that you will have a competitive team than we ever had. The mix of young players, experienced players, local players and international players is a good combination that would reflect on the pitch.”
He disclosed that his charges will exhibit good tactical discipline and commitment as this has been on display throughout the training that they have been going through since the start of the year.
The ‘Golden Jaguars’ this time around would be faster in transition as compared to their 2019 performance against the ‘Soca Warriors’ when this nation made its debut at the Concacaf Gold Cup in the USA when the two nations drew, 1-1.
The balance of the Guyana team would be maintained when it comes to local and overseas based players whilst maintaining the competitive level of the team, Máximo stated. Whilst there hasn’t been any warm up matches owing to the covid-19 pandemic which has affected every nation, Máximo posited that the sessions they’ve been going through were intense and is confident that the players would respond well on match days.
Even after this first window of qualifying would have been completed, the team would not be resting as training would continue every week.
One of the senior players who have been with the ‘Golden Jaguars’, goalkeeper Akel Clarke in an invited comment at yesterday’s session said that he is confident that the training the team has been undergoing will bring good results.
Clarke, who would have been playing with the Professional Club, Mount Pleasant Football Academy which competes in the Red Stripe Premier League in Jamaica before coming back to join the team here, shared that the level of competitiveness among the players is very high and Guyana will represent come March 25th against T&T.
One of the young players in the squad, Omari Glasgow shared that the training has been exciting for him and he’s grateful to have been given the exposure and opportunity.
The exciting player said that he’s much more confident having been able to rub shoulders with the more seasoned players and has some advice for his peers.
“I would say to keep working hard, stay in school taking in your education and you would be successful some day in life.”
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