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‘Golden Jaguars’ head to St. Kitts today after Antigua camp; Máximo happy with commitment being shown
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Qatar 2022…
By Franklin Wilson in Antigua with the compliments of the GFF and Industrial Safety Supplies Inc.
New ‘Golden Jaguars’ Captain Matthew Briggs (left) leads his charges as they getwarmed up on Monday night at the Antigua and Barbuda FA Facility. (Franklin Wilson photo)
‘Golden Jaguars’ training on Monday night in Antigua. (Franklin Wilson photo)
Head Coach Márcio Máximo (right) and Technical Director Ian Greenwood chatting before Monday evenings training. (Franklin Wilson photo)
Kaieteur News – Having arrived in Antigua and Barbuda on Saturday last for a brief period of encampment, the ‘Golden Jaguars’ will leave the island today for St. Kitts & Nevis ahead of Friday’s crucial FIFA World Qualifying match against the host nation which is leading Group F to be followed by their final group match against Puerto Rico on June 8th.
Guyana’s Senior Men’s National Team (SMNT) are aiming to win both matches which will bring an end to this round of qualifying with the group winner set to advance, Trinidad being the other team in this group.
The Guyanese players commenced training on Sunday evening at the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association FIFA Forward Project Artificial Turf and concluded last evening at the same venue.
Sessions were intense on the field as well as off the field with daily tactical sessions taking place inclusive of videos and board work. The Technical staff also met with their charges individually and as groups, defenders, midfielders, forwards and goalkeepers.
Guyana Football Federation (GFF) SMNT Head Coach Márcio Máximo disclosed that he has seen great improvement by his charges on a daily basis.
“Of course every training session would have mistakes that you should fix, it’s a natural process but we are very happy with the commitment of the players with each other. They have been putting lots of energy and effort in the training despite the line because we clarified that no one has a guaranteed seat. Everybody should prove on the pitch that they have the capacity be in the lineup.”
He pointed out that the atmosphere of the sessions has been very competitive and healthy with the players doing their best for the team.
“Even young players that with their first appearance in the national team haven’t been shy and have given their best and I think we are going in the right direction as we seek to professionalise the way we do things.”
Coach Máximo posited that the two matches will present two nations who play different styles and it is the job of his Technical Staff to work out strategies that will take care of business.
“We need to prepare for each because St. Kitts and Puerto Rico have two different styles but we will prepare for both. We are very confident that we will do the best to get the desired results. I don’t believe that you can perform well in games without good training as well as good atmosphere inside and outside the training pitch.
What I see here is that everybody is helping each other not inside the pitch only but even outside the pitch. They share ideas, we have tactical meetings every morning to explain and discuss our mistakes in the last training session, so I think that we have an excellent unit here and we will do well.”
He also alluded to the fact that the National Programme that the GFF has instituted through Technical Director Ian Greenwood, the Academy Training Centers have impacted positively with a number of young talented players coming to the fore.
“It has provided us with a lot of young local players and they need players that come to add not only in the pitch but off the pitch as well.”
Training will continue for the team in St. Kits this afternoon with the same intensity, Máximo stated. He also said Friday’s match would be tough as the home team boasts many English based players.
“I think it would be a tough game but an intense one for us but of course we go to the pitch with hope to get a good result. In football you should respect your opponent but we promise to be competitive as usual.”
Friday’s match will kick off at 16:00hrs.
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