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The stagnation of domestic football

Aug 17, 2024 Letters, Sports

Dear Editor,

On Thursday July 25, 2024, the Stabroek News reported that the Golden Jaguars, Guyana’s national football team dropped one point in the FIFA World ranking from 153 to 154. This is sad, and it reeks of a sympathetic gesture.  You want to know how backwards football went under the Wayne Forde administration, well if you are reading this, simply try to name one national team football player? If you passed that test, name a locally born domestic player on the senior men’s national team? Most Guyanese will have to search Google to get the answers to both questions, and well the names of such persons should be household names just as we can name local cricketers. Those who get both correct are likely employed by the GFF, coaching or involved in football administration at some level.

What we are witnessing in local football is the lack of vision, acceptable only because the alternative could mean a return to the days of questionable football administration, governance and accounting. With the level of resources at their disposal, it’s a travesty that successive Wayne Forde administrations have failed to add real structure, organization, competition and excitement to football. And while the GFF is swift to rattle off its achievements, the real question is what is behind the failure of these achievements to produce a formidable national product? When you dig deep enough, you will understand that Wayne Forde is a politician and tactician.  For him, it is about self-preservation. Unfortunately, this has caused stagnation in domestic football.

A case in point. The senior men’s national team has had at least three different coaches. Why? How many alumni meaningfully engage with the team and domestic development. The average Guyanese could tell you more about the English Premier League, the senior men’s national team and how domestic football is organized, save for some tournaments. Another example, despite the sizable amount of resources the GFF receives from FIFA, it still depends on corporate donations and sponsorships to stay afloat? What are the reasons for this? Why has this been sensibly addressed?

In the same Stabroek News article, it was revealed that “Guyana in 2024 boasts a record of two wins and four losses. Guyana defeated Cambodia 4-1 and Belize 3-1, but suffered defeats against Cape Verde [0-1], Trinidad and Tobago [1-2, 0-2], and Panama [0-2].” Some may say the victories against Belize and Cambodia were convincing, but a closer examination reveals that Cambodia is ranked 180 and Belize 183 in the FIFA World Rankings. Meaning, if you think Guyana is bad, these teams are much worse. Also, Guyana lost 4 matches in 2024, in 3 of these matches, the team failed to score a goal; they scored one goal in the 4 defeats. This is telling! One off achievements is not the same thing as progress.

Guyana needs a proper matriculation system that’s both inter and intra-regional. But most of all, organized domestic football needs leadership that understands and is capable of growing the business of football to grow the game. Imagine, in this day and age, Regional Member Associations depend on the GFF for financial resources and playing equipment. Without the GFF Secretariat financial support, these associations would cease to exist.  But that is not the only issue, in such a situation, it becomes easy to exert influence.

Regards,

Michael Anthony-Sealy

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