Local players deserve respect; the GFF’s next move will tell all

Nov 21, 2025 Sports

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Hear Me Out…

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur Sports – It will be interesting to see how the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) addresses what may become one of the most delicate and defining situations within our senior men’s programme in recent years.

The issue at hand is not tactics, formations, or even results. Rather, it concerns alleged comments made by newly appointed Head Coach Thomas Dooley, who has reportedly insulted both the local league and several locally-based players during the team’s recent outing at their Friendly matches in Antigua and Barbuda.

According to reports from sections of the media, and confirmed in conversations I’ve had with several players, Dooley made it clear that the KFC GFF Elite League is not of a standard he is comfortable selecting from. The players claim the coach bluntly told them that the league is too weak, and by extension, so are they.

To be fair, I’ve written several columns addressing the quality of the Elite League. For the past two seasons, since Slingerz Football Club returned, only five teams—Slingerz FC, the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Police Force, Western Tigers, and Santos—have sustained anything resembling high-level football.

Even former Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz has echoed similar sentiments, noting that these five clubs are essentially carrying the league.

But the current issue goes beyond critiquing the league. It strikes at the dignity of the players representing Guyana.

There is genuine concern about how locally-based footballers are being treated within the national setup, and this is where the GFF must act decisively.

Despite beginning his tenure with positive results, a 2–1 victory over Bonaire and a commanding 4–1 win against Antigua and Barbuda, Dooley’s alleged comments cast a shadow over those achievements, especially since he hardly used the locally-based players on the squad.

Winning matches does not give any coach the right to demean players who, despite limited resources and opportunities, continue to answer the national call.

The GFF, for its part, has acknowledged receiving reports from the team’s management. They have stated that domestic players were subjected to harsh criticism by the head coach during a team meeting.

The Federation also affirmed that they take such matters seriously and demand the highest professional standards throughout the national programme. Upon the team’s return to Guyana, they intend to launch a formal investigation, promising every party a fair and equal opportunity to be heard.

That’s the right step, but it must be more than a procedural one.

The GFF says it is committed to fostering a respectful and professional environment across all national teams. For that commitment to mean anything, the Federation must determine whether Dooley’s alleged statements violate the spirit of that environment. And if they do, they must decide whether he is the man to lead the programme forward.

I’ve heard coaches at every level criticize players, that’s part of the job. But what I’ve never heard is a national coach telling locally-based players that they do not belong in the team.

These are players who are already at a disadvantage. They play in a system with limited developmental pathways, minimal financial support, and a league whose competitive edge is dulled by imbalance and inconsistent standards. Only a handful of clubs pay players consistently, and the league’s prize purse is an insult in itself.

Given those realities, national selection is one of the few remaining incentives that keep these players motivated. When a coach walks into the programme and effectively tells them they have no future because he prefers players from overseas, it is disrespectful and destructive.

The GFF cannot allow this kind of culture to take root. And the players? They must also evaluate their worth.

Patriotism is admirable, but it should not require them to absorb humiliation. If a coach has already decided they do not belong, and has said so openly, they need to consider whether their continued participation serves any purpose beyond filling numbers at training.

My advice to Guyana’s locally-based players? weigh your options. You already struggle for playing time internationally, and now the coach reportedly believes you’re not good enough at all. Do not ignore that reality. Whatever decision the GFF ultimately makes regarding Dooley should guide your next step.

Whether it results in his continuation or his dismissal, this moment should force a broader conversation about respect, development, and the long-term vision for Guyanese football.

Because if the national programme cannot value its own players, then we have a much deeper problem than any coach’s comment.

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• Football Federation, KFC GFF Elite, police force, Rawle Toney, Thomas Dooley, Western Tigers

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