Announcing that a new Technical Director will be appointed by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in a matter of weeks for at least four years, federation President Wayne Forde yesterday officially kicked off the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) segment of the GFF / NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17 Intra Association League at the Wisburg Secondary School ground.
Six teams including reigning UDFA champions Eagles United will contest for top honours over the ensuing months. Also attending yesterday’s symbolic opening and march-past were UDFA President Sharma Solomon, PRO Vanessa Kissoon who chaired proceedings, National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) Marketing Consultant Affeeze Khan and other UDFA Executive members.
In main remarks to the players from Eagles, Topp XX, Milerock, Silver Shattas, Botofago and Amelia’s Ward Panthers, Forde told the youths that the federation is moving swiftly to appoint a new Technical Director in the coming weeks after Canadian based Guyanese Claude Bolton who held the position previously, resigned earlier this year. Forde noted that the playing of the game is vital and that would be his focus while at the helm. He stated that every player under the sound of his voice was winner whilst complimenting Solomon and his executive for the work they have been doing in the association. Forde informed that the new TD will be tasked with refining a national scouting programme.
“Guyana has been lacking a comprehensive, well-structured scouting programme for many years and that is why you have seen many of our national teams are filled with people other than people from the Linden community and other parts of Guyana.”
The GFF boss noted that football is vibrant in all the administrative regions of Guyana: “The reason we haven’t had representation from Linden and Essequibo and Rupununi is because we haven’t had a comprehensive scouting programme; that is just a few weeks away. So this is encouragement for you to play hard, play well because you’re going to have youth development officers descending at the various venues where this tournament is going to be played to have a very close look at what you are doing.”
Noting that the current players at this level are the future Golden Jaguars, Forde urged the athletes to play hard and be attentive to their coaches whilst also focusing on their techniques. He also informed that in another couple of weeks a massive amount of material would be distributed to the various affiliates of the GFF.
“We want to have equitable distribution of all the materials that we have been able to acquire. Every player would have a ball to their feet in another couple of weeks and that’s where we need to have meaningful development of football. So I give you my word here today and my commitment that the GFF is pursuing a very deliberate and well-structured developmental programme for our youths and our senior footballers, no one is being neglected. The only thing that you have to do is be disciplined, be committed and put in the hard work and I can assure you that you would be recgonised.”
Solomon in his remarks noted that the tournament is not only timely but it is absolutely important and necessary for a sponsor in the form of NAMILCO sees it fit to invest in the prime assets of the sport, the youths.
The UDFA head also congratulated the GFF for recognising the need to move in this direction while he also made a pitch to other corporate entities to follow the lead of NAMILCO and invest in youths.
“We will continue to invest in our young people as we recognise that to promote football there is no better investment than the youth programme for the GFF and we want to play our part.”
Khan lauded the efforts of the GFF under Forde and the UDFA for ensuring the tournament got underway. He noted that NAMILCO has always been committed to investing in Guyana’s youth and that they have not only been doing so in football but in other sports over many years. He encouraged the players to give of their best and strive to be disciplined on and off the field of play whilst aiming to represent Guyana in the near future.
Action yesterday kicked off with Topp XX taking on Milerock whilst Eagles United opposed Silver Shattas; details of those matches in another edition.
Source: K/NEWS by Franklin Wilson