National selectors shun Hercules
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
June 18, 2002
The national football selectors have turned a blind eye to striker Collie Hercules and did not include the temperamental player in a senior squad in a 23-man squad picked to prepare for upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup preliminaries.
The selectors have gone for youth in their selection of the five man strike squad which included Gregory Richardson, a fleet-footed Dellon `Satan' Glenn and Romel Forde.
Hercules is at home and recently returned to competition when Topp XX played a Dutch side last month.
The striker, along with five other members of the Topp XX football club was slapped with a six-month ban by the Guyana Football Federation after behaving rowdy following the conclusion of semi-final game of the last Kashif and Shanghai competition.
However, Hercules, one of a handful of local footballers with professional experience, and his team mates were successful when they appealed after serving two thirds of the ban.
A regular on previous national teams, Hercules played for Doc's Khelwalaas before moving to San Juan Jabloteh in the Trinidad and Tobago professional league but opted not to return to the Twin Island Republic this year.
Skilful midfielder Kayode McKinnon and goalkeeper Richard Reynolds, who were serving the same ban as Hercules, have been included in the Gold Cup squad.
Public Relations Officer of the GFF Franklyn Wilson told Stabroek Sport yesterday that a team made up of Cornel Millington, who was recently named national coach, Joseph `Bill' Wilson, Dereck `Slight' Whyte and Desmond Alfred were responsible for naming the squad.
Practice sessions commence tomorrow at the GFC ground and players who do not reside in Georgetown will be encamped the same day at the Prairie Apartments in Queens Street, Kitty. Players who reside in the city commence encampment from month end, Wilson said.
Guyana play its first Gold Cup elimination game against Netherland Antilles on July 28. A press release from the GFF stated that a number of practice matches against teams representing Sub Associations are planned.
The first is on Sunday against the Berbice Sub Association.
The squad selected is: Goalkeepers: Marlon Hendricks, Richard Reynolds and Osmond Juene. Defenders: Neville Stanton, Adrian Reid, Abassy McPherson, Orville Bobb, Shad Fernandes, Seon Prince, Sherlock Dowding and Anthony Harding. Midfielders: Leslie Holligan, Carl Cole, Kayode McKinnon, Jermaine Alleyne, Chaves Hescott, Eron Hayde and Cleon Griffith. Strikers: Nigel Codrington, Romel Forde, Dellon Glenn, Dexter Bentick and Gregory Richardson.