Striker Hercules gets delayed call-up to national squad
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
June 29, 2002
CRITICISM for excluding striker Collie `Hitman’ Hercules from the national football squad has finally taken its toll on the national selectors who yesterday called up the Lindener.
General Secretary of the Guyana Football Federation George Rutherford confirmed yesterday that correspondence that would clear the way for Hercules’ inclusion was on its way to the mining town.
It was the second time within the week that the selectors increased the size of the squad after the inclusion of Matthew `Assassin’ Pollard, another Lindener, on Monday.
No reason was given for the latest U-turn but one observer reasoned that good sense prevailed. "It is always good to admit a blunder and if possible correct the error. By calling up Mr. Hercules the selectors have done both," the observer said.
On Thursday, president of the Upper Demerara Football Federation Kashif Muhammed intensified the attempt to have Hercules on the squad when he wrote GFF president Colin Klass declaring surprise at the non-inclusion of the striker.
"No good reason has been given for Mr. Hercules’ exclusion. Indeed I doubt that any good reason exists," the letter stated.
"Mr. Hercules is a Lindener, indeed one of the finest footballing talents that Linden has produced. In this context I found it particularly significant that the sub-association was not consulted in the matter of the selection of the national football team. Decency demanded that the "mining town" have a say in the selection process," Mohammed declared.
"The GFF has a duty to make public its reasons for excluding Mr. Hercules from the national team.
More importantly, rather than pursue a policy of "cutting its nose to spoil its face, the GFF must give urgent consideration to setting aside its earlier decision and include Mr. Hercules in the national team without further delay," Mohammed’s letter concluded.
The selectors were chided for leaving out Hercules and fellow striker Pollard from the 23-man squad called to trials for the upcoming Gold Cup preliminaries.
Pollard, who was the top goal scorer in the Federation Cup and the last league run by the Upper Demerara Football Sub Association and Hercules who played for San Juan Jabloteh in the Trinidad professional league were mysteriously sidelined in favour of an inexperienced strikeline.
Meanwhile, the national squad will be encamped from this evening at the YWCA on Brickdam. Joseph `Bill’ Wilson has been named head coach.