Three players suspended from national football team
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
July 7, 2002
The Guyana Football Federation's tough stance on indiscipline has resulted in three players being suspended yesterday from the senior national squad now encamped at the YWCA in Brickdam.
Strikers Nigel Codrington and Dexter `Dribbler' Bentick and goalkeeper Marlon Hendricks were suspended indefinitely from the 21-member squad after failing to turn up for the 5.30am practice session yesterday morning.
A source close to the team said that the coaching staff comprising of no-nonsense head coach Joseph `Bill' Wilson, his assistant Adrian Forde and Cornel Millington, met after the practice and decided to suspend the players.
According to the source, Hendricks is a first time offender while Bentick and Codrington have been in problems during previous national camps.
It is alleged that Codrington AKA 'Powers' recently walked out of the present camp in order to play in the final of the Sonic Boom/Road Warriors Five-A-Side Inter-Ward final at the National Gymnasium.
"The message that is being sent is that no form of indiscipline would be tolerated. Those who cannot cope with the level of discipline would be shipped out," the source said.
In recent time a high level of indiscipline has rocked local football which forced the GFF to put measures in place to stamp out the trend. The seniors are preparing for CONCACAF Gold Cup preliminary action which will see Guyana taking on the Netherland Antilles in their opening game scheduled for July 28 in the Dutch Island.
The return game is slated for Guyana. The local squad has been strengthened by the arrival of middle back, Howard Lowe and striker Randolph `Blackhead' Jerome.
Jerome and Lowe arrived yesterday from Trinidad and Tobago where they play in the professional league. The two will join the squad tomorrow.
Midfielder Jermine Browne, who plays for Robin Hood in Suriname, has indicated that he will be in Guyana after Sunday.
National captain Charles `Lily' Pollard, a starter with San Juan Jabloteh in the Trinidad professional league, will join the local side when they tour the Twin Island Republic later this month.
Meanwhile, the source acknowledged that striker Collie Hercules has blended in well with the squad and is "very" co-operative. "Hercules is always ready to share his knowledge and assist when ever he could," the source disclosed.
Hercules and Matthew `Assassin' Pollard were late entries to the squad.