Teamwork, crowd support needed as Guyana faces Grenada today
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
March 14, 2004
Massive crowd support coupled with cohesive teamwork is necessary if Guyana is to win the second round of the CONCACAF World Cup Football Qualifier against Grenada this afternoon at the Blairmont Community Centre ground.
The task of qualifying, while it might be a Herculean one, is not improbable.
Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Colin Klass is optimistic that Guyana can advance to the next round.
"Once our players are focused and they give what I think they are capable of, I don't see any reason why we should not advance," Klass told Stabroek Sport.
Guyana needs to beat Grenada by six clear goals to advance to the second round where they will meet the United States of America.
Klass said the Grenadians never found out what Guyana are capable of, so we must give ourselves a level playing field.
According to many football supporters, Guyana can beat the visitors once they receive massive support.
"Guyana need to attack the opposition from the start but at the same time, they need to guard against complacency. Not because we are playing at home we should become relaxed," one football fan stated.
Klass opined that should Guyana go out and play positive football "we will come out on top."
Asked about an England-based goalkeeper joining the squad for today's return game, Klass, while he did not disclose the name of the player who had been expected to arrive on Friday evening, said the player had flight problems and could not have made it to Guyana in time for today's match.
Asked who will start between the uprights today, Klass referred Stabroek Sport to Technical Director Neider Dos Santos who is with the local team in Berbice. However, efforts to contact Dos Santos proved futile.
According to previous reports from the GFF, 19-year-old Andrew Durant will be on duty between the uprights since he is the only encamped custodian eligible for selection for the return game. But this, according to some pundits, makes Guyana's chances of reaching the next round of competition more difficult.
First choice keeper, Richard Reynolds, who plays professional football in Suriname is out with a broken hand, which he sustained during a friendly international game against Barbados in Bridgetown, Barbados. Number two choice Marlon Hendricks was red-carded during the first game against Grenada two weeks ago in Grenada and FIFA rules stipulate that Hendricks will have to miss today's return game.
National under-23 keeper Fidel Smith injured his wrist during a practice session and has been sidelined.
Asked why today's game is being staged in Berbice, Klass said "We get a lot of support at Blairmont."
The Grenadian team arrived in Guyana on Friday morning a confident bunch but their team officials have since complained that shabby treatment was meted out to them since their arrival.
The visitors have eight professional players in their squad and the team's coach Ali De Bellotte is confident the team from the Isle of Spice will come out victorious.
Asked about allegations of shabby treatment, Klass said the GFF would first have to investigate before making a public statement.
According to Klass, when the locals went to Grenada for the first leg match, the 24-member team was taken to their hotel with a 26-seater bus while the 24-member Grenadian contingent was taken to their hotel, Palace de Leon, with a 36-seater bus.
Asked if he thought the rooms at the Palace de Leon were suitable for a national team, Klass said, "I think the rooms are adequate since the St Lucians when they were here recently told us that the accommodation was comfortable and suitable," Klass offered.