Olympic footballers wing out to Costa Rica
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
November 14, 2003
THE National Under-23 team left yesterday for the away match of the Olympic football second round qualifiers against hosts Costa Rica that could open doors for local players.
Technical Director Neider Dos Santos selected three strikers for the match with the fourth, Elton Browne, ruled out because of injury.
“One substitute striker is enough. It is very unlikely that both strikers would get injured,” Dos Santos told Chronicle Sport before the team departed from the Guyana Football Federation secretariat in Bel Air Park.
But the technical director was quick to point out that the fewer number of strikers meant a totally defensive stand.
“We cannot go the match only to defend,” Dos Santos said.
Senior striker Gregory Richardson promised to put two goals in the net, indicating that he learnt from the Trinidad & Tobago match not to bother with referees.
GFF president Colin Klass had a pep talk with the touring party before they left for the airport just after midday.
Klass later told Chronicle Sport: “I don’t hold our team in having any inability in going forward. Once our players perform at the level they are capable of then we can get that victory.”
The GFF boss said that the players had the opportunity of showcasing Guyana’s football talent, pointing out that many people before spoke of local talent but it was not seen outside our shores.
“We have not produced evidence to the world that our players have talent. Now, there is clear evidence that the talent is growing with the performance of this team so far,” Klass said.
Klass said that even a draw would signal a floodgate for our players to have opportunities in the wider football world.
“That would be one of the greatest things football would experience here,” Klass declared.
The match will be played tomorrow at midday, Costa Rican time, about 14:00 hours Guyana time.
On the following Sunday, the return leg will be staged at the Blairmont Community Centre ground, where Guyana would hope to capitalise on a close finish in Costa Rica.