World Cup football qualifiers
National seniors could be looking at extra time
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
January 28, 2004
The senior national football squad may get extra time to prepare for the opening round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers as Guyana's opening game against Grenada is likely to be pushed back.
Guyana is scheduled to play Grenada on February 28, but reports reaching Stabroek Sports state that authorities on the Spice Island have contacted the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) requesting a shift in date.
Stabroek Sports understands that the match will now be played on either March 7 or March 14. An official of the GFF said one reason given for the requested postponement is that an international cricket game will be held on the island on February 28.
The official said the postponement of the first game of a home-and-away tie is likely to affect the return game scheduled for Guyana on March 31.
"If they postpone the game there then we may have to shift our match here to some time in April," the official, who requested anonymity, said. Confirmation on the postponement of the opening game is expected by weekend.
When contacted, Technical Director Neider Dos Santos was excited about the development. He explained that Grenada has already started preparing for the competition and will host a friendly international against Barbados on Saturday, which he is expected to attend.
Dos Santos said pushing back the opening game would give the time-constrained national squad a longer period to prepare. "This is very good news to me.
It will be much better. If it is pushed back then we will have time to prepare. At present, we only have one month. Another half of a month will come in good. This is good news.
"We will be working very hard on fitness and should have our first local practice game by next weekend," the technical director added.
The Brazilian is also looking forward to a possible showdown with Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly international before taking on Grenada. "Trinidad is supposed to play Brazil in a friendly.
I think that after that we may get a chance to play them. They (Trinidad) are a very strong team. It will do us good if we get a chance to play them."
The Trinidad Football Federation has advised the GFF that they would not be ready for a match against Guyana until after February 18.
The national squad of 26 players was encamped at the Buxton Community Centre on Monday.