The Golden Jaguars will begin their CONCACAF Nations League campaign next Saturday against Antigua and Barbuda
Twelve local players and 11 foreign-based players will be tasked with giving Guyana’s senior men’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars, their dream start to the CONCACAF Nations League 2023/2024.
The 23-member Golden Jaguars Team are gearing up for their first match in the 2023/2024 CONCACAF Nations League Group Stage against Antigua and Barbuda, and Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz has expressed confidence in his team’s preparations over the last few weeks.
The squad, including two crowd favourites: 19-year-old Chicago Fire Football Club forward Omari Glasgow and 23- year-old Queen’s Park Rangers midfielder Stephen Duke McKenna, were revealed on Friday, September 1. Coach Shabazz has chosen three goalkeepers, ten defenders, five midfielders, and five forwards to kick-start Guyana’s CNL.
According to the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), training for players based in Guyana has been intense over the last few weeks with the addition of South African Fitness Coach Riedoh Berdien, who worked alongside Shabazz and Assistant Head Coach Wayne Dover.
“The guys at home responded well to the work put in by our staff, especially the methods employed by our Fitness Coach Riedoh Berdien,” Shabazz has shared. He added that “a couple lads fought their way into the squad”.
Following impressive performances in the recently concluded Guyana Football Federation (GFF) KFC Elite League, Coach Shabazz gave the nod to midfielder Ryan ‘Boom Boom’ Hackett and defender Amos Ramsay of the Guyana Defence Force Football Club, and Santos Football Club midfielder Darron Niles.
Notably missing from the team are three of the most experienced players: Neil Danns, who recently retired; Emery Welshman, who is in pre-retirement; and Sam Cox, who has temporarily joined the Golden Jaguars coaching staff.
“This places responsibility on the likes of Omari Glasgow, Jeremy Garrett, Duke McKenna, Daniel Wilson and Elliot Bonds to show more leadership,” an unfazed Shabazz has emphasised.
The team reads as follows: Goalkeepers – Quillan Roberts, Kai McKenzie-Lyle and Akel Clarke; Defenders – Jeremy Garrett, Curtez Kellman, Jalen Jones, Marcus Wilson, Colin Nelson, Leo Lovell, Raushan Ritch, Liam Gordon, Miguel Scarlet and Amos Ramsey.
Midfielders – Daniel Wilson, Stephen Duke-McKenna, Darren Niles, Ryan Hackett and Elliott Bonds.
Forwards – Omari Glasgow, Kadell Daniel, Deon Moore, Kelsey Benjamin and Connor Kurran-Browne.
Guyana has been drawn in Group D of League B, along with Antigua and Barbuda, Puerto Rico, and Bahamas.
League B’s sixteen national teams are divided into four groups of four teams. Each team will play every other team in their group, home and away, for six matches per team. The first and second-placed finishers of each group would advance to the Quarterfinals.
With a strong squad in place to face the Antigua challenge, the Golden Jaguars are motivated and focused on advancing to the next round.
“Our ambition is to win the group, so picking up points away from home against Antigua is vital. The ability to block out outside influences and pull together and gel as a team with one dream will shape the results.
“We face this away game with full respect to Antigua, but courage and confidence in our team,” Coach Shabazz shared.
As such, the GFF has moved to encourage Guyanese at home and abroad to support the Golden Jaguars as they aim to make their mark in the CONCACAF Nations League.
The Golden Jaguars’ opening match against Antigua and Barbuda starts at 15:30hrs local time at the Antigua & Barbuda Technical Centre in St. John’s.
