CONCACAF Nations League 2023/2024: “Necessary for the next level”

– Golden Jaguars players rate addition of strength
& conditioning coach

Guyana’s Senior Men’s National Football Team have had lots of tedious work to do in preparation for the CONCACAF Nations League of 2023/2024.
And with introduction of Strength and Conditioning Coach Riedoh Berdien, intensity in the Guyana camp has been amplified. From the players’ perspective, midfielder Curtez Kellman says the move is necessary to take the Golden Jaguars to the next level.
“It has been good thus far, you know. Today, as you guys can see, it was very intense, and this is the work and the preparation that is needed to execute at the next level. And obviously Riedoh, the fitness trainer that came in from South Africa, he’s a tremendous trainer. We’re working with him putting in the work, (and) we’re seeing results thus far,” Kellman shared exclusively with this publication.

Kellman, along with forward Kelsey Benjamin, went on to share how adjustment to the new routines has been for the team. The Midfielder explained, “We are transitioning to the next level, and we know that if we are to reach at the highest level, we need to get somebody who has the qualification to get us at the next level, and Riedoh is that guy. We’ve seen from the previous set of camps that the work we put in with him has paid off. We had tremendous results, and being here with us to work with our team full time, it will help us in the long run.”
On the other hand, Benjamin stated, “To be honest, it’s a new level that we’re at right now, and the guys them aren’t accustomed to this work, but Riedoh giving we a lot of working, and it helping the team a lot in terms of fitness and going forward.
“At the end of the day, in football you need fitness cause you got to run, and Riedoh is doing a good job at the moment,” the forward added.
Benjamin has expressed confidence that Berdien’s addition will pay dividends in the upcoming international fixtures.
“I feel we will do well in terms of the fitness, cause it’s a lot of running; but if you want to win the game, you have to run, so it will come in handy,” Benjamin opined.
The National Team are billed to play their first two CONCACAF Nations League 2023/2024 fixtures on September 9 and 12, against Antigua and Barbuda and the Bahamas in away and home games respectively. (Jemima Holmes)