Joseph completes successful stint as Lady Jags Head Coach

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) extended its gratitude to Dr Ivan Joseph on Saturday as he concluded a successful four-year tenure in charge of the senior women’s national team.
Joseph, who took up the post on a voluntary basis in 2018, made great strides in moving the women’s programme forward despite significant challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

His efforts resulted in an impressive 66- per cent win ratio with the senior and U-20 women’s teams in international competitions.
“We are deeply grateful for the unwavering commitment, professionalism, and humility that Dr Joseph brought to this role,” said GFF President Wayne Forde. “We are delighted with the progress the Lady Jags made during his memorable tenure. His achievements have created the foundations for Guyana to become a true powerhouse of women’s football in the Caribbean region in the coming years.
“The conclusion of the Lady Jags’ 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification campaign brought an end to a remarkable cycle in the women’s programme. We must now build on this as we plan for a new cycle and a brighter future,” Forde added.
The Lady Jags performed admirably in the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship qualification rounds – the first step towards the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup – finishing second in a tough qualification group featuring Trinidad and Tobago and Nicaragua. The Jags were just seconds away from reaching the CONCACAF W Championship in their final qualifier in Trinidad and Tobago before the hosts scored a last-gasp equaliser to snatch the group’s only qualification spot.
Joseph, who brought more than two decades of experience in high-performance coaching and athletics administration to the role, thanked the GFF for the opportunity to play a part in the development of football in the country of his birth.
“I am disappointed that the GFF has elected to move in a different direction with the leadership of the women’s football programme,” said Joseph, who serves as Vice President of student affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada. “However, I am extremely proud of the efforts and performance our Lady Jags have accomplished during our tenure. Coaching the U-20 ladies to the final eight in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers and our recent near miss in getting to the final eight of the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup qualifiers are results our staff and team are proud of accomplishing,” he added.
“A special thank you to the domestic based players and local coaches who have elevated the women’s game to a significant level in Guyana over a very short time,” he said. “The best is yet to come.”