30 years and the biggest local football tournament; that is the legacy of Kashif and Shanghai.
Since 1990, the Kashif and Shanghai Organization (K&S) has played a major role in local football, running off arguably one of the most lucrative senior team tournaments. However, this saw a brief intermission in 2015 when the tournament stopped for a number of years.
Kashif Muhammad is flanked by organization partner Aubrey Shanghai Major while engaging media operatives
After just about five years, the infamous organization finally got back in action last week during the ‘Bounce back Football tournament.
Kashif Muhammad spoke on his partner, Aubrey Shanghai Major’s behalf on the anticipated return of the K&S Organization, following the conclusion of the ‘Bounce back football tournament’ which they help to organize alongside the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
According to Muhammad, this second coming is one that himself and his business partner Aubrey Shanghai Major were longing for.
“We were yearning for it for years and Guyana was yearning for it for years and now we got an opportunity to come with the GFF in participation with the MCY&S, that’s an unbeatable team. We got an opportunity to play some football amidst this pandemic that’s taking place and we think we delivered in a relatively good way,” Muhammad shared with this publication.
Flashback! The K&S duo meet football legend Pele
One aspect of the tournament that stood out for Muhammad, was the live broadcast production that was executed in order to keep fans at home tuned in to the action.
He stated, “I was inside the broadcasting booth and I felt like I was part of an ESPN team, how the guys operated. What I was looking at too, on the Ministry’s page, lots of persons were tuned in to look at it and I was satisfied to see that Guyana could’ve delivered a product of that quality.”
As told by K&S, the Bounce back tournament is only the beginning of what the Organization has planned for the near and distant future.
“We’re happy to be back with this whole program and once the pandemic eases and there’s good control over it, this year, God willing, we’re going to be making January 1st great again in Guyana, we’re going to make it really huge and we hope that football can continue to win,” Muhammad revealed.
He further asserted, “Because like the Minister said, like Mr. Forde said, those youngsters are really excited about this opportunity and it was presented to them. Fantastic atmosphere and it’s interesting how we can have look football look like this. I know we’re satisfied and that we’ll continue to make football better and better all the time.”
On the other hand, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr also had high praises for the return of Kashif and Shanghai.
“I’m very, very pleased and proud that the Kashif and Shanghai tournament has returned. I’m very proud to be associated and to be one of the players to have made that happen. Because for anyone who has been following football in Guyana, they know that the tournament was the most successful sports tournament in the country and quite possibly, the region,” the Minister commented
As he continued, the Minister explained the trickle effect that such a lucrative tournament can have, stating, “A lot of young players have used the tournament to advance their careers locally and internationally. Advance their livelihood, advance their welfare, advance their families’ welfare. Those are important things when you think of being able to advance a country.” (Jemima Holmes)
