Letter to the Editor: Guyana football at a crossroads again: On continuity, experience, and risk

The departure of the current Guyana National Senior Men’s Head Coach marks yet another moment where the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has to decide what it values more: short-term fixes, or building something sustainable.
This isn’t the first time we’ve been here.
In 2024, the Federation overlooked the sitting Interim Head Coach, Wayne Dover, after a six-game stint that produced four wins, including victories over Barbados and Guatemala, and a 3-0 win over Montserrat in World Cup qualifying. Instead, Thomas Dooley was appointed. Nine months later, Dooley has resigned.
That’s the pattern; overlook continuity, bring in an external name, and restart the cycle before any real foundation is set.
Now, reports suggest the Federation is considering appointing Second Assistant Coach Marco Bonofiglio as Interim Head Coach. The concern isn’t about Marco as a person; the concern is about the precedent.
Appointing someone with no prior experience managing a senior men’s team at club or country level, at this stage of the nation’s League and Gold Cup cycles, is a significant risk. Senior international football is not a place for on-the-job training. The players, the staff, and the fans deserve a setup where the Head Coach has already managed the pressures, politics, and preparation that come with senior men’s football.
Guyana doesn’t lack talent. What we keep lacking is consistency in leadership and respect for the work that’s already been done. Overlooking a coach who delivered results and then rushing into another unproven appointment only creates instability for the players.
If the goal is to qualify for a World Cup and compete seriously in CONCACAF, then appointments should be made on track record, not convenience. The Federation has an opportunity now to break the cycle. The question is whether it will take it.

Football enthusiast