For the first time in Guyana’s football history, the senior men’s team were exposed to a new piece of technology that is expected to enhance the players’ performance and make the analytical aspect of their performance much easier for the coaches and technical staff.
Several members of the Golden Jaguars team pose for a photo after testing the new equipment
The heart rate monitors were tested out by the team during their “Train and Play” camp, which is being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Each player was equipped with the monitor during an internal match at the team’s training base of Estadio Municipal Jose Maria De Brito Barros.
Head Coach of the national team who are fondly known as the Golden Jaguars, Michael Johnson, explained the particulars of the gadget and its functions, stating: “They were little gadgets that went into the back of a special vest, which basically monitor all the footsteps of the players, so we can start to work on the distance being covered by the player in the game. It also tells us the high-intensity runs, how many sprints each player does, so now we can start to see what they are actually doing.”
Furthermore, it was disclosed that the monitoring instrument would also be able to give a different perspective on key positions in the game, in relation to what distance a defender or a midfielder was expected to cover during their time of play.
“It doesn’t rule out decisions, but it influences how we choose to do the next day’s training and also how we motivate players to be a lot fitter and stronger. So, it gives us a great tool to analyse a player’s performance; it gives us a great tool to see what the team is doing collectively over 90 minutes of game.”
Following the internal match, which ended with the score locked at 1-1, the Head Coach gave a brief recap of the day’s activities. “Things went really well on Tuesday; the first day on Monday was tough and intensive, so was the morning when we had a game that allowed the staff to see what the players are all about and it was a really good game,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago-based Sheldon Holder and Canada-based defender Jelani Smith also joined the encampment in Brazil.
