“Mental approach” important as Shabazz whips Slingerz into shape

The Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Club Shield is quickly approaching, and the local team, Slingerz Football Club, is working day in and day out to rise to the challenge in Trinidad and Tobago.
In a recent chat with this publication, Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz detailed the new additions to the squad which are geared at strengthening every position against the regional competition.
However, the task at hand is to get the players to gel, and especially following two losses in knockout competition finals, mental preparedness is another aspect being closely looked at by the coach.

Shabazz told Guyana Times Sport exclusively, “When we look at the knockouts that we played here and we look at the cockiness of the guys, you know, I think that humility, but the right mental approach. It’s one thing to have talent, but talent in football is promised bricks; you cannot build a house on promised bricks.”
“This is a challenge for us, but we getting it into them; the right mental approach. Because playing 1:30 in the hot sun has very little to do with talent, and it has everything to do with being able to withstand tough conditions and challenges. That’s why we train at 1:30.”
“I was impressed that we were here for it, and we’re going to continue to do sessions like that to work mainly on the mental aspect of the game,” Shabazz further noted.
Shabazz went on to discuss the homework he’s done on his team’s opponents, which include SWA Sharks Football Club (FC) out of Turks and Caicos Islands and Prison Service out of Trinidad and Tobago, once they advance to the Round of 16.
“We have been collecting video data on some of the teams, but we also know that a lot of the teams also strengthen up for this tournament,” the gaffer shared. “So, basically, we look at patterns on the opponent, and we know they’ll be looking at our patterns too.”
He diverged, “More importantly, I think the focus is on us and how we approach things and how we see our work on behalf of the Guyanese people. This is a huge statement for Guyana if we could come out of this group and advance to the next stage, and this is what really it is about.”
“At this point, having players from other countries, it’s just like the CPL. Amazon Warriors carry the spirit of Guyana, same ways Slingerz FC is carrying the hopes, aspiration and spirit of the Guyanese people,” Shabazz expressed candidly.
Quizzed about what their success at the CFU Club Shield would mean to the renowned Coach and his team, Shabazz dropped some hints on the trajectory of his career.
The Slingerz Head Coach responded, “To qualify out of the CFU stage, it would be a good way for me to exit the pitch in Guyana football and make way for young and upcoming coaches and maybe just be an advisor or a fly on the wall, just listening and helping along the way.”
“It is a chance for me to give back something to this beautiful country that has given me an opportunity since 2005 that I never got before. And I’m really, really proud and ready to give back to Guyana in every possible way, and this is a start,” he went on to hint.
The CFU Club Shield is scheduled for July 23 to August 2 in the Twin Island Republic. The clubs in the 22-team competition will be vying for two available spots in the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup.