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VIDEO: GEORGETOWN, Guyana - In order for Guyana to continue making a positive impression on the international stage, its players need to compete daily at the highest level possible. With a pair of World Cup qualifiers against El Salvador over the next eight days, the Golden Jaguars know that they can depend on squad members playing with and against the best in the region through the CONCACAF Champions League.
Team captain Chris Nurse, striker Gregory Richardson, Walter Moore, Aubrey David and Trayon Bobb have all been involved in meaningful Champions League action in recent weeks, as they prepare to join their team mates ahead of Friday's qualifier in San Salvador.
Moore, David and Bobb play for Trinidad Pro League side Caledonia AIA, which is coached by Jamaal Shabazz, who also happens to be the Guyana chief.
In three Champions League games thus far, Caledonia has lost twice to the Seattle Sounders (3-1 on both occasions) and played Honduras' Marathon to a scoreless draw.Moore and David appeared in all three games, while Bobb started and played 57 minutes in the opener in Seattle.
Nurse and Richardson are plying their trades with the Puerto Rico Islanders, who lost their first two games -- both on the road -- to Isidro Metapan (3-1) and the LA Galaxy (4-0).
Richardson, though, has enjoyed particularly successful moments over the years in the Champions League.He has six career goals in the competition and is best known for scoring a hat-trick against the New England Revolution in 2008 as a member of Trinidad's Joe Public.
"For Guyana players it is good exposure, since apart from the qualifiers, the CONCACAF Champions League is highest level of football in the region," said Shabazz."Along with some of the experienced guys, youngsters such as Colin Edwards, Sheldon Holder and Colin Nelson are also being exposed to the atmosphere of these matches and this can only benefit the country and the individuals' development."
Shabazz, however, is looking beyond today and is attentive to the long-term future of football in Guyana.
"Too much emphasis is placed on competition, we need more emphasis on development," said the Trinidad-born coach."We have got to answer the question where is our next generation going to come from and put things in place to ensure they get the necessary exposure that would equip them to play at the CONCACAF level more often in the future."
Development takes time, patience and resources.The 49-year-old realizes that considerable support is required to reach his objectives.
"Our youth teams have never qualified for CONCACAF level and although our senior team is their now, based on the results versus these higher level teams, we see that a huge gap still exists, between us and the best teams at senior level.
"The challenge is to bridge gap and this can only be done on a collective basis."
Guyana and Shabazz will look to continue that project, together, in El Salvador on Friday.
