F.F.B. Hosts Guatemala in Friendly Match
The Football Federation of Belize is hosting a premier league team from Guatemala in a friendly match tonight at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan. That game will be aired later tonight after Mek Mi Rich. The game is part of the buildup to an international match between Belize and the Cayman Islands. With the introduction of a new national selection two weeks ago, we spoke with assistant head coach Charlie Slusher earlier today to find out about the preparations and the status of super striker Deon McCauley on the team.
Via Phone: Charlie Slusher, Assistant Head Coach, Belize National Football Team
“The friendly game is a couple of the games that we have arranged since we are winding down to the official match against Cayman and it’s a team from the Guatemalan side in the Flores, Peten area. It’s a premier league team, one step below the professional level from Guatemala and we will be playing them tonight.”
Isani Cayetano
“This game is scheduled to be played at the F.F.B. Stadium in Belmopan, correct?”
Charlie Slusher
Via Phone: Charlie Slusher
“No. The game will be played at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium tonight because, as you know, we are getting ready for the big game so the field is still being prepared and getting ready for the big game. So we are allowed to use the field but at the same time when it comes to all that the main focus is on getting the field ready for the big match. So tonight we’ll be at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium.”
Isani Cayetano
“I know it’s a friendly match as you’ve mentioned before but what has been the preparation going into this particular football tournament?”
Via Phone: Charlie Slusher
“Well, the preparation has been focusing mostly on our players, understanding the system of play that we have been, we are playing now presently and so, you know, the best way to really see if your players understand their role and responsibility within the system is by playing these types of games. So, you know, as much as the game, the results and all that might be important, the most important factor of this game is to see how our players are executing their roles and responsibilities within the system that we’ll be playing against Cayman.”
Isani Cayetano
“Okay. One of the questions that I’ve been asked to follow up is the noticeable absence of Mr. McCauley, Deon McCauley, from the national team. Are you at liberty to talk about the selection and how that process went about in terms of his exclusion?”
Via Phone: Charlie Slusher
“Well, Mr. Deon McCauley, first of all I can say, is not excluded from the national team. What had happened is that we have a list of forty players and Deon McCauley was one of the first names that was called to the national team for training. Unfortunately, I think Deon McCauley had an operation or something in that behalf that he did not show up for any of the training and so he was not selected for this twenty-three plus three players for this Cayman team but Mr. Deon McCauley is still part of the national team which means that at any given time Mr. McCauley shows up he’ll be able to be activated within the field to play our next game, you know. But he is part of the team, he’s not being excluded.”
CONCACAF released its schedule of games for the Gold Cup competition. Unfortunately, Belize failed to qualify, having been defeated in several outings against other teams within the region last September.
