The Jaguars are Back! They Host Grenada on Thursday
The members of the national a selection team were introduced to the media. The group is a mix of well known footballers such as Ian Gaynair, Woodrow West, Dalton Eiley and Deon McCaulay. But there are also some new blood recruited from football clubs from across the country. The team will test its mettle against Spice Boyz, a visiting team from Grenada. The Football Federation of Belize is expressing confidence in the new lineup. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Today at the Marion Jones Stadium Conference Room in Belize City, the Football Federation of Belize introduced some twenty-three players that will form the national ‘A’ team, the Belize Jaguars who will compete in the new regional tournament, the CONCACAF Nations League, which commences in September and is the qualifier for the 2019 Gold Cup. Among the newly reconstructed team post the 2017 elections are veterans and newcomers to the national team, although all very talented in the sport.
Phillip Marin
Phillip Marin, Technical Director, F.F.B.
“We have two international players and twenty-one based local players. The international players we have Woodrow West currently playing in Honduras. We have Michael Salazar currently playing in the U.S.A and the other twenty-one players are from the different clubs here in Belize, the Premiere League of Belize. From Freedom Fighters, we have goal keeper Keron Rosa, Defense player Kyle Flowers. From Bandits: goalkeeper Shane Orio, midfielder Norman Anderson, midfielder Elroy Smith, defense Ian Gaynair, defense Dalton Eiley. From Verdes, midfield Najib Guerra, defense Victor Mejia, midfielder Denmark Casey, forward Jarret Davis, midfielder Elroy Kuylen. From Police FC, midfielder Daniel Jimenez and midfielder Carlton Thomas. From Placencia Assassin, midfielder Luis Torres, defense Colin Westby. From B.D.F. FC, midfielder Jermaine Harris, forward Jarel Lambey. And the last player is from Wagiya, forward Jonard Castillo.”
The F.F.B. is taking advantage of the official FIFA Calendar days for international training match and has embarked on a campaign which will see the Belize Jaguars participate in several international friendly games between now and September; the first is scheduled for this Thursday at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan. According to first vice president Marlon Kuylen, the national team has been actively preparing for the past four weeks and will be ready to qualify for the 2019 Gold Cup. He shared the schedule going forward.
Marlon Kuylen
Marlon Kuylen, 1st Vice President, F.F.B.
“To develop football properly in the region, the CONCACAF started to organize the CONCACAF nation’s league whereby all forty countries—although CONCACAF has forty-one countries, Guatemala is still suspended—so forty countries will play meaningful matches on all the FIFA dates. So September the tournament is beginning; we will be hosting the Bahamas in September in Belize and then we travel to Montserrat in October. November we host Puerto Rico and in March we travel to Guyana. This tournament will decide our ranking in the region and will serve as a platform to qualify for the 2019 Gold Cup. You will notice that we are now infusing more youths into the national team because as we all know, the future is in the youths, but you will still see some familiar faces because if you are a player over thirty and you are still doing outstandingly well, then you will be chosen for the team.”
The team was chosen from a list of sixty players shortlisted from the Premier League of Belize using a new national team policy. Star goalkeeper Woodrow West is back with the jaguars.
Duane Moody
“You’ve been away for couple years now, working on your craft, playing internationally as a professional footballer. Talk to us about that expertise that you are going to bring to the team.”
Woodrow West
Woodrow West, Goalkeeper, Team Jaguars
“That makes it easier for me to come back and play for my country because I’ve competed on a high level and a weekly basis and I am physically prepared and I am ready. It is not a hard task for me to just come in and play. The only thing is for me to get chemistry with the team and I think that I have done that.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
