Qatar FIFA 2022 World Cup Golden Jaguars undergo Fitness Tests before returning to full-scale training
Members of the local Golden Jaguars in action during the fitness test at the GFF facility in Providence.
Local Golden Jaguars jogging members during their fitness test at the GFF facility in Providence.
Members of the local Golden Jaguars in action during the fitness test at the GFF facility in Providence.
Kaieteur News – Given everything is clear from the Covid-19 National Task Force to begin training ahead of the crucial FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) kicked off preparations of the ‘Golden Jaguars’ with the first phase of physical evaluations players last Sunday at the Federation National Training Center, Providence, Demerara East Bank.
The National Men’s Senior Team (SMNT), the nation’s leading team, will battle neighbors and fierce rivals Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday March 25 in the Twin Island Republic as they look to win Group F of Concacaf-qualified credentials that also include St. Kitts & Nevis, Bahamas and Puerto Rico.
According to the GFF statement, the fitness tests provide training staff with important information and will inform individual and squad training regimes in the run-up to the FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The evaluation, which took place over two days with different cohorts of players, follows the testing of the domestic squad and backroom staff for the covid-19 virus last week as part of protocols put in place under the “Bounceback” program ”100 days UEFA Assist. .
The Federation has also informed that the Covid-19 National Task Force gives permission to resume training hinges on strict measures in place and to follow them to protect against spreading the virus.
“Today’s rigorous testing gives our coaches a clear idea of the fitness levels of individual players and what we need to work on to get the squad in peak condition in March,” said GFF President Wayne Forde. “Given the lack of competition over the last year, we are pleased to report that the squad is already looking in good shape thanks in part to the individual training plans given to them by the GFF’s technical team during the lockout.”
“Going forward, we will take all necessary precautions to ensure that the cohort and staff stay safe and well during this time, including regular COVID-19 testing. We look forward to fully resuming training in the coming days, as long as conditions allow, and remain ready to take any action required if the pandemic enters another difficult period . “
GFF Fitness Coach Wilson Toledo and Golden Jaguars Assistant Coach Charles Pollard oversaw the fitness evaluations on Sunday, with a total of 25 players going through the action.
The local ‘Golden Jaguars’ who were part of the successful ‘Bounce Back’ Football Fiesta organized by the GFF, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Kashif and Shanghai Foundation will seek to be the best shape of their lives as they aim to make the final cut for the Guyana team.
Guyana, who is ranked 167 in the world, will throw the challenge to T&T (103) on March 25th who would be the first of four matches in Group F knowing that only the winner of the group would move on.
March 30th would see the Guyanese playing at home when they welcomed to these Bahamas shores at position 196. In the June window, and all things being equal and all-19-controlled, the ‘Golden Jaguars’ off to 140th place at St. Kitts & Nevis on Friday June 4th and return here for their final group game against Puerto Rico (179) on Tuesday June 8th.
The winner of the group will advance to the second round where they will join the winners of the other five groups. The pre-determined matchups would see Group A winner versus Group F winner, Group B winner versus Group E winner and Group C winner against Group D winner.
The teams will play both at home and away in direct elimination format. In the Concacaf Qualifiers Final for Qatar FIFA 2022 World Cup the three winners of the Second Round will join Concacaf Member Associations at 1-5. The eight teams will play each other at home and away, with each team playing 14 games.