Shabazz to remain coach of Guyana

Monday, February 06, 2012

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Officials of the Guyana Football Association are probably breathing a little easier, following news that Jamal Shabazz worked out a deal with the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation that allows him to remain their national team coach.

The T&T-born Shabazz guided the Guyanese to the semi-final round of CONCACAF qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil last year, but concern arose after his temporary stint with the team came to an end.

Reports from Port of Spain indicated that several people in T&T were quite upset that Shabazz had trained the Amazon Conquerors to the minute to conquer his own national team, and he had come under some intense scrutiny.

“I will continue to work in the coaches’ education development programme to benefit the local coaching syndicate for the T&TFF,” said Shabazz in an interview with the local daily T&T Newsday yesterday.

“While still working with the T&TFF in this capacity, I am looking forward to continuing my tenure as the head coach of Guyana for the next stage of World Cup 2014 qualifying.”

World Cup qualifying resumes in the Central American and Caribbean region on June 8 this year, and the Guyanese have been drawn in Group B of the semifinal round alongside CONCACAF giants Mexico and Costa Rica, as well as El Salvador.

Shabazz said his position with Guyana also ruled him out of the job of T&T technical director, which was recently handed to Anton Corneal.

“Corneal’s appointment does come at a critical juncture, but he is an ideal appointment,” said Shabazz. “He is embedded in developmental techniques and that’s the strong point to take us forward.

“Look at the job he did with getting our past Under-20 boys to the World Cup in Egypt and now watching over their progress as U-23s. Even at the U-17 level, these boys were playing Worldclass teams and tournaments under Corneal’s eye.”