Jamaal Shabazz: ‘Our time has come’

Coach of the Guyana senior Football team, the Golden Jaguars, Trinidadian Jamaal Shabazz is sounding the call for more Caribbean coaches to be in charge of the regional national sides.{{more}}

Shabazz made this known to SEARCHLIGHT last Sunday night at the Victoria Park, after his team went under to host St. Vincent and the Grenadines 1-0, in a friendly international.

Shabazz stated: “Any Caribbean person who gets the job in his country is what I vote for, and I appreciate.”

“Our people have worked hard. The sons of ex- slaves have come now to be the masters,” he reasoned philosophically.

Shabazz was also speaking against the backdrop of several Caribbean territories hiring foreign coaches to oversee the Football programme.

Shabazz has had a successful run with the Guyanese in the second round of the CONCACAF Zone of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, guiding them to the semi final stage.

In the process, Guyana, under Shabazz’s guidance, upstaged and ousted his native Trinidad and Tobago, which had qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Trinidad and Tobago also lost to Bermuda in the qualifiers.

Trinidad and Tobago was being coached then by German Otto Pfister, who has since been relieved by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF).

The TTFF subsequently appointed an all local staff, with Anton Corneal as Technical Director, with two other former players, Hutson Charles and Angus Eve, as national coaches.

Shabazz, who is employed by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, is on loan to the Guyana Football Association.

Shabazz’s comments also came in light of the fact that his opposite number in last Sunday’s match Cornelius Huggins was overseeing his first stint in an interim capacity of the Vincentian senior outfit.

Shabazz, who coached Huggins while the latter was a player for AIA Caledonia in the Trinidad and Tobago semi professional league in the 1990’s, said he was glad for the strides Huggins has made.

“I thought very highly of him as a player. He was my favourite defender in the Caribbean, and now he is starting his coaching career. Our time has come. It is Cornelius time,” Shabazz said in his deep Trinidadian accent.

Huggins fills the void left following the resignation of Technical Director and Head Coach Englishman Colwyn Rowe, who resigned last November after the Vincentians failed to advance in the world cup qualifiers. Rowe’s stint began in February 2011.

Shabazz also revealed that he is enjoying his stint with the Guyanese and is on a mission to take the team as far as he possibly can.

Guyana’s Golden Jaguars in the next phase of the CONCACAF Qualifiers play Mexico, El Salvador and Costa Rica.(RT)