Former national goalkeeper looking for another shot to represent SVG

Former Vincy Heat goalkeeper Winslow ‘Victor’ McDowall recently returned from a successful stint in Guyana, where the club he plays for, Slingerz FC, won the Stag Elite League.{{more}}

McDowall played 25 games in the 15th season of the highest competitive football league in Guyana. He had only six goals scored on him for the entire season, while his team scored the most goals.

But although McDowall is proud of his performance in Guyana and has already secured another contract with Slingerz, the professional footballer has only one wish, to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) once again at the national level.

But, according to McDowall, he was dropped from the national team earlier this year without anyone giving him a reason for his dismissal.

The Layou goalkeeper, who has been playing soccer since 2000, started off his career with Strike Force, moved to Je Belle FC and then to Hope International. He secured his Guyana contract last August.

He has represented this country at the Under 17, Under 19, Under 21 and Under 23 levels, right up to the senior team, but his demise probably came against Guatemala and the USA this year, games the local guys lost by huge margins.

“My problem with the national team is that they replaced me and gave me no explanation. There was no explanation, no reason, not a phone call to say X or Z, but I heard on the streets that they saying I’m too old,” the 29-year-old told SEARCHLIGHT last Thursday.

Goalkeepers have been known to play professional soccer at the highest level up to age 40.

McDowall said that being dropped from the national team is depressing, as he cannot be solely blamed for losses, as soccer is not played by one man, but by an entire team.

“I don’t know how to feel. It was depressing knowing that I’m the only local goalkeeper playing at semi-professional level and still not getting picked. It even affected my game in Guyana. I was taking it on to some extent and I had to pick myself up,” said the patriotic McDowall.

He said that he was thinking that his great achievement in Guyana would have brought some recognition by local selectors, but that is not the case.

“I thought it would have brought some type of acknowledgment. I had no problem with anyone, but I understand that somebody on the coaching staff did not like the performances in USA and Guatemala, but nobody never told me that. I was never called and told anything,” stressed McDowall.

McDowall said that being dropped from the squad has not been totally bad, as he is receiving a salary in Guyana and also better coaching, which is carried out daily, unlike when he is at home.

“My standard has risen, as we have training every day at a properly structured club and the salary helps me take care of my two kids, so I can say soccer has helped me, but I would like to represent my country again,” said McDowall, whose brother, Jolan ‘Boxer’ McDowall, also plays for Slingerz in Guyana and is also a former national defender.

“I would like to ask ‘what is the reason for me being dropped from national?’. I could understand if my performance was below par, but nobody told me anything. I was just dropped,” said the goalkeeper, whose brother plays in front of him in a 4-3-3 formation.

McDowall, who will leave for Guyana in September for his second stint, also played semi-pro in Trinidad in 2010 for North East Stars and won a cup with them.

When contacted, the current coach of Vincy Heat’s senior team, Keith Ollivierre, was in a meeting and could not respond at the time, but promised to do so at a later date.(LC)