According to sources coming out of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), professional English League footballer Ricky Shakes who has indicated a willingness to represent Guyana in future international matches might be blocked from doing so because of an International Football Federation (FIFA) ruling.
Sources told Stabroek Sport yesterday that FIFA has ruled that once a player is over the age of 23 he cannot play for more than one country. Shakes has already represented Trinidad and Tobago.
The Golden Jaguars is set to oppose Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors in a friendly international engagement later this month.
The 25-year-old Shakes, who has a Guyanese father and a Trinidadian mother played in an international friendly against Iceland in March 2006 which Trinidad won 2 – 0.
He also played for an All Stars Guyana line up against Cray Wanderers in August at the Dulwich Hamlet Ground, London, a match the All Stars team lost 3-4 on penalty kicks.
In playing against Cray Wanderers, Shakes became the first ever professional English league player to play for a representative Guyana national team.
Head of Temptations Promotions Faizal Khan told Stabroek Sport in August that although Shakes has played for the twin-island republic, he sees playing for Guyana as a more attractive proposition.
The sources said for Shakes to be eligible to play for Guyana an appeal would have to be made to FIFA’s General Secretary and the request would have to be granted.
“The GFF I understand is exploring all the possibilities,” said one of the sources. The Golden Jaguars is scheduled to play the Soca Warriors at the Guyana National Stadium on September 26 in a Kashif and Shanghai-organized inaugural President’s Cup International Friendly.
Thus far only a beep test for the 30 locally-based players has been carried out with time quickly winding down to judgment day.
Those players are: Goal Keepers – Ronson Williams, Richie Richardson, Marvin Griffith and O’Neal Carter; Defenders – Howard Lowe, Justin Collins, Sherma David, Selwyn Isaacs, Kester Jacobs, Colin Nelson, Kris Camacho, Trevon Lythcott and Denver Dennis.
The midfielders include Philbert Moffat, Lleyton Ramsey, Glenorvan Edmonds, Delyon Josiah, Pierre Joseph, Dwayne Jacobs, Dwight Peters, Mustapha Haqq, Marlon Benjamin and Norvil Adrian while the forwards are Devon Millington, Warren Gilkes, Clive Andries, Stephon Hope, Dwayne Ali, Anthony Abrams and Clive Nobrega.
Meanwhile, the other overseas based players who have guaranteed they would make it are Christopher Bourne, Brion Baker, Walter Moore, Alinani Mounter, Shawn Beveney, Fabian Brown, Jake Newton, Jason Lloyd, Gregory Richardson and Gamaal Breedy.
Stabroek Sport understands that the GFF is awaiting word on the participation of Howard Newton, JP Rodrigues and Chris Nurse.