After touching down at the Phillip Goldson International Airport, the team headed to the Brodies Parking Lot on the Phillip Goldson Highway where the players got a chance to speak about their experiences and expressed thanks to all who made the football journey possible.
Three of the players, Trevor Lennon who scored the first goal against Nicaragua, the game which signaled Belize's qualification to the Gold Cup, Deon McCauley who scored the winning goal in the same match, and goal keeper, Woodrow West who displayed extensive skills in the game spoke of their experience while the other players are already envisioning what the Gold Cup Games will look like.
But amidst all this celebration, there are reports of the resignation of Coach Leroy Sherrier Lewis.
In an interview with Costa Rican media, Sherrier Lewis is quoted as saying that in Belize there is no guarantee that football will become better, neither in the minor leagues nor at any level and that's why he took that decision. Despite the news, the celebrations continued with a motorcade through the major streets of Belize City and ended with a pep rally at Bird's Isle.
Belize's fourth place finish in the just completed Copa Centroamericana established many history making moments for Belizean football. For the first time, Belize won a match in the tournament, defeating Nicaragua by a score of two to one. It was also the first time that Belize qualified to the semi-finals in the UNCAF tournament and for the first time, a football team from Belize is heading to the Gold Cup later this year in the United States.
The Belize National Football "A" Selection, also known as the Jaguars, returned to Belize today after making history in the Copa Centro Americana Games held in San Jose, Costa Rica. While the boys from Belize might not have won first place, they were the official big story of the competition, surprising regional football observers who expected them to be easily knocked out of play. The team captured the attention and hearts of many Belizeans and returned to a heroes' welcome. A short press conference was held at James Brodie's Parking lot at the entrance of Belize City. Love was definitely in the air from the team and the cheering fans. The team's shining stars gave thanks and praises for the support and News Five was there.
Deon McCauley
Deon McCauley, Scored Goal in Extra Time
"To be there in the Gold Cup and Guatemala is not there, Nicaragua is not there; for the first time in our history it means a lot to Belize, to the people. So I just wanna thank everybody for the support and I just wanna ask everybody to continue supporting the national team at every level. I just wanna say thank god for everything."
Woodrow West
Woodrow West, Goalkeeper
"To start with we always pray before we work out, before we go on the field, before we train, before we eat; everything. And my team sticks together from the beginning until now. I really had confidence in every single one of them. And we believe like what I told Mister Vicente before we started the tournament, that I learn from my parents that where is a godly man, we proceed and god helps us, right. So if Mister Vicente could remember this, we did it."
Trevor Lennon
Trevor Lennon, Scored First Belize Goal
"It's not like when we used to go out and play just like that because they brought a different energy to us. It wasn't about me, it wasn't about Deon, it was about the whole team. Me, Deon and the other guys can't play by ourselves. It took the whole team and the energy to have we where we are right now."
Dalton Eiley
Dalton Eiley, Team Captain
"As Captain of the National Team, it is an honor to be the captain first time. But there is a lot of captains out there; there wasn't only one. I mean everybody was talking; it felt like there was eleven captain out there and not only one. My team work hard and I have to give my hat off to the committee; the members of the committee taking care of us and giving us what we need. When players needed something, they came up big and gave us what we need to go out there and win the game. The coaching staff, who worked hard all the months that we had trained and prepared us for these games; these games weren't easy-five games. First time ever in Belize history we went to the nation cup and played five games and we stood out there and held our own against the big players. We did it not only for ourselves, but for our fans, for our families and for the country of Belize."
After the brief conference, the team and support staff were taken on a motorcade around the city before heading to a pep rally to be held at the Bird's Isle. The celebration, however, was bittersweet as it was confirmed that the coach, Leroy Sherrier, who led the team to the spectacular performance in Costa Rica, has resigned. That matter will be discussed later this week by the F.F.B.
Footballers Greeted Liked Heroes In Grand Homecoming
TODAY it was a grand homecoming for the national football team, known internationally as the Belize Jaguars. They finished fourth in the Copa Centroamericana 2013.
It wasn't the outcome we might have hoped for as they lost the semi-final match against Costa Rica - and the third place game against El Salvador - both times by a score of one to nil.
But they came home to a heroes' welcome, nonetheless. And deservingly so, because this team did what no other Belizean National Football team had done before: they won a game in the regional cup - and didn't come home in last place! More than that, they had a number of respectable losses behind inspired play by goalkeeper Woodrow West. And so while they didn't shock the world, they did put them on notice that Belize's football programme is up and coming to contender status.
We were at the airport when they arrived today - and here's how the motorcade went:..
Ruperto Vicente, President - FFB "This is a good feeling. It is an excellent show of support for our National Team - Belizeans coming out here to support us and certainly I am happy and this gives me great motivation to be able to continue the work and continue to build our Belizean football."
Harrison "Cafu" Roches - Forward - Belize National Team "We really appreciate it. I feel happy to see people supporting us like this. This make us feel great."
Woodrow West - Goalkeeper - Belize National Team "It's amazing and we really needed this from a long time ago. We made history and we could see the fans are very contented with us."
Deon McCauley - Forward - Belize National Team "I am happy that everybody is happy for us and for the team."
Ian Gaynair - Defense - Belize National Team "This is my 4th time at nation's cup. All my nation's cup I've been to I came in last, so this is a real honor for me to come in 4th and could represent Belize goal cup. That was always my dream - before world cup - this was my dream. I needed to accomplish this before I go to World Cup. This is my first step and I think I just made it. I feel so good right now and my emotions are high, I can't explain it."
Reporter "What was different about this nation's cup for you all to come through this time?"
Ian Gaynair - Defense - Belize National Team "I think it's the whole strategy that we used. From the first time I went to Belmopan to train, the coach tells us that we were going to Gold Cup but I didn't believe him because I have never been to Gold Cup yet and all the previous coaches told us that we were going to Gold Cup. The strategic plan that this man came with really got us through. Everything that this man told us really put us where we are right now and have we believed that we can make Gold Cup - that put us through."
The next challenge for the National Team is the Gold Cup in July which will be played in 13 host cities across the United states against 11 other nations.
But going forward, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over where the coach direction will take because according to reports in the international media, the newly installed coach, Leroy Sherrier has resigned.
It comes as a stunning development because under his direction, the Belize U-15 football team won a gold medal, and now, with his direction, the National Team has qualified for the Gold Cup.
And the news of his abrupt departure has already sent out waves, so 7News tried to get some answers today. We asked the FFB President, and he confirmed it to us today.
Here's what he had to say, along with the reactions from some of the National Team members:
Daniel Ortiz "We have received information that the coach Mr. Sherrier has left the team. Any reasonable Belizean would want to know why in such a rush; he has coach our U-15 team to a gold medal, has now coached our National A team to get into the Gold Cup. Why has he left so abruptly?"
Ruperto Vicente, President - FFB "I can clearly say that the coach indicated to us yesterday that he is leaving us but the details of his leaving will be address at our press conference on Wednesday. Right now it is a time of celebration; I will deal with the issue on Wednesday."
Elroy Smith, Defense - Belize National Team "I am 100% with him. He made all this possible. You can't just turn you back on him."
Reporter "Every coach in Belize - it doesn't matter what they say or do they will get criticized about what they could have done different. You as an experience player who have been there through thick and thin professionally and with the National Team - your feeling about the coach right now - what we suppose do?"
Elroy Smith, Defense - Belize National Team "For me the coach is supposed to come back. He started a process and he has to come back to maintain that because if another coach comes he will mess it up. You can't start a process with one person and then try to finish with another. It will not work. To be honest we had a discussion after the game yesterday but my thing is not to get in his thing. To me that is personal thing - he and the President and committee should discuss that. We told them last night that it was appropriate to discuss that, they should have gone into an office and discuss that on their own. There are a lot of gripes that is going on between the coach and some of the committee members. But we as player, we give him 100%. We want him to come back."
Harrison "Cafu" Roches - Forward - Belize National Team "I don't know what took place with the coach with the problems that he had to make him decide to make that decision not to continue with the team. It's hard for us because he already form us; he grew us - togetherness was building among us. It's his decision and we have to respect that."
Deon McCauley - Forward - Belize National Team "Those guys have to figure that out. I don't know anything about that and I am very proud of my coach and whatever decision he makes I am very supportive of him."
Daniel Ortiz "He coached the U-15 team to a gold medal and he has now coached you all to a qualifiers, the first time for Belize. How do you feel if he should actually leave the team while going towards the gold cup?"
Deon McCauley - Forward - Belize National Team "I just think it's a matter of miscommunication and I don't think that the coach will leave. He just needs like an incentive from the Football Federation of Belize and I think he will be on-board for the Gold Cup. I don't think that he is going to leave us at this moment in time."
Reporter "How do you feel going into the Gold Cup with the next 5 months ahead of preparation if you have to have another coach change again?"
Ian Gaynair - Defense - Belize National Team "I think that will affect the whole team. We've been through this last night - we talk about it and we don't think we want any other coach but our coach because if another coach comes in everything will change up - the whole plan, players, everything will change."
Assistant Coach Charles Slusher is quoted in a Facebook post as saying, "With the best coach in the world, the man helped made history for Belize. [It is] sad to know [that] the manager and some committee members have force him not to return to Belize. [It is] sad." End quote.
VIDEO: National football team feted on their return to Belize
Celebrating the national football team
The Belize National Football team, just back from the COPA CENTROAMERICANA tournament is being feted at this hour in Belize City. Love TV's Natalie Novelo reports.
When I played football at the highest level in Belize, at that time first division, fans used to crowd the chain-link fence in rows 3 to 4 deep, the stands were full, and younger and more athletic fans used to climb the trees in the MCC Square Garden to see our games, and I'm not talking about international matches. I'm talking about regular Sunday games.
Soon after that worthless Dr. Bertie Chimilio took over in the late nineties, football began a nosedive, and the fans stayed away in droves, in fact, by the hundreds. Chimilio demonstrably became a dictator, and, some believe, a madman.
After many years of much pain and embarrassment in our international games, we engaged in "root canal" work and Chimilio was booted out, some believe, by the mercy of God.
Ruperto Vicente, a former player and referee, took over. I have some issues with Ruperto because of what he didn't do when he took over, but what I wish to say here is that I believe that he is as much a part of our success in Costa Rica as Leroy Sherrier Lewis, the coach; world-class striker Deon McCaulay; goalscorer Trevor Lennon; the incomparable Woodrow West, our goalkeeper; and all the other top-notch players who comprise our national team, and who fought magnificently against stronger teams.
Lest we forget, under the aforesaid worthless Chimilio, we usually returned from our international matches badly and embarrassingly beaten up. The fools that supported Chimilio usually opined, after bringing home terrible scores of 5-0 and 7-0, and worse, that "the experience was good for us."
In any other football-respecting country, the idiots would have been thrown in prison.
After our stellar efforts in Costa Rica, incredibly, you know who is the talk of the tournament? Not winner and 7-time champions Costa Rica, or 3-time champions Honduras, but Belize. Yes, Belize is the "buzz word" in regional football right now.
We are not a regional laughing-stock any longer. We're "the one to watch!"
The truth of all this is that in just about a short week, our national team has done more, in terms of recognition of, and respect for, our country, than all the successive governments since the era of Chimilio began, a decade and a half ago, have managed to achieve.
Sports, you short-sighted and self-serving politicians, is where it's at. Don't you understand the amount of pure patriotism that poured forth from Belizeans for our games in Costa Rica? Even Belizeans who didn't know much football were entranced by the performance of our heroes in fighting for respect in a foreign country, in a competition where they were considered the undisputed underdogs.
Hell, if I were the mayor of any municipality, I would be considering replacing some street names with the names of members of our national team. They won us respect and, in turn, we should show them respect. We probably were in the worst physical shape of any team in the tournament, and still, our warriors played their hearts out. They gave all they had to give, and then gave some more. Damn, what more can we ask?
I had boycotted football for a long time, in protest both against Chimilio, and the sorry level to which "the beautiful game" had fallen because of him.
Now, I'm back. Fans, I expect you all to once again flock the Square Garden. Let your numbers be seen "3 to 4 deep" behind the chain-link fence, fill the stands and climb the trees, and let this happen throughout the land.
If our politicians don't behave like jackasses and if they recognize that sports is bigger than they are, that sports is actually war without the guns and bombs, and that athletes who represent us internationally are worthy of our highest respect, Belize will play for the championship in the next Copa Centroamericana, in 2015.
Team recounts highlights of Copa Centro Americana Games
Now that the coach is back, the other big hurdle the federation is facing is one of financing. The F.F.B. has confirmed that preparation for and attendance at the Copa Centro Americana Games carried a price tag of a quarter of a million dollars and getting ready for the Gold Cup in July, will cost much more than that. So there is plenty fund raising on the horizon, but for today, there is still jubilation and celebration. Three members of Team Belize were guests on Open Your Eyes, and they recounted their biggest, brightest moment in the competition.
Ian Gaynair, Defense, National Football Team
Ian Gaynair
"I wah mek he go to the goal and score and then to the celebration. I gwen to the celebration when I see the ball the roll in. Then I had to left from way dah the next side of the field to the next side and I hug up the man. I said Deon, you dah wah star and we run soh and take wah picture. That dah my best moment."
Chris Gilharry
Chris Gilharry, Midfielder, National Football Team
"I wah say the two goal them because without the first one weh Trevor Lennon do, I think that dah weh push he more fi make the team never give up. When he scored, you just hear the whole stadium stay silent. We just hear only we di halla. It make yo feel good."
Deon McCauley, Striker, National Football Team
Deon McCauley
"When the opportunity arises, you have to make sure ih go in; especially ina crunch time, ina dehn time of the game it is very important to keep focus. Even though I mi di get opportunities before, I neva get it like that deh. I ee the opening and I just know this dah it right yah and this dah the last play of the game and soh ah hafto make it. It mi feel incredible to me. I noh know if I fi mi laugh, fi mi cry? I noh know weh fi do with myself it because I mi know how important that mi important it was for Belize. And to see all the teammates happy and the jump, it was incredible. Knowing that, I neva mi di think about people back home how dehn mi di go on yet. I just mi deh ina that moment out there. But when you call home and yo hear the vibes from Belize, mien everybody just blow yo mind."
Ian Gaynair
"Deon score hundreds of goals, make we put it like that; but outta all the goals dehn weh he score-because me and Deon come up from under ten we di play together-that dah one goal weh I see Deon noh strip over that. Deon noh wah go sleep. He deh pan ih laptop every minute; make we see watch this goal again. I say Deon goh sleep Deon. Deon noh want. I say Deon that dah yo best goal ever. He noh really rate dehn like that, but ih rate that one dehn. Ih say ih still noh know how it feel still; really how it feel."
Star striker Dion McCauley departed for Los Angeles this afternoon after he was approached by an agent for Major League Soccer in the U.S. F.F.B. Executive Member, Marlon Kuylen, says the federation will be holding a telethon to raise money to fund preparations for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will be held in thirteen host cities across the U.S. starting on July seventh.
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