GFA welcomes Gold Cup draw

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, March 8, 2011 - Officials of the Grenada Football Association (GFA) are satisfied with Grenada’s first round draw in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Tournament announced on Tuesday.

Grenada will come up against Caribbean and Central American champions Jamaica and Honduras, as well as Guatemala in Group B.

The Spice Boyz open their first round challenge against the Reggae Boyz on June 6 at the Home Depot Centre in California, followed by Honduras at Florida International University (FIU) Stadium in Miami on June 10 and three days later against Guatemala at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.

President of the GFA, Cheney Joseph said that the draw provides an opportunity for Grenada to go past the first round.

“I believe with adequate preparation ahead of our three games we can surprise the region with victories in at least two of the games,” Joseph told GFA News.

“We are also in with an opportunity to secure support from Grenadians in the Diaspora, both in Miami and the northeast region”.

Grenada is scheduled to play St Kitts in a two-match friendly on March 26 in Basseterre and April 2 in St George’s.

He said that now the team’s opponents are known a request for a friendly international against El Salvador will also be pursued, with a possible date on either March 29 or April 2. Joseph said that if the El Salvador game is confirmed then the return friendly against St Kitts will be rescheduled for later in April.

Newly appointed coach Mike Adams also welcomed Tuesday’s draw. “Without a doubt it’s definitely a favourable group for us and we are capable of qualifying from this group,” he said.

“The coaching staff is excited but I have warned that we need to keep our feet on the ground because we haven’t done anything as yet”. He said that they have been working on creating the environment to bring the necessary results, and like the GFA boss, Adams is also confident of a better showing from the Spice Boyz.

“We are capable of making it to the second round and the other teams in the group will be thinking the same thing so we can’t get too complacent,” Adams said.

Grenada exited the first round in its debut in the 2009 Gold Cup, losing all three games and conceding a total of 10 goals.

He said that a concerted effort is being made to include all available overseas-based players for the tournament. “It’s looking good but at the same time we want to make sure there is a blend with the home-grown players. Once we work with that then we could surprise the Gold Cup”.