Grenada is the lowest ranked team in Group D of the Concacaf Gold Cup 2021. The Spice Boyz ranked 159 will play Honduras ranked 55, Qatar 62 and Panama ranked 81.
However, our lads will be seeking history and hoping to cause major upsets in the XXXI version on the Confederation highest tournament come next year.
Football on the island is still an amateur sport and though efforts are being made to improve on the game the top home based players are still playing part time. A new opportunity is lending itself to the Grenada Football Association and the players involved with these three big games playing in the summer of next year.
All three of its opponents have played in previous FIFA World Cup finals and our Spice Boyz very well know it will be no easy walk in the park when these games comes around. However with the games playing in the United States of America, one can feel certain that the diaspora community of over 250,000 based in the USA and Canada will be out in their numbers to lend support.
With a population of 100,000 inhabitants, the island can easily fit into one of any of these countries smaller cities. Qatar’s capital alone with 789,000 inhabitants is almost seven and a half times that of Grenada’s population but only eleven of its players will be able to enter the field during the match, the same as the Spice Isle.
Qatar with a population of 2.78 million inhabitants will be hosting the FIFA 2022 World Cup in November of that year and have already been preparing for its hosting with recent great results including the securing the AFC Cup Title 3-2 against powerhouses Japan. While Grenada’s best showing has been a runners up position in the CFU Caribbean Cup on two occasions.
Honduras with a population of 9.59 million and Panama with almost half that amount 4.17 million will be considered favourite sin all aspects based on economy’s of scale. However one will want to be reminded of the biblical story David and Goliath and also take some courage from major upsets provided to some of the bigger nations by its southern neighbors Trinidad and Tobago.
Already the news of Grenada’s huge task ahead is being discussed on the island and the inhabitants there are a bit resolute in almost all aspects of life. The island was the first English speaking country to try its hand at Marxism and was subsequently invaded by the USA military forces in 1983.
Grenada’s pursuit of Gold Cup glory is still enviable as the smallest nation to ever qualify, having previously done so in 2009 and 2011. Its main players back then are still involved in the game but this time in different roles including Jason Roberts who now works with Concacaf the organizers of the tournament.
Shalrie Joseph and Anthony Modeste we’re both players when Grenada last played in the tournament and both individuals were involved as coaches as Grenada played to an unbeaten seven (7) straight matches to qualify in next year’s tournament.
It is believed the the spice producing island which has produced some of the world greatest nutmegs and three of the best ever quarter-milers in that Kirani James, 2012 Olympic Gold medalist at the London games as well as Arleyne Francique and Braylon Taplin has also produced other notable individuals in sports including former West Indies wicket keeper Junior Murray, leg spinner Rawle Lewis and Devon Smith amongst others.
The enthusiasm amongst the players is high and though a bit unknown Grenada is preparing to show the world its the Caribbean version of Iceland. Whatever the bookmakers make of Group D, Grenada’s Spice Boyz will be making history as the first OECS Island to play Qatar in a competitive football match. incidentally both Grenada and Qatar were scheduled to play an international friendly but schedules with the Spice Boyz prevented the match from taking place.
As the news soaks in and the population internalize the draw, one can expect many fans and enthusiasts will be talking football until the tournament comes around.
Time alone will tell but mark the words of the writer, Grenada will be ready to face what ever attack is thrown at them come next summer.
