BASSE-TERRE, Guadeloupe – There is a wonderfully rich history when it comes to Guadeloupe and the Concacaf Gold Cup.
On three occasions the island nation has competed in the regional tournament (2007, 2009, 2011), each time advancing out of the group stage and in the particular case of 2007, reaching the semifinals before narrowly falling to Mexico, 1-0.
One of the leaders of that 2007 Guadeloupe squad was Jocelyn Angloma, a former right back who starred in European football with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan and Valencia, playing in two Uefa Champions League finals with the Spanish club.
Now Angloma, who assumed the position of Head Coach of the Les Gwada Boys in December 2017, is imparting his wisdom and experience onto his players and thus far in 2019/20 Concacaf Nations League Qualifying, the results are very positive.
On Tuesday, Guadeloupe collected three points in its CNL opener with a decisive 3-0 triumph over Saint Martin and currently sits in ninth place in the 34-team table in its quest for a top 10 finish and a trip to its fourth Gold Cup.
Following the match, Angloma took a minute to speak with Concacaf.com and shared his thoughts on the CNL.
“The Nations League allows us to grow,” said Angloma.
“We need this kind of tournament in Guadeloupe to be able to grow in the Caribbean because we want to eventually be one of the best teams in the region, along with the United States and Mexico and the other top teams. It is a good opportunity for our country,” concluded Angloma.
Guadeloupe will return to CNL action on October 16 at home versus Aruba.
