Colchester United full-back Matthew Briggs says his first taste of senior international football with Guyana has boosted him ahead of the new season with the English League One club and is relishing the opportunity to once again don the colours of the Golden Jaguars.
The 24 year-old Briggs, the youngest player to feature in the English Premier League with Fulham FC got his first senior International cap when he represented Guyana in their 2 – 0 win over Grenada in March, leading up to the 2018 World Cup Qualifier.
Matthew Briggs in action against Grenada at the Guyana National Stadium.
Briggs, who represented England the youth level (U-16 through U-21) told the local Colchester news papers, the Daily Gazette, that “the international experience I’ve had has been good, especially being at senior level now. It’s been enjoyable, travelling around the world and playing in hot climates and it’s been a good experience and I relished it”
The former Millwall defender, who recently signed a two year deal with Colchester United, admitted in the interview that he’s glad about his decision to represent the South American nation, noting “anyone would love to play international football, given the chance. I’m definitely hoping for further call-ups and when I’ve been away, I feel I’ve done well and given a good account of myself. Hopefully, it’s given me a good chance of being called up again.”
And Briggs, whose family are from Guyana, is hoping that there will be more opportunities for him to impress on the world stage in the coming months.
The player in the interview said that he had never previously visited Guyana before, prior to being selected for the squad for friendlies against St Lucia and Grenada, in March.
After making his full international début against Grenada, he was picked for the Golden Jaguars’ World Cup second-round qualifier last month along with former Colchester United and Bolton Wanderers midfielder Neil Danns.
But Briggs ended up missing both legs of the Golden Jaguars’ qualifier against St Vincent and the Grenadines, who won on away goals after the tie finished 6-6 on aggregate.