Mr. Bakary Bah, a Gambian residing in the UK, expressed his concerns regarding the management of the Gambia Football Federation, he was speaking on AG Radio posing questions to Hon. Omar Jatto Jammeh. He pointed out that Gambia is not leveraging the expertise of our retired international football players, who have accumulated significant experience both domestically and in international football leagues over the years.
“The Gambia Football Federation ought to be managed by competent people. This is a challenge we face in the Gambia, in contrast to Senegal. In Senegal, former football players oversee the management of the football federation. Former football players earn respect for their role in inspiring the youth to become better players in the future.” Mr. Bah remarked.
“Elhadj Diouf has become a source of inspiration for young football players in the Senegalese national team. The current football coach of the Senegalese national football team, Pape Thiaw, previously served as the assistant to Alieu Cisse, who was the head coach at that time. Senegal has been competing in many international matches without experiencing defeat, and the coach is of Senegalese origin. In Gambia, we have an abundance of experienced former football players who can serve as coaches for our national football team.” Mr. Bah stated.
Mr. Bakary Bah had been in the past employed by Chelsea Football Club, a professional football club located in London, England. The club was established in 1905 and took its name from the adjacent area of Chelsea. They participate in the Premier League, the highest level of English football, hosting their home matches at Stamford Bridge. Since 2022, BlueCo has owned the club.
Mr. Bakary Bah stated that a significant factor hindering the progress of Gambian football is the never-ending problem between the Ministry of Sports and the Gambia Football Federation. It is imperative that our national assembly members take action to address the issue at hand.
“The Gambia has a considerable number of highly skilled former football players capable of effectively managing The Gambia Football Federation. Cherno Samba, a former international football player in the UK, could be one of them. Individuals like him deserve the opportunity to elevate Gambian football to the next level.” Mr. Bah said.
Mr. Bah stated that Senegal faced the UK in a friendly international match, during which Senegal generated nearly 10 million Pounds. Imagine if French-speaking Senegal could arrange such a match with the UK; why couldn’t English-speaking Gambia do the same, given that Gambia is a former British colony?
