WOMEN U-17 FEMALE TEAM HOSTED TO A RECEPTION

Female U-17 team

The Gambia U-17 National Women Football national team, were recently hosted to a reception at the Sea View Garden Hotel by the ministry of youth and sports and Gambia for Gold as a sign of appreciation for the team who recently took part in the FIFA U-17 Women World Cup currently underway in Baku, Azerbaijan. The reception was attending by many stakeholders in the sporting circle prominent among them are the minister for youth and sports and the chairman of the GFA normanlzation committee.

Addressing the gathering, the minister for Youth and Sports, Alieu K. Jammeh, began by thanking the team on behalf of the president, and the Gambians people as a whole for representing the country at the FIFA Women World Cup for the first time ever. Minister Jammeh acknowledged that the 'Road to Azerbaijan' was not easy as the girls first underwent a tough qualifying round. He said that along the way, the team had shown a high sense of patriotism, commitment to duty, and love for their country.

He also applauded the fans and journalists that travelled to Azerbaijan for cheering the team and reporting on the games accurately. He further thanked all those who in one way or the other supported them along the way for the successful participation of the team at the tournament. “I will like to thank the president who airlifted fans to go and support the girls as the Gambia was the only country that took fans,” he added.

 The Youth and Sports minister went on to condemn those he called 'detractors' who are after their own selfish interest. He said: “Of late a lot have been said in your absence, particularly against the Normalisation Committee, which I stand here to condemn in strong terms. We are very genuine in what we are doing and we have a clear vision of where we want to go. We want to develop football by decentralising it and having the necessary infrastructure in place.” He then advised those he described as 'selfish and detractors' to be positive. “In fact they don't belong in our midst because they don't wish well for the country,” he remarked.

However, Minister Jammeh also declared that he has no regrets surrounding himself with people who are committed to moving football forward in this country and any positive way.

Also  speaking at the function, Alhaji OB Conateh, chairman of the (GFA) Normalisation Committee commended the team for playing their part very well at the World Cup, adding that they know and have being following football for many years, The Gambia to qualify to the World Cup in itself was a great achievement in the history of the country’s football.

 He assured the players that they have done their best, as they were put in a group called the 'group of death’, that their opponents were far ahead of them, as they have been participating in the tournament for many times. He also seized the opportunity to pay homage to President Jammeh who has continued to give his fullest support to the cause of football in the country. He concluded by urging the girl scorpions to continue being committed to achieve their dreams.

For her part, Sainey Sissoho, vice-captain and the focal person of the U-17 female team also thanked all those who supported them in one way or the other to participate in the world cup. She further appeals for more supports to be giving to the team so as to better prepare themselves ahead of any other tournament or friend games in the future.