Scorpion coaches to relied on home-based players

Scorpion team

After months of preparation to build a strong national team comprises more of  local based players, technicians of the Gambia national male football team have decided take the bull by the horn to work with not more than three foreign-based players for the upcoming friendly match against the Maurabitones of Mauritania next week.



This was revealed by the vice chairman and spokesperson of the Normalisation Committee of the Gambia Football Association, Alhaji Omar Sey, who was speaking at a press conference held at the GFA Football House in Kanifing last week Thursday.

It was revealed in the press conference that the Scorpions will face the Maurabitones in a two-match friendly international to be played in Banjul next week as part of the two countries preparatory games in upcoming continental and global qualifiers.

The Mauritanians team are expected to arrived Banjul on Sunday 24th February, 2013 and the two friendly matches will be played on Wednesday 27th February and 2nd March. Sey further revealed that due to the current renovation works at the Independence Stadium in Bakau, they could not confirm the venue for the match. But he is hopeful that a deal will be reached with the Stadium management to stage the games their before the end of this week.

Sey also said that Gambia has foreign-based players who have been giving their all to the country over the years, “but we have to accept the fact that they are not at the same level with other countries that have big players playing across the top leagues in Europe”. He did not blame the players for this, but said it was rather those who have failed to give them the platform for the league to be developed here.

As part of the deal for the friendlies, the Mautianian team will be responsible for their travelling expenses to Banjul. The Gambia will also provide for local transportation and accomodation with one of their partner hotels here.

 By Sise Sawaneh