MRI scan hits Gambia’s U-17 as two big names omitted

The Gambia Football Association has finally broken the silence over the issue of the MRI test conducted on players of the Gambia U-17 team that will be representing the nation in the forthcoming CAF U-17 cadet championship in Rwanda in January.

Since the threatening issue was reported a few days ago, football enthusiasts in the country have been waiting anxiously on the outcome of the results from Cairo, Egypt, where the test was conducted.

But a shocking news was brought out at the weekend when the coaching staff of the national U-17 team led by coach Lamin Sambou, released the final 18-man squad for the Rwanda championship without two of the team’s most valuable players - the tough-tacking midfielder Fabakary Bojang and combative right back Lamin Gibba of Wallidan.

The MRI test was conducted on the Gambian players during their two week training camp in Egypt in preparation for the youth tournament to be held in Rwanda.

But the bad news is that the two-time African champions will go into the Rwanda championship with two big absentees - Fabakary Bojang and Lamin Gibba - who both played an influential role in helping the Baby Scorpions reach the finals of the Africa U-17 tournament.

Another influential player, who played a crucial role in the qualifying campaign, Hamang Conteh, has also missed out a place in the final list of the team.

However there was another surprise inclusion on the final list, such as Modou Jatta, who spent the entire qualifying campaign without kicking a ball.

The other good news is that Buba Meles Jallow, who is an integral part of the Baby Scorpions’ success during the qualifiers, is expected to lead the U-17 team’s attacking machine with a game against Congo on January 9, as the Gambia begins the defence of their title.

The Baby Scorpions will meet Mali in the group B fixtures on 12 January before wrapping up the fixtures with a crucial match against fellow West African counterparts and familiar opponents Ivory Coast on January 15.

While the GFA continues to conceal the identities of the other seven players who failed the MRI test together with Lamin Gibba, Gambia Sports Online was given the official list of 18 players for the Rwanda tournament.

The list is as follows:

            Baka Ceesay                                         Gamtel

            Yusupha Njie                                                     Gamtel

            Bubacar Sanyang                                  Brikama United

            Bakary Bunja Sanyang                            Lamin United

            Saikou Omar Saho                                Brikama United

            Buba Jallow                                          Samger

            Abdoulie Bass                                                   Samger

            Solomon Kanfong                                 Lamin United

            Famara Manneh                                      Interior FC

            Yusupha Sarr                                        Young Africans

            Modou Jatta                                                     Steve Biko

            Modou Jallow                                       Steve Biko

            Hamsa Barry                                          GPA

            Ismaila Suwaneh                                    GPA

            Saloum Faal                                                      GPA

            Augustine Badjan                                  Texas FC

            Musa Yaffa                                                       Bakau United

            Adama Sabally                                       Brikama United

Apart from the unlucky-to-be-named Lamin Gibba, the following players either failed the MRI test or didn’t impress Coach Lamin Sambou and his two assistants, Ebrima Manneh and Jane Joof:

            Alieu Jatta                                              Brikama United

            Mamut Cham                                          Bakau United

            Omar Bojang                                          Bakau United

            Lamin Jallow                                         Bakau United

            Ebrima Maddy Camara                            Samger

            Sulayman Marreh                                    Samger

            Hamang Conteh                                     Lamin United

            Seedy Saidy                                         Interior FC

            Modou Jallow                                        Steve Biko

            Fabakary Bojang                                   Steve Biko

            Sainey Manneh                                        Hawks

            Omar Bojang                                         Africell FC

            Lamin Gibba                                         Wallidan