The Senior National Team Coach Paul Put during his speech on the occasion of the signing of a four year deal with the Government of The Gambia, yesterday at the Joint Officers Mess, commended President Jammeh for having confidence in him and fulfilling a promise to maintain him as senior national team coach. The determined and promising Belgian Coach also promised among other things to ensure The Gambia qualify for the 2012 World cup and also develop and market football in The Gambia.
Below is the full text of the speech;
I would like to take the opportunity to thank the President of the Republic for having the confidence in me and fulfilling his promise of keeping me put in The Gambia.
My mission is simple; qualify The Gambia for the next world cup 2012 and that I will succeed in with great confidence.
Mr. President my promise to you is not just to qualify The Gambia for 2012 World Cup but also develop and market the football in The Gambia, I know how you and the Gambian people love football and that is the foundation to my assignment.
I listened to your speech at the July 22ndSquare celebration after our historic game in
I was not only a good coach but also a great mentor; I hope and will do everything in my power to exercise this quality and skill to the whole of Gambian footballers regardless of age.
Mr. President thank you again and you can count on me.
Government
I will also like to thank the Government especially The Minister of Youth and Sports Mr. Gomez for all the effort and help in putting together a great contract for four years between me and the Government.
I 'm looking forward to working with you and your ministry in the near future to develop Gambian Football.
My duties as your National Coach, I will exceed and act as your Gambian Ambassador.
GFA
My next big thank you's go to the president of the GFA Mr. Seedy Kinteh, vice president Major General Tamba and the board of the GFA.
It was not always easy in 2008, we struggled financially but the GFA succeeded always to prepare the National team in the best conditions.
I appreciate very much the support and confidence the GFA has given me and my boys.
Because of you hard work as a team of professionals we got the good results during our qualification games, we finished second but unfortunately we are not qualified by the new rules of the CAF during the tournament.
But never the less we have made a great step forward on
world wide and African nation ranking and we wrote history by drawing with
We have an assignment to qualify the Gambian football for the 2012 World Cup and also to develop and market Gambian Football.
I have the confidence in you and myself as a team to succeed.
AFRICELL
Let me also thank the General Manager of Africell and his direction.
You are the reason behind the success of the Scorpions as well. It is you who paid the coach, so if it was not for you, they will not have who everyone is saying is a great coach.
I on behalf of my boys, thank you very much for this great gift and for giving me the opportunity to display and prove my quality and knowledge as a coach to the Gambian people.
I am grateful and I am sure the Gambian people are too and I hope that we can still count on your efforts.
Media
I also want to give my appreciation to the people behind the media. It is very important in modern football to have a good relationship with the media. So I have to thank you for all your support that you have been giving my boys and myself during the tournament and I'm hoping to work with you on the same level in the future.
It is our duty to continue to work as a team as well so that we can market Gambian football worldwide.
Players
I will also thank my players, technical, medical staff, kit mangers and team mangers for the way they have showed respect for me and worked as professionals during our preparations.
I know better than anybody else that they are on the basis of the renewal of my contract as the National Senior coach.
It was great pleasure and honour to work with such a team, and I'm looking forward to continue our work and reach our nations cup dream together.
Gambians
Last but not least,
I want to thank the Gambian people for their support and prayers.
I'm very grateful for the way you have accepted and appreciated me as your coach. You have given me the confidence and the power to do my job as a lion, and you have also given me the feeling that I'm a real Gambian.
I can tell you also that you are the reason behind the success of the Scorpions.
Lets look forward to many more happy days and celebrations in the future.
Thank you and I love you so much.