In their encounters, Senegal defeated Gambia 3-0, Guinea toppled Gambia with 1-0 and Cameroon made it over Gambia by 3-2.
However we would like to commend coach Tom Saintfiet, who resigned as head coach of The Gambia senior national team following the Scorpions’ exit from this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d'Ivoire
We are commending Tom Saintfiet for taking or qualifying The Gambia on two consecutive occasions to the Africa Cup of Nations, which is historic and has gone down in the annals of Gambian football.
Tom was appointed as head coach of the Gambia senior national team in 2018 and served The Gambia for five and a half years, although his contract was supposed to end in 2026.
However, we would like to call on the government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Council, to work closely with the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) in hiring a replacement as soon as possible for the Scorpions, who are taking part in the 2026 World Cup Preliminary rounds.
We urge the authorities to hire an experienced coach like Tom to meet the challenges because the country cannot afford to register records lower than those set by Tom any more.
In retrospect, Tom’s defensive tactics cost the country greatly. Star players such as Muhammed Badamosi, Yankuba Minteh, Abdoulie Jallow, Musa Barrow and Hamza Barry are too important to be benched.
It would be recalled that in The Gambia’s maiden AFCON 2021 appearance in Cameroon, the host eliminated the Gambia at the quarterfinals by 2-0.
This year, the Scorpions played below standard and failed to win a single match during the 2023 edition (losing to Senegal, Guinea Conakry and Cameroon in the three group stage matches). We therefore call for a national sports stakeholders conference to look into the team’s disappointing campaign, preparations leading to the tournament, what went wrong during the tournament and the way forward.
Football is a business and no more leisure. Therefore, our sports leaders must put the country’s interest first and invest heavily in the country’s sport if we want to stand up to other nations. We must give attention to the development of grassroots and academy football.
We call on the Gambia Football Federation to put their priorities right. The country’s 2023 AFCON participation would have been in jeopardy if it were not for the swift intervention of you Mr President, who many times has saved the country’s football body from embarrassment by paying the bonuses of the players and chartering a flight to fly the Scorpions for overseas matches the latest being to Cote d'Ivoire. We commend you Mr President and the Gambia Government for your quality leadership and foresight. Despite the economic challenges of the country, the Government paid players' bonuses of D38 million, which has never happened before this time in the history of the country. In addition to this, the government mostly chartered flights for the senior national team whenever they go to play international away matches.
It would be recalled that on 6 February 1979 when The Gambia lost 1-0 to Liberia in Monrovia in the final of the Tolbert Trophy, the Gambia Government donated to each player One Hundred Dalasis, which the players appreciated wholeheartedly because of love for the country. That time they were called Gambia11 and their name was changed in 1984 to Scorpions suggested by the late Housainou Njie, former Managing Director of Gambia Commercial Bank, and endorsed by the late Mrs Louise Njie, then Minister of Education, Youth and Sports.
Mr President, in football, without investing money, you cannot get successful results. The GFF should always endeavour to pay players' bonuses on time as well as sign a written agreement in principle between them and the players to avoid any dispute in future.
On the other hand, we call on the players to never hold the country to ransom in crucial moments, to be disciplined and also be committed.
Foreign-based footballers must be monitored and called up to the national team based on their performance in their respective clubs. If young players from our respective youth teams (U-17, U-20 and U-23) are performing well, they must also be given a chance.
Also, the Independence Stadium should be completed in earnest to host Gambia’s international home games and friendlies. The Gambia playing its home matches away from the Gambian soil is hurting the country’s football. The team needs the support of the home fans.
Finally Mr president, the suggestion of some people to dissolve the football federation is not a viable solution. If that is done, FIFA will ban the country for two years from all competitions and financial aid will stop. One of the rules is that Government should not interfere in the administration of the FA. Only football club members are eligible to elect members of the executive of the Gambia Football Federation or to call for a congress for the dissolution of the GFF executive. Beside the media, club officials should be always informed on how the FIFA Annual Subvention is managed by the GFF.
Mr President, we give credit where it is due. With the current executive, led by Kabba Bajo, the Gambia has participated twice in AFCON competitions, which never happened before this time, and this achievement has entered the football history books of the country.
Good day!