By Arfang M.S Camara
The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) on Saturday 26th February 2022, presented CAF C-License coaching certificate to 30 eligible coaches in a ceremony at the National Technical Training Centre in Old Yundum.
Speaking at the event that brought an end to the Diploma course, the President of the GFF Mr. Lamin Kabba Bajo reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to ensure continues capacity building.
“This is another exciting moment for me to preside over the handing out of C License certificates to the graduands. This is a big achievement as far the Federation is concerned and the Technical Department in particular. We will be repeating it and we’ll continue saying it as many times as possible,” he asserted.
“When my administration took over football administration in this country in 2014, top on our agenda was CARM [the capacity building program of coaches, administrators, referees & medics] because there’s nothing on earth that you can achieve without knowledge.”
President Bajo added that he is proud that now The Gambia have its own local instructors conducting coaching courses without having to depend on the continental football governing body for human resource.
Speaking earlier, the Technical Director of the GFF Sang John Ndong disclosed that last year alone the GFF have trained more than 500 coaches. “The process is we want to train more coaches nationwide, there’s a team currently in Basse, URR and we have another team here running this closing ceremony. Let me borrow this phrase from FIFA; ‘we are here to help to achieve things together’. FIFA is here to help the Federations achieve things together. The GFF also is here to assist its stakeholders to achieve things together,” he stressed.
“Looking at the ratio of footballers in this country, as coaches, we’re far behind but we will thank God that last year was a mighty step taken by the GFF to make sure that courses were conducted. Just last year 15 D-Licence courses with a maximum of 30 participants were run and 3 CAF C-License with a maximum of 30 participants. That number amounts to 500. So, if we can continue producing that number or increase that number, I think this problem will be addressed once and for all.”
For his part, Kebba ‘Jesper’ aTouray the Vice President of The Gambia Football Coaches Association commended the GFF for building the capacity of coaches. He implored the participants to implement on the ground what they’ve learned.
Delivering the vote of thanks on behalf of the participants, Mustapha Jarju expressed delight with the opportunity and promised to deliver as expected.
Source: GFF
