By Arfang M.S Camara
Abdou Jammeh, head coach of The Gambia U-23 team has expressed satisfaction on the level of preparations with his players ahead of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to Burkina Faso today, on Wednesday.
The Scorpions team, on Monday arrived in Cotonou, Benin at 3:30pm ahead of their first leg encounter against Burkina Faso in the qualifiers of the Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Due to their poor standards of stadiums, both The Gambia and Burkina Faso will play their home games in the qualifiers away. With Burkina Faso playing their home games in Benin, while The Gambia will play their home matches in Morocco respectively.
“We have been working for weeks, I have nothing to complain and I’m a bit satisfied with what I have seen (in the training). I think we were more than ready. We we are more threatened after the arrival of the new foreign-based players. I have worked with them for three sessions together,” said coach T-boy Jammeh.
According to him, one his problem is not having enough time to interact with some of the foreign-based players in the team.
“This is why I was pushing with the other players back at home to have an idea about what I will do today, on Wednesday.”
Asked about how prepared he is to meet against the Francophone nation who plays a bit of physical football, he replied, “my game style is more like physics as well. Because I played with a lot of intensity and ran. So, I think that philosophy will march mine.”
According to him, the attacking players will be more vital to finish today’s encounter, adding that his playing style is to press high and win the ball upfront. The final 24-man squad are:
Goalkeepers are: Lamin Saidy of Real de Banjul; Lamin Sarr of UMEA in Sweden and Modou L. Jammeh of Falcons.
Defenders are: Habibou Mendy of Brikama United; Ebou Camara of Waa Banjul; Mamadou Bah of Team Rhino; Modou Camara of Hawks and Modou Manneh of Real de Banjul.
Midfielders are: Peter Sambou of GPA; Sheikh Omar Faye of ASC Jarraf in Senegal; Samba Jallow of Real de Banjul; Abdoulie Manneh of Wallidan; Assan Badjie of Team Rhino and Lamarana Jallow of Sporting CP in Portugal.
Forwards are: Foday Trawally of JK Tillin in Estonia; Jesper Ismaila Ceesay of AIK in Sweden; Momodou Bojang of Hibernian in Scotland; Wally Fofana of KVC Westerlo in Belgium; Musa Juwara of Bologna in Italy; Mustapha Beyai of PK 35 in Finland; Lamin Jarjou of Al Helal in Sudan; Foday Darboe of Paide in Estonia and Buba Jammeh of Interclube in Angola.
