By Kemo Kanyi
The Gambia Football Federation has Monday evening announced the appointment of Yahya Manneh as head coach for the Gambia’s U-17 male football team.
According to the news from the football house in Kanifing, Mr Manneh is contracted to take charge of the U-17 men’s team for a two-year agreement.
GFF stated that until Mr Manneh’s recent appointment, he was the assistant coach of the Gambia U-20, whom he recently helped to a third-place finish at the WAFU-A tournament in Liberia.
“As head coach of the U-17, Yahya Manneh is tasked with preparing a team with a strong mentality, organizingtraining sessions/events or workshops deemed necessary towards educating young players for their growth in football through the four corner modules of Long Term Player Development. He’s also being mandated to establish working relationships with the regional coaches and the grassroots football manager for the building or setting up of National U-12 and U-15, to participate and support all grassroots and youth football development programs, and to prepare players within the U-17 age bracket for continuity into the U-20,” The Gambia Football Federation says.
On his qualifications in football-related matters according to GFF, Manneh holds a CAF B coaching license and is a specialist in youth player development and coaching, as was his area of study in the United Kingdom, where he attained FA Youth Module 1&2 qualifications. He also attained RFA/Olympic Solidarity level 3 in coaching besides being certified as a coach instructor by the GFF.
His contribution to local sports development is that Yahya Manneh is the founder and head coach of KGH Sports Academy and Club. He was an assistant and head coach of Elite United, Brufut United, Lamin United, Steve Biko, and Brentford FC U-21 Academy.
“He won awards with the Gambia U-20 while serving as an assistant coach under Matarr Mboge and Abdoulie Bojang, respectively,” the Federation recognizes.
It added that Yahya Manneh will be assisted by Lamin Sanneh while Bakary Sanyang serves as trainer and Adama Jatta of GAF as goalkeeper coach.
Manneh will lead his charges in the upcoming WAFU-A TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Thies, Senegal, slated for 20th October to 3rd November 2024.