They say a story is better told by someone who had lived it. But when it has to do with a bitter truth, only the honest would say so. This was exactly what happened at the Friendship Hostel on Friday when a former Technical Director of The Gambia Football Federation (Association then) remarked that the current leadership has registered significant strides in the development of the game, and thus needs to be applauded.
Kebba Masaneh Ceesay, who also worked as a Chairman of the Technical Committee, under the leadership of Seedy Kinteh, was speaking at the preseason Club Management meeting where the leadership of the GFF announced its latest package in terms of its support to clubs in both the men and women competitions.
The second vice President Ebou Faye disclosed that the Federation will from this season give each of the first division teams D150,000 for its preseason preparations and transport refund to the teams during the season. Second division clubs will also receive a similar package of D125,000 each.
“I think giant strides have been achieved and we have to commend the GFF for taking our football to another level because I was there before and I know what it takes,” Ceesay, now a Technical Director at Gambia Ports Authority FC said.
The domestic league will take a national character from the 2018/19 season when teams from the regional third divisions across the country will be incorporated into the national league with both the first and second division to be expanded as well. At the end of the upcoming season, two teams will be relegated from the first division while the first four from the second will be promoted to make a 14-team first division league. The regional champions will also contest a playoff and the four winners will join the second division to make up a 16-team division.
Transport is one of the major challenges to the domestic game and in preparation for the decentralisation of the national league, the GFF is finalising plans to establish an income generating bus company that will transport the teams to and from every venue they are scheduled to play across the country at no cost to the clubs. The buses will also engage in commercial venture to generate income for its maintenance.
Ndongo Camara a representative of Banjul United remarked: “I’ve been in football throughout my life and the kind of things I’m seeing today have never been done in Gambian football before. The GFF is moving towards the right direction and therefore, they need our support, 100%, to take the game to a level desired by all.”
Ebou Faye also announced that from 2021, the GFF will introduce a superior professional league that will be opened to every Gambian team irrespective of their level so long they meet all the criteria to turn a professional club. He said the organisation of such a league will be outsourced by the Federation.
“I want to thank the GFF for the introduction of a new registration system of the players. I also want us to put forward the interest of football and take a collective responsibility and help the GFF for the growth of the game,” Ansu Fatty a representative of Hawks FC added.