Former Gambia U-17 Coach, Pa Suwareh Fye, is the latest to assess the Scorpions chances of securing a maiden place at the 2021 African Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon in 2021.
The Scorpions have been drawn against Djibouti in the preliminary stages of the qualifiers. Victory over the East Africans in October will see Tom Saintfiet’s charges join Angola, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Group D of qualifying. Two of the four teams will then qualify for the summer event.
Pa Fye as he is fondly called, is the first coach to ever secure Gambia qualification to a continental finals when he guided the U-17 Team to the African Cup of Nations in Swaziland 2003. Only a last minute defensive mishap deterred his team from qualifying for the World Cup that year when his side capitulated against eventual champions Cameroon to draw 2-2, a result that showed them knocked out in the group stages by just a one goal difference.
Speaking in an interview with www.gambiaff.org, Pa Fye sounded optimistic. “Gambians should rally behind the Scorpions, give them all the necessary support needed and allow the coach and his technical team do their job,” he said. “You have to build up a team; and in building up a team, you need a steady mind and in a process because that helps the entire organisation. If we all stet up and have a common goal that will definitely help to achieve our ultimate goal.”
He called on the general public to be with one heart and come together for one common goal. Quizzed about the preparations needed, Fye said The Gambia needs to first study it’s opponent and not underrate them. “Djibouti is going to prepare like a team, we equally have to prepare like a team and in preparing you need to know your opponent,” he said. Adding that the team must respect their opponents very well and follow their tracks irrespective of their strengths.
Fye is, however, very optimistic that The Gambia has a chance to appear at its maiden AFCON in 2021. “We now have a team in place and have recorded vital results in the past month,” he said, noting that the Scorpions have a young squad of talents that should be motivated and encouraged by all means. “This is our own country and we have to love our own putting on the national colors. I think everybody have to be proud of it”. He also appealed to all the players in and outside the country to commit themselves to national duty.
He concluded by appealing to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to address the calendar of the technical team in competition so as to organise many friendly matches to better prepare the team. He said The Gambia should take lessons from Guinea Bissau who made it to two AFCON finals already.