We would’ve loved to make more history here and extend our participation in the competition but you should be proud of yourselves and your achievements. You’re a part of history by being the first Gambian team to qualify to the AFCON and finishing sixth overall. These were the remarks made by Tom Saintfiet on January 29, 2022, as the Scorpions saw two second half Karl Tako Ekambi goals ended its maiden appearance at the 2021 edition at the quarterfinal stage against the hosts.
With The Gambia preparing to take on South Sudan in Match Day 5 of the 2023 qualifiers, victory will put the Belgian’s charges on the brink of securing back to back African Cup of Nations appearances ahead of September’s decider against Congo Brazzaville in Banjul. His side lie joint second with six points from four matches and with leaders Mali needing a point to secure qualification away to Congo, even a draw against the Bright Stars could serve as a very valuable point gained.
Unfairly maligned back home, especially by the citizen journalists, Tom is a coach very much liked by his players and staff because of his work ethic, attention to details and his commitment to the course coupled with his agape love for Gambia. He has a core of players who believe in his methods to the point they are always willing to go to war for him. His stats backed this up as well. With 37 matches played as head coach since his appointment in July 2018, he oversaw 17 victories, representing a win percentage of 46 and nine draws, translating to 24% with just 11 loses. This means that in those matches, he hasn’t tasted defeat in 70% of them. His teams are known for their tactical and defensive discipline than its flair up front but even at that, over the same period, the Scorpions scored more goals than conceded, with 37 against 32.
Holder of a UEFA Pro Coaching License, the highest that any coach could attain in the world, the gaffer and his charges are strongly placed to secure a place in Ivory Coast 2023. In Match Day 4, The Gambia defeated the Eagles of Mali in Casablanca with a score line of 1 – 0, representing our first ever victory over the Malians at senior level since 2001. During the last half a decade, one of the many heavyweights that also fell to Gambia include Morocco, Guinea, Angola, Tunisia, Benin, Gabon amongst others. Having made the final five-man shortlist for the African Coach of the Year 2022 awards, he also finished third on the Belgian Coach of the Year category voted for by professional Belgian coaches.
This has translated into the steady and impressive progress we registered in the FIFA global football rankings. It must be noted that since the 2018 World Cup in Russia, FIFA has changed the ranking system compared to before. In the new system, less points are given for wins and draws, thus, making it difficult for lowly ranked footballing nations like The Gambia to make big moves upwards. In 2022, The Gambia was the biggest African mover ahead of Morocco, Cameroon and Senegal. Even the former’s fourth place finish at the Qatar World Cup wasn’t enough for them to make big steps because of the new rules.
The Gambia’s highest ever ranking was 65 in June 2009 for a month and by end of the year, it had already fallen to 116. This is an indication of how easy it was for teams to move up and down the rankings. In the previous system, a win or two can see a country move up by 40 places while under the current format, it can only translate to less than 10.
In September 2014, The Gambia had dropped to 166 on the Rankings and because it wasn’t competing in international football for a period, at the time due to a global ban, we had already dropped to 172 by the time Tom Saintfiet was appointed in July 2018. Since then, we have moved 52 places up to 120. And if not for the current system in place, The Gambia’s recent achievements would’ve seen us in the first 100 in the world.
Under his tenure, he gave debut to 37 Gambian players amongst which include the current core of the team. The first player to make his debut under him is Musa Barrow and there are two further players in Saidou Khan and Jacob Mendy in line to represent The Gambia for the first time. So as he prepares to lead his troops against the Bright Stars at Ismailia’s Suez Canal Stadium this Wednesday, Tom, who is contracted to oversee Gambia’s assault on a maiden World Cup berth in 2026, will be hoping for a result that will edge him further closer to cementing his status as the greatest coach the country ever had.
