By: Omar Jatta
The Gambia’s U-20 coach, Matarr Mboge is set to put a 23 man U-20 selection through their paces at a two day training camp to held at the National Technical Training Centre (NTTC) in Yundum.
The two day training camp which is expected to kick-off of at 8.30am on Friday, 9th February and end on Saturday, 10th February, is part of the team’s preparations for the upcoming 2019 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers, which is scheduled to place in Benin in 2019.
To ensure he gets his preparations underway in earnest, coach Mboge, who was promoted from U-17 Head Coach in October last year to take charge of the U-20s, having worked with the GFF since April 2015, working across all categories assisting various coaches and teams including the senior team, will take advantage of the upcoming league break to accord the young prodigies, the opportunity to showcase their abilities in bid to secure a place in the Young Scorpions squad for the qualifiers. This will give the manager enough time to assess the players individually, and collectively as team, and has made it clear that he wants to give players every opportunity to showcase their talent in their bid to secure a place in the Young Scorpions squad for the qualifiers
“We made a great start during the first phase of training but as we suspected, the level of some of the players invited has dropped whilst others have made strong claims to be included,” he told the GFF Website
“We want to develop these players and give them the tools to progress and become better and I’m delighted to see that the majority of them have stepped up their game to higher levels.
“We must keep encouraging them and motivating them to keep giving their best because as I will keep on saying, the talent at this level is incredible and you have to work.”
Several new faces have been availed this unique opportunity to push for a place in the team, however, players from the current GFF champions GAF and the FF Cup holders Hawks were exempted due to their teams’ respective involvement the upcoming in the preliminary rounds of the CAF Champions League and the Confederations cup, which kicks-off on the same weekend as the training camp, with GAF travelling across the continent to face Zanaco FC of Zambia in Lusaka, While Hawks visit Nigeria to face Akwa United. Second Division players are also excused as they are engaged with club fixtures
The list of selected players for the second phase of training are as follows:-
Yankuba Sabally (Fortune), Lamin Saidy (Real de Banjul), Ebrima Cham (Gamtel), Modou Jadama (Brikama United), Julius Jammeh (Gamtel), Kemo Bojang (Gamtel), Makaira Tambedou (Fortune), James Gomez (Real de Banjul), Mustapha Secka (Banjul United), Habibou Mendy (Brikama United), Musa Njie (Fortune), Modou Corr (Marimoo), Alfusainey Jatta (Fortune), Assan Jawo (GPA), Foday Darboe (Marimoo), Saikou Touray (Marimoo), Muhammed Kaba (GPA), Ousman Joof (Marimoo), Abdoulie Sarr (Banjul United), Pa Modou Sohna (Real de Banjul), Ismaila Ceesay (Marimoo), Alasana Jatta (Real de Banjul), Ebrima Jatta (Real de Banjul)
Source: GFF web
