THE SAD STORY OF GAMBIA’S TEAM SELECTION - HAS IT ALL BEEN BIAS?

When we say national teams, everyone expects an all inclusive selection of good players. But sadly enough, the manner in which national teams are selected especially at youth category, has not in any way represents a national selection. Have the selection of a national youth team ever been right in the Gambia?

The Gambia Flag

Since time immemorial, the selection of every category of national teams is limited to within Greater Banjul Area (GBA), on rare occasions will players from outside this territory will make an inclusion. Even if it happens, that particular player is connected to a team in the urban area, or controlled / own by prominent stakeholder or football authority.

How are we doing justice to the provincial states and communities outside the greater Banjul area? How do we expect the whole country to have a sense of belonging? when the authorities are showing to the nation that “all the good players are found within the urban centres”, which in all, is far from the reality.

I write this not with any ill-will towards football in the country, Gambia football federation or any individual. I write as someone who has seen a pool of potential national prospects destroyed in other part of the country. As someone deeply sadden by the treatment of good players outside the urban areas. And as an advocate for development of football across the country.

Gambia National Team

Take into account, the Sukuta team that won the Super “nawettan” in 2005, when most of the zones within GBA were represented by national team players, shows talents are everywhere.

Gunjur is another typical example in 2016 when they used players most of whom were third division players and they compete with zones that were widely represented by first and second division players. That Gunjur team has shown zest, dash and ingenuity.

They were eventual champions at the expense of the so called big zones. With all the players in that team including (Salifu Bojang, player of the tournament and Mbemba Fatty top scorer), making names for themselves all over the country.

The performance of Barra, Essau, Mayamba (BEM), (runners up) in 2017 super nawettan and Jarra Kiang United (JAKU) in their debut season in 2018 clearly shows potential that could become national prospects, are everywhere in the country.

How such pool of talented players were left to go unnoticed – though for what earthly purpose, who could say?

2016 Gunjur team

What is stopping the football authorities from giving equal privilege and opportunity to all the players across the country when it comes to national team selection? Perhaps due to the flimsy “adage” that "football is within Banjul, Serrekunda and Bakau".

No one is forcing the authorities to select good players from across all the regions but rather informing them that the privilege accords to the daughters and sons of stakeholders, ministers, football administrators within urban areas, must and should truly be extended to as far as upper river region, central river region, north bank region, lower river region and other parts of west coast region.

Spectators at the Independence Stadium

For the whole nation to truly feel proud of the national selections, all regions must see those good players within their areas, given equal opportunity as others in the urban areas, so as to give a true definition of a ‘national team’.