Is this the same Lamin Cham of the daily observer? If so, this is Pasamba Jow of FLamemins and New Citizen. How are you and everybody in the sports field? I really miss you guys.
Coach
----- Original Message -----
From: LAMIN CHAM
Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 11:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: GFA congress a wild goose chase
A commentary
The GFA congress
a wild goose chase
Believe it or not Gambian football is going through an unprecedented
times. The enormous debate brought about by the emergence of a new force
aspiring to topple what most are now comfortable to call the old guard in
the politics of the game, is in itself a genuine rarity.
Even the uproar that followed the disbanding of the former GFA executive by
then sports minister Buba Baldeh in 1992 is by the no means a match for the
current spontaneous interest surrounding the December 29 GFA congress.
At the heart of the increasingly boiling debate are two opinion groups. Keep
Alhagie Gabbi Sosseh "for continuation of a well established path to
progress" and vote Malleh Wadda "for the revival of a sick game". To arrive
at an authoritative conclusion requires an analysis of both camps.
As natural law would have it I would start with the proponents of
"Continuity". The out going executive is credited for both the good and the
bad of the current state of football, depending on what your perception of
good or bad is.
Taking over from a jubilant interim committee, O.B. and his group spent
their honeymoon with their minds firmly fixed on the need for an immediate
successful impact. The transformation was never to be fully attended even
though The Gambia has shown some sporadic impressive international outings.
The Zone Two trophy which was envisaged to be a starter for the main
course, the Nations cup, remains an elusive dream even after efforts as
recent as last month. However the GFA ensured that the country entered in
all competitions. Apart from few experiments with short spell of foreign
coaches, the GFA under the outgoing executive depended largely on local
technicians with little success in turning around the fortune of the country
at senior level. Domestically however, the GFA increased the scope of the
league to the present 20 teams first and second division and even ventured
into establishing a third division in line with its much cherished
decentralisation policy. A women league was also introduced.
Economic Boom
The period 1998 on words can be described as the economic boom of the
association's 49 year old history. FIFA set up a 1 million dollar reprieve
for its weak members through which over two million dalasis is deposited in
the coffers of Gambian football annually. The GFA made plans to implement
with the fund. Their greatest achievement was the creation of cadet teams
which did so well that today it has the courage to bid for the U-17 t
nations cup finals in 2005.A robust technical department was set up again
mainly of local breed to coach all the categories.Regional coaches were
posted to all corners of the country to take the game to the provinces who
can now take part in the national league through the regional leagues. On
personal levels the GFA old guard are known to be philantrophists in the
game, sponsoring clubs here and donating trophies there and in more serious
cases chipping in personal monies to bail out the association from financial
problems.Through out their long contact with the game they have made
influential friends and assume previledge positions in international
football bodies, an asset many believed would be lost once they left the
scene.Can those roles be filled immediately ? Will any new president make
an instant impact to forestall a lapse in the flow of international treaties
and corporations? Would the GFA not lose its goodwill ambassadors readily
available to the old guard .How would a new president tackle the huge loan
said to be left behind?These and other issues lies at the heart of the
argument by the camp proposing to give the GFA executive another chance
under vice president Gabbi Sosseh.
In contrast Malleh Wadda,s mission find faults with most if not all of the
areas considered successful under the old guard.His very approach,
characterised by boldness represent a change in the politics of the game
here and indeed sports in general.For far too long the young generation
have considered sport leadership as a no go area with every discipline
returning the same people to office time in and out. Malleh,s candidature
is therefore likely to appeal to many a youth.Having gone through all the
strata of sports Wadda said he is out to revitalised the lost glories of the
game.He said he would like to go back to the drawing board to retrace the
path that produced the likes of himself and many more. Many observers said
his intention to run is not misplaced.He is probably one of the most
credible personality in his generation to occupy the seat.So ladies and
gentle men here in lies the debate to the congress.As I walk past Westfield
pondering on this commentary yesterday a man called out, Lamin Cham, 'We
don,t need old Pa'.I know exactly what he mean.That is his opinion.I
reserved mine. I don,t blame him though.The Gambian youths have come of
age.Their very discontent is a measure of their progress.
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