Football has become a global resource, and not only can it put a country on the global map, but can certainly affect a country’s economy, and bring about an international recognition that can spill over to other areas. It is also a fact that successes in football can rekindle nationalism in a positive way, and if exploited wisely can bring about political stability. The recent discussion on the G-l about Gambian soccer, the acquiring of funds from CAF for the building of a sport complex, and the proposal for the Gambia to host the under seventeen tournament have really convinced me that maybe Gambian soccer needed to be given a serious look. And where else can any issue get an objective, unbiased and controversial analysis than the Bantaba, ( laugh) so let the game begin. The Gambia, according to Sports Historian has been involved in organized football longer than most African countries. Biri Biri, a name that epitomized success in Gambia football is a clear testimony the level that Gambian football has gotten. The skills exhibited by this individual, even today, Biri’s skills in football can be ranked with the best that ever played the game. There were numerous talented players created by a structure, and it is this same structure that can rescue Gambian football. Gambian soccer once had a mass appeal in the metro area and in major towns in the country, and this can be credited to the organized competition at all levels. At the Primary schools level, we have had the Malfa/Campama rivalry, Mohammedan/Wesley rivalry, and out of these schools at an early age, professional players were been formed. At the high schools: GHS, St Augustines, Crab Island, Armitage schools and Junior Secondary competitions became the breeding ground for the talents that would find their ways to the Real, Walidans, Kwame and the Starlights. And I am sure, to some extend this is still the case, but the lack of serious organizing of these tournaments at this level can be partly responsible for some of the challenges facing Gambian football. Take some of those finances and resources, and invest in soccer at the Primary level and high schools by designing effective and serious competition, and this would eventually bring about a competitive league program. Like everything else in our country, success can only happen when we ask the real questions. I am sure the Gambia football association has been raising these questions and dealing with these challenges, but maybe the G-L can give a serious look at the sport in the context of what happen to Gambian football? What led to the downward spiral? What happen to the interest level? Or is a question of people are confronted with issues of economic survival that are more important than football? How can we get to where our neighboring Senegal has gotten? I am full of envy and wished it were we and not they. What do we have to start doing to get to the African cup of nations? What do we need to do on a long-term strategy to one day find the Gambia in the world cup? Maybe by attempting to diagnose the problem of what happen to Gambian football, hopeful we can come up with proposals and solutions that can at least begin to restore Gambian football where it really belongs. Thanks Musa Jeng ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~