“Stop Lying! I Was Never Sacked” Former Gambian Head Coach Raul Savoy Told Sport Journalist

By Ousman A. Marong

The former Gambian head coach Raul Savoy has branded Gambian journalists as liars. Savoy made this remarks earlier on Friday 23^rdat the independence stadium in Bakau where his Wild Beasts (Central African Republic) held the scorpions of The Gambia into a 1 nil draw.

Mr. Savoy asked Gambian Sport journalists to stop lying that he was never sacked by the GFF, but voluntarily resigned as Gambia’s Head Coach.

Coach Savoy uttered these remarks in a post-match press conference with journalist when he was asked whether The Gambia Football Federation sacking him in 2015 waswrong.

The scorpions of The Gambia engaged the Wild Beasts of (Central African Republic) team a friendly match at the Independent Stadium in Bakau. The match featured thousands of spectators including Her Excellency, the First Lady Madam Fatou Bah Barrow. The game ended 1-1 on regulation time.

• Assan Ceesay raised Gambia’s head in a score line during second half of the game, before the Wild Beasts of Central African Republic came with an equalizer some few minutes before the match ended.

THE BEGINNING AND END OF RAUL SAVOY

It could be recalled that Raul Savoy put pen to paper as Gambia national team head coach on May 15^th 2015 to May 2017. The GFF decided to terminate his contract through the wake of some angry fans, who believed that he knew less about football and he is not the man to qualify the team into a continental championship.

Savoy had only led the national team to draws and defeats.These included a 1-1 draw against Uganda and a 3-1 loss to Morocco in a friendly encounter. In international competition, the Gambia drew goalless with anaway match to South Africa. Before losing home to Cameroon 1-nil in the first leg of the African cup of Nationsqualifiers.

The Gambia drew with Namibia one all, but were eliminated in the return leg after they been beaten in Windhoek. The Gambia never won a single match under Raul Savoy, this contributed to his sacking by the GFF.

It was categorically clear that Savoy could not even select or put together a good first eleven team, which was why the footballers could not play their roles very well, and this also contributed towards his failure.

Savoy who was tactically sacked by the GFF is still running his serpentine tongue in his elephantine mouth to turn down the fact that he was sacked.

The fact is that Savoy was sacked by the GFF but he is still insisting that he was never sacked.

Mr. Savory’s sacking was announced in a hastily arranged news conference held at the independence stadium in Bakau in May, 2017, where GFF Ebou Faye said “we have a mutual agreement amongst the stakeholders to terminate the service of Raul Savoy”. Mr. Faye further went on inform the press that the GFF had even contacted Savoy about the move.

 “I was never sacked, I voluntarily resigned myself so stop lying” said savoy

A referee who is not even qualify to coach a first division league team in his country of origin was lucky to  earn him the chance to add another African Nation onto his CV.

GFF REPULSIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARDS SPORTS JOURNALISTS DURING INTERNATONAL 

The GFF behavior towards sports journalists is in this country is unbearable. Sports journalist have observed with deep concern in the recent past years with the way and manner the GFF is treating them.

During international matches security officers mostly the Paramilitary usually  forced sports journalist to walk from the stands after they were accosted and physically prevented from entering the press box by a section of the home security officers, while the MP soldiers looked on as the groups, who are social media promoters of the GFF were molested.

Earlier in September 2015 during the Gambia Namibia match encounter at the independent stadium in Bakau, journalists were subjected to humiliation by the GFF for ordering them to leave the press box they have sole for VIP tickets and asked sports journalists to go sit down stairs in a heavy pour rain.

This erupted into a verbal abuse between some senior sports journalists and members of the GFF. The verbal abuse happened when journalists were performing their duties at the press box only to be asked by the GFF Officials to use the down stairs for their match report.

These and many of its kind are by no means isolated incidents, on the country. They are part of the series of violations against sports journalists that is gradually becoming a subculture in Gambian football.

GFF UNDER KABBA BAJO

Arguably the GFF suffered a lot under  Kabba Bajo’s tenure , despite decades of investment in football and putting up time, energy, resources and money yet still Gambian’s have been let down by the very people who are at the helm to run football affairs in the country.

There is no doubt that, football is the only way that brings about friends, families with a way no other human activities thus in this country.

 OurNational sport is conniving with failures on International stage, to be compounded with frustrations and anger of fan-base thirsty for success in continental sport championship.

Kabba Bajo was earlier quoted as saying “government never put much into football, we had to depend on ourselves” little did he think how FIFA subvention money amounting to millions of dalasi’s every single year came by?

And the fact that the GFF submit projects for funding on an entirely separate chunk of cash from the World Football governing body, let kabba explain to The Gambian people why he expect more money from the coffers of the  tax payers to fund his failures?

Looking at the millions pouring in from FIFA, CAF and other bodies, how difficult can it be to build quality stadiums around the country?

Lack of grassroots football Academies of excellence in the country where every governorship in this country can help rebuild the school boy internationals as factories of young talent to help rebuild our team.

DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE USED-SPORT MINISTER CAUTION YOUTH

By Ousman A. Marong

The sports Minister Hon Henry Gomez, has cautioned the youth against fighting Political Proxy wars for politicians. He made mention of this at the Kairaba Beach Hotel on Saturday 17th, in an event organized The Gambia National Youth Council, in Inter-party Youth Dislodge on the theme "Sustaining Democracy: Preserving Peace for National Development".

Addressing the gathering, the sports Minister Hon Henry Gomez said "the youths should not allow themselves to be used in fighting political proxy wars, as well as politicians must also desist from using the youths these acts".

He also made mention of the fact that the coalition government under the steward leadership of President Adama Barrow is focused on running an economy that will create employment for the youths.

"Never allow yourself to be used by politicians in their own political gains, if you allow yourself to be used in fighting political proxy wars let me warn you know that those politicians will be comfortably sitting in their own comfort zones ruin with their own families". 

According to the Minister, the government has laid down some initiatives such as project, stimulus packages for ailing Industries, government through the National Youth Council to provide fund for start-up business and many others, which will help alleviate unemployment in the country.

The Minister further revealed that his Ministry is well positioned to partner with the National Youth Council in order to confront challenges facing the youths in the nation. 

RIDICULOUS KMC RATE COLLLECTOR EMPTYING VENDORS SELLERS COFFERS IN THE KANIFING MUNICIPALITY

KMC interim chairperson, Bakary K. Jammeh (R) on a familiarisation visit to government agencies on March 1, 2018 at Bakau Community Centre (Photo Credit: Ousman A. Marong)

GARDENERS IN NORTH BANK CRY FOR STRAY ANIMALS AND LACK OF CUSTOMERS TO BUY THEIR FARM PRODUCT

Farmers in NBR are increasing the size of their farms which they were compelled in the past to deliberately shrink because they lacked input and motivation. (Photo Credit: Ousman A. Marong)