Gambia: Even Pros Have to Prove – Lamin Sarr

FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)

Sulayman Bah

30 March 2011

U-20 Coach Lamin Sarr has sent a warning message to his players that not even team captain Saihou Gassama has a permanent place in his team.

‘Either perform or risked been dropped’ is Lamin Sarr’s stern warning to his players after he downsized two ‘key-players’ from the U-20 team in his provisional 24-member team.

The exclusion of Buba Jallow and Kemo Fatty in the Under 20 national soccer team is a wake up call to foreign-based players who many fans believe are untouchable.

Eighteen local-based players made the cut in the provisional squad which might be downsized when other invited foreign-based players turn up-with the majority expected to arrive in Banjul by next week.

“Nobody has a permanent place in the team even my captain. I select based on their performance during training ground, here in Brikama Boxbar. Even the pros have to show they deserve a place in my team. We want to build a team that can win. So nobody should believe they have a permanent place in my team,” Sarr said.

U-20 striker Ebrima Bojang is said to be injured and as a result did not make the list of invited players.

Lamin Sarjor Samateh, ‘Basmen’, Buba Sama is among the highly-rated local players in the team.

The team is currently at camp and is expected to leave for the tournament in South Africa by April. Gambia is seeded with youth continental heavy-weights and probably possible trophy contenders Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria.

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