Alejandro Heredia, course instructor of the recently ended goalkeeping training course organized by The Gambia Football Federation said there is plenty of room for improvement in the area of goalkeeping in The Gambia, and he is thrilled to provide the participants with both practical and theoretical knowledge that will help them when they return to their various football teams.
“Exciting times to educate the goalkeeper coaches as we want to ensure they can go back to their teams and coach their goalkeepers. Gambia has potentials for the future and that is not far away. It’s up to you to improve because there is always room for improvement.”
Despite a renewed focus on goalkeeping development by the football federation, Sang Ndong, the technical director of the Gambia Football Federation, insists this is just the first step on the road towards the federation’s strategic vision for the future. “This is really the start of many training courses for goalkeeping in the country,“ he said. “We are committed to making sure that goalkeepers in the national league are well equipped with modern day techniques.”
However, Sang urged the participants to practice what they have learned from the course. “You are all ought to go back to your clubs and even to the communities to impact the knowledge gained here and help produce good goalkeepers.”
Lamin Saidy, goalkeeping coach for Jambanjelly United in the 2nd division of the national league is confident the course will help him to make a positive contribution when he returns home. “The course helped me a lot,” he said.
“I just started my career as a goalkeeping coach and I did enjoy being part of the coaching course. I’ve learnt a lot, it motivates me to get where I should be, to see where I should be.”
“Working in groups really pushes me hard to communicate and motivates me to be part of the team and express myself how to be a coach,“ says Yaya Jallow of Elite United in the 1st division.
“We are not looking at the present, but the future,” he added. “I’ve learnt a new technique here that will help me and my team in this season.”
