The Super Nawettan by Lamin Camara, chairman Referees Committee
I am delighted to be part of this very important forum and to present a paper on the strengths and weaknesses of Super Nawettan. Let me hasten to say time has been a limiting factor in the preparation of this short presentation.
However, I hope it will help achieve our common objective of developing the beautiful game in The Gambia. The Super Nawettan started in late ’80s on a champion’s league format; that is to say, champions of Nawettan zones competed.
The first sponsor was Jamil Haidus. A few years later the champions’ league changed to zonals. The new zonal format featured Banjul, SK East, SK West, Bakau, Lamin, Sukuta, Brikama and Gunjur.
In recent years, the tournament expanded to 12 now including, Brufut, Manjai, and BEM. The sponsors of the new format over the years were CSE, President Jammeh and Skye Bank.
Strengths
-Higher sense of community ownership
-Higher number of fans and followership (crowd puller)
-Higher gate takings and income for zones, venues, and organisers.
-Higher marketing potential
-Enhances unity in communities
-Encourages competition at nawettans
-Excellent scouting ground for league clubs
Enhances loyalty to the community and the game
Influences performance of Nawettan committees
Weaknesses
-Fertile ground for high hooliganism
-Lack of adequate pitches
-Limited number of players due to the number of participating zones
-Short duration of the tournament.
Club presentations
Brikama United by Alhagie S Darboe
Brikama United FC is owned by the members of Brikama Youth and Sports Association (BYSA). BYSA comprises 32 affiliated football clubs (mainly community nawettan clubs) in Brikama and satellite villages from Kombo Central, Kombo North and Kombo South). Community unification through football.
Concept
-Community based ownership of league football.
-Promote community participation and contribution in league football.
-Create, establish and sustain league football club(s).
-Develop and expose young talents to national and international football.
-Create employment opportunities for young people through football.
-Provide infrastructures needed for the stadium.
-Create and Support community development projects.
Structures
Management
-BYSA executive/board
Technical staff
-Team manager
-Head coach and six supporting staff
Teams
-Senior team
-Youth team
-Academy teams ( U-10, U-13 and U-15 )
Fans clubs
– Comprises fans from the various nawettan clubs’ fans
Members and general assembly
-The members comprises 32 affiliated nawettan clubs
-Each club is represented by two reps at the general assembly
Selection of players
-Players are scouted from the nawettan competitions.
-Constitutional provision gives priority to Brikama United to select players from the nawettan.
-Other talents are scouted by the head coach in consultation with the management
Finance
-Proceeds from the gate takings and other funds realised from the nawettan.
-Contracts with partners and monies accrued from the use of stadium facilities.
-Monies accrued from the sales of players.
-Donations.
Achievements
-Community participation and support is improved. Brikama United realised the highest attendance and gate-takings in GFA leagues over the years.
-A lot of young talents have been produced and exposed to national and international football.
-2011 GFA Division one league champion.
-Participated up to the second stage of the CAF Club Championship preliminary round.
-2012 GFA FA Cup runner-up.
-Never suffered a relegation.
Constraints
-Experiences serious financial constraints.
-Lack of sponsorship.
-Experiences difficulty in retaining talented players.
-Community involvement and participation is below expectation.
-The community participation and contribution is based on performance.
-Low fans club participation and contribution.
-Retarding infrastructure development.
Recommendations
-The government should encourage companies, businesses and institutions to sponsor and support community based clubs. -Thus institutional clubs should gradually transform and partner with community based clubs.
-Community based clubs may be opened to have partnership with individuals on share basis.
-Individual-owned clubs may gradually transform into community based clubs.
-A given community may have one or more clubs.
-All GFF Regional league clubs shall be community based clubs.
– Both the central and local governments may provide subvention to community based clubs.
Conclusion
Brikama Utd welcomes community based league football but on a gradual process. That is the bottom-top approach.
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