Do we need a team officials to ‘assess players abroad?’

Madi Swaaray If the recent media reports quoting GFF the Second Vice President Ebou Faye as saying that the federation is planning to send a team to assess players abroad is anything to by, then we should hold a breath for what looks to me as unreasonable spending spree. Although we may not be able to ascertain the number of officials arranged for this joy trip, (Mr Faye only said offcials) but such a move by the federation will leave one to wonder why the need for more than one person to do that. Over the years such technical outreach programs are conducted by the senior coach and in this case, Sang Ndong who is and should be the only man appointed to undertake such trip as was the case with Paul Putt and more recently Raul Savoy. Those European coaches who did not even need expenses such as visa fees used to go alone for such researches on our players. Why needing more people to do that which of course would mean more cost to the GFF in terms of visa fees, ticket and per diem? To change this effective and resource saving mechanism in the face of mounting criticism of the GF’s attitude to spending as highlighted at the recent AGM is to play into the hands of critics and a dangerous road to take. To send a team of officials abroad for a job that can be done by one person (Coach Sang) will among to a total disregard of public and stakeholders’ opinion. What’s there to assess about our players abroad which our very own Sang Ndong whose salary is paid by the government of Gambia cannot do? The GFF should plough back any resources, if it has plenty, from FIFA, CAF and the government into our leagues, infrastructure and the training of its staff rather than sleep walking intocolossal unnecessary expenses. We are now gradually really been troubled by this unreasonable spendings just because money is there to spend. Am not sure if the National Sports Council has any say in this but I think as a regulatory the NSC should exercise their statutory powers to weigh in such matters to ensure that monies of sports bodies are not spent unnecessarily. The GFF should accept that 2016 was a bad year for our teams in the international competitions and the public mood is not good after awfully failing in our CAN and U20 qualifiers. Instead GFF should focus their energy on improving the standard of football in the country rather packaging globe trotting officials on a trip one person can do To assess players abroad in this day and age could be carried out through video review, match reports, internet and telephone conference as well as test games to assess players on the home turf rather than paying for a team of holiday makers in the name of team building and so-called rebranding in this turbulent time of nation building. This is like flocking a dead horse. I will return]]>