By Awa Macalo
Real De Banjul yesterday hosted a press conference to highlight its cooperation with Paide Linnameeskond FC of Estonia. It came as officials from the club completed a visit to Real.
The cooperation is to build strong football players and molding young players for a professional career in Europe, as well as exchanging knowledge and European field training strategies within the two clubs.
The cooperation is also aimed at jointly creating training programmes and placement of players from the Gambian league to Estonia.
The president of Real De Banjul, William Abraham, appreciated Paide for trusting them and partnering with Real saying that Paide has become a household name in the Gambia with two former players of Real De Banjul having gone through Paide.
“Paide’s CEO, president and fitness trainer have been here for three to four days and during this time we have seen changes in all the departments. We have also seen few players been encouraged to do better here and there, which is the purpose of this cooperation,” Mr Abraham said.
The President of Paide, Veiko Veskimäe expressed gratitude for the cooperation saying that his team is very delighted to have signed an MoU with Real De Banjul.
“The two teams will stand side by side to develop capacities of our players and encourage effective participation and improving their careers. Since we started training with the players, we have noticed their capabilities and skills. They are compassionate and willing but the challenge we have realized is that we have different ways of coaching but we will be willing to take them through the European ways so they can adopt it as well,” he said.
Fitness trainer Raiko Karpov said facilities needs to be improved for players to be able to stay at the same place, have their training at their convenience rather than going to another place which is exhausting.
“There is so much skills in these players we have met and had sessions with. They are good but right now facilities are the problem to be honest. They need not to go out of this place to have the training if the facility is provided. All they need is to be here and have all their sessions without traveling to somewhere else,” he observed.
