Omar Sise, the coach for the Under 20 national team who has just been assigned the task to guide the Gambian team to next month’s Wafu Nations Cup, has said that the very introduction of the Wafu cup is itself a good motivating opportunity for coaches and countries like himself and The Gambia.
”This was like the former Zone Two where teams that might not be in any top competition can still have an international duty so I think it is a good development that will help motivate players across the region,” he said.
Commenting of the Gambia’s technical preparation so far, Sise announced that Wafu had asked for an initial provisional list of 25 players which has been sent already but which will be trimmed to only 18 by August 24. “So you can see that’s why we are training on daily basis to be able to produce an 18man list that we can very well rely on for the job in Ghana,” he said.
Asked where the players will come from, Sise said it is going to be a mix bag, drawn from the former CHAN team mainly and may be some from the Under 20. The league has ended and you will have to be prudent in the selection.
“There is even a high possibility that at least one or two foreign based players could be included. I don’t’ want to put emphasis on this but the tournament is open. Wafu just recommended CHAN teams for those member nations who would have been in the CHAN competition to use the tourney as an opportunity for preparation, but for us we can use any body ,”he said.
Sise who guided the Under 20 to a very near qualification to the Caf youth championship said his ambition is to storm Ghana with a strong force. ”Am not intimidated by Ghana, our first opponents on September 9. It is not going to be easy as they are at home but we are determine to give our very best,” he said.
Sise’s whose new role also includes preparing the Under 23 for the next Olympic qualifying rounds is regarded as one of the most promising young coaches being groomed for future important technical assignments. He also once served as assistant to the national team coach bringing his experience as a coach in a foreign league, namely Bangladesh where he spent two and a half years at Sheikh Jamal and Fenni in that country’s top flight.
