U20 Head Coach Matarr Mboge has called up 25 players to compete for positions in the Young Scorpions squad as preparations kick start for the qualifiers of the 2019 U20 Africa Cup of Nations to be held in Niger.
Mboge outlined some of the criteria used for selection and also stressed that this is the first phase of the preparations and that there is still time for others to find themselves a place in the squad in the coming months.
‘I think it’s important to highlight that this is a team for the future and we’ve placed greater emphasis on player potential and player development as we feel that this is the key priority for the U20s. We’ve been aware of some of these players for over two years now and we must help them to progress to the most competitive leagues in the world and eventually cement their place in the senior Scorpions squad. The door isn’t closed for anyone either and whilst congratulating those who made this initial selection, I also want to warn them that they will have to work even harder to maintain their place.
We should also note that there are over thirty players currently playing abroad who are also being monitored, are doing well and who are eligible to play for the U20s so if anyone thinks that competition for places will be easy then they are in for a very big shock.’
The training sessions will be held over a total of four days with the first batch taking place on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th December 2017 and the second batch being held on Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd January 2018.
List of invited players:-
Yankuba COLLEY (Hawks)
Ousman SUNNO (Young Africans)
Alagie SAHO (BK Milan)
Ahmed Tijan SAVAGE (Real de Banjul)
Modou JADAMA (Brikama Utd)
Zakaria CEESAY (BK Milan)
Musa Bala DANSO (Hawks)
Mustapha SECKA (Banjul Utd)
Modou NDOW (Wallidan)
Sadi GAYE (Wallidan)
Habibou MENDY (Brikama Utd)
Modou CORR (Marimoo)
Alfusainey JATTA (Fortune)
Bai SONKO (Armed Forces)
Malick SARR (Banjul Utd)
Saikou TOURAY (Marimoo)
Muhammed KABA (GPA)
Saikou CAMARA (Wallidan)
Ousman JOOF (Marimoo)
Pa Modou SOHNA (Real de Banjul)
Ismaila CEESAY (Marimoo)
Abdoulie SARR (Banjul Utd)
Matarr BADJIE (Hawks)
Alasana JATTA (Real de Banjul)
Modou Lamin DEMBA (Real de Banjul)
The invited players have been instructed to report with their player registration cards for the 2017/2018 season and the GFF bus will be available for transport for the players and will depart at 3pm sharp from Bakau. All sessions will be held at the National Technical Training Centre in Yundum at 4.30pm, all stakeholders and media are invited to watch the sessions.
The draw for the 2019 U20 Cup of Nations qualifiers is likely to be held at the conclusion of the 2018 CHAN tournament that will be held in Morocco and the opening round of the qualifiers is provisionally scheduled to start in April 2018.
