Major Boost for Three Football Academies

Three football academies, Gilkock of Brufut, Neighbourhood of Tallinding and Dorleh Football Academy of Jarra Soma recently received a consortium of football materials from Allan Nevado a Danish national. The donated materials include jerseys, footballs and cones among other things.

At the official handing over ceremony held in Jarra Soma on Saturday June 28 2008 Allan Nevado explained why he singled out these three academies.

He said, “I have visited and worked with a series of football academies during my seven month stay in The Gambia and was able to choose these three as my favourites, this is why I want to support them all through the materials I distributed to these academies,” he said

Allan revealed that the materials were donated by Vallo BK football club in Denmark and Select Sports Company, a Danish Company specialising in the production and distribution of football equipment.

Receiving the materials on behalf of Dorleh Football Academy in Soma, Coach Ensa Darboe known as ‘Sign’ thanked Allan for the kind gesture and promised that the materials will go a long way in developing football in Soma especially at the grassroots level.

Other speakers at the ceremony included Madiba Saidyley, Mr. Demba Ceesay, the manager of former Sitaba FC and Momodou Lamin Camara.

Both Gilkock and neighbourhood football academy were also represented at the ceremony.

By Sang Mendy

Gilkock to Host Another Triangular Tournament

Click to enlarge.

A triangular football tournament will be hosted by Brufut based Gilkock Football Academy featuring Neighbourhood Football Academy of Tallinding and Dorleh Football Academy of Jarra Soma on the 12thJuly 2008.

The tournament was made possible tournament courtesy of Allan Nevado a Danish national, who assisting these three academies with football materials .

According to Allan Nevado, “I thought it would be a good thing to create an avenue for these academies to come together for a day and know each other. And the best way to do this is to organise an event such as this.” He went on to say that the reasons for singling out Brufut as the host is that last year he witnessed the inter Gilkock football tourney which was hosted by Brufut and “I was impressed with their level of organisation.”

“This is why I selected Brufut to host this year’s tourney and I hope the other academies learn from Brufut as I wish the event to be an annual one.”

As host, Buba K Jallow the Technical Director of Gilcock, said “we are working tirelessly to acquire funds to successfully host our guests during the event. This is not the first time we’re hosting such an event. From experience the major problem in organising such an event is the money to provide food and refreshments for the participants. Therefore I appeal to companies, institutions and individuals to come to our immediate aid regarding financial assistant,” Buba said.

Buba therefore called on individuals, companies and institutions to contact Sang Mendy the public relations officer of Gilkock on 9830861-7893861or 6430633 for any assistance.

By Sang Mendy

Gilkock Verses Gilkock In The League

Two Gilkock players Kissima Bojang and Ebrima Bojang went head to head on Monday at the Independence Stadium in the ongoing national league. The game saw Kissima´s team Samger FC beat Ebrima´s team by 2-1 to climb second place with a better goal difference than Hawks FC.

Samgers goals all came in the first half of the game, which saw kissima sitting on the bench. Kissima came off the bench to contribute to the victory over the defending champions Real De Banjul who are currently experiencing a shortage of goals in their course to defending the title.

Reacting to the game, which was a crucial one to them, Kissima said, ´I was so excited to see myself play against the defending champions and going ahead to defeat them. Anyway I was happy to be part of the team that defeated Real, considering my age I was, really not too sure of featuring in such a game but again I would thank God for giving me the courage to feature in such a game and also my coaches at Gilkock in Brufut who contributed to my development as a youth player too. I hope to continue helping Samger to lift the championship for the first time. With barely two more games to the close of the league I hope we emerge champions at the end of the season.´

On his part Ebrima Bojang of Real De Banjul said he was sad that they could win the game. ´It is sad that it happened that way as we are the defending champions. We lost some great chances but due t o lack of concentration. We played well in the second half and even nearly equalised the score but as god will we couldn´t score.´

Coach Boris Demba of Gilkock and Ebrima Salasi Bojang hailed both Ebrima and Kissy for a brilliant performance. Boris who saw these boys grow through Gilkock Football Academy said ´I never doubted the abilities of these boys despite their age because they were always willing to learn and face new challenges. He however urges the boys to be focus and train hard to maintain positions in their teams.

By Sang Mendy

Hawks Or Samger. Who Should Gilkock Go For?

Gilkock Football Academy are currently divided as to which team they throw their weights to as the national league is drawn down to the wire with two of it players hoping to be champions in the final day. Though Ebrima Bojang and Real De Banjul have thrown their chances of defending their championship by winning only two games in the second round but two players from Gilkock are still hoping to be champion by the end of week twenty-two of the national league on the 13^th of July 2008. Inspirational player of Gilkock, Ebrima Jatta alias EJ of Hawks and teenage sensation Kissima Bojang alias Kissy now with Samger, together with Wallidan will all have their faith decided on the final day of the league.

Kissima:s team Samger who are equal on points with both Wallidan and EJ`s hawks can be crown champions if they can beat a renown first division side Steve Biko and hope that hawks and Wallidan draw out a draw on Sunday. For Hawks and EJ, the championship is in their own hands. They also only need a win over fellow title contenders Wallidan.

Kissy told Gilkock.com: “Last week we had the championship in our own hands but since we fail to beat Wallidan, a victory would have seen us on top of both hawks and Wallidan. Meanwhile we must have to win in the final game against Biko, which is something possible. We will respect them as opponents but I think, at this moment our eyes are in the championship and nothing else and I hope our drams come through. I still think we have an advantage over Wallidan and hawks because they will be playing each other on Sunday and they are all title contenders. I am hoping that the game draws.” Responding to the question whether he has been converted as a defender instead of his normal position of a mid fielder, Kissy said: “At this moment I am giving a challenge and as a player, one should learn to play everywhere to be able to help the team. Our game against Wallidan I played at the back and I was happy to complete the game on a positive note even though I never played in that position before.”

Buba K Jallow, Technical Director of the academy said: “Before the whole academy use to rally behind Hawks when it use to be only Ebrima Jatta but now its too difficult when Ebrima Bojang and Kissima Bojang came in. Last year I throw my weight to Ebrima Bojang when his team Real De Banjul was close to the championship but this year I would rather sit on the fence to see matters unfold. For Kissy and EJ, I wish them well in their course of becoming champions. My wish is to see one of them crown champion.”

By Sang Mendy

Another Sporting Materials For Gilkock, Brufut Branch

The Brufut based Gilkock football academy recently received sporting materials from Rut and wife ANNEKE Assendelft of Heemstede on Holland.

The donated materials which included ten sets of jerseys, twenty balls and three hand pumps, were presented to the couples who commended Gilkock for a job well done by setting up an academy and imparting skills and discipline to children from different families in and around Brufut.

The kids would have been doing some negative things if this project was not around. This is what motivated us to help.” Anneke told www.gilkock.com.

For his part Ruth revealed that the help was as a result of the promise he made in February. “I intended to bring more assistance to the academy because of their level of organisation”. He made a strong promise to bring about 30 balls and implement another project for the academy when he comes in November.

Ed Friedel, who is the Technical Director and head coach of Mr. Ruth’s 3^rd division amateur club in Holland spent one hour on the pitch coaching the players. Friedel hailed the technical level of the players of the academy citing the passing and controlling abilities of the players.

Considering the different age groups here, their technical level in the game is good even on a bumpy pitch like this. And base on what I have seen I may also help by providing some training DVDs or videos which I think would be helpful to both the coaches and the players. Friedel said.

The Public Relations Officer of the academy Sang Mendy commended the couples for their timely help and promised that the materials would be pt into good use.

Pet and Reit Debrugn friends to Ruth and Ånneke as well as coaches and players were predent at the handing over ceremony.

By Sang Mendy

Max Jallow and Friends Answers the Call of Gilkock

Following the public outcry to companies, institutions and individuals to support Gilkock, to successfully host their guest from the Dorleh and Neighbourhood Football Academy on the 12^th July 2008 in their forth coming day long triangular tournament in Brufut, Momodou Max Jallow, Nfamara Drammeh and Foday Manneh of Brufut all resident in the UK put together some pounds and send it to the academy for the successful hosting of the event come the 12^th.

Max told Gilkock.com that Sang Mendy the Public Relations Officer of the academy sent him an email concerning the event, so he quickly contacted his friends about it knowing that the guest would need food and entertain for the rest of the day that was why they put together some cash and send it to sang. “The money sent is small but I hope it will do be able to address some problems”. Max said.

Commenting about the assistance provided to the academy towards the hosting of the event, Sang Mendy the PRO said; I received the news with great joy knowing that it is difficult to received funds from companies, individuals or institutions. That was why we asked each other to pay a certain amount of money at our level in the Brufut just to be able to successfully host the event”. He continued by saying: “I must confess that Max and Co deserve our commendations and prayers”.

However Mendy said he is not surprised that these people contributed towards the development of the academy because they’ve been monitoring the development of the academy on www.gilkock.com and other Gambian media as well.

By Sang Mendy