By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh
The Head Coach of the Gambia’s male Senior National Football Team, Tom Sainfeit, has said that he is happy to make it to the final list of nominees for the African Coach of the Year Awards but disappointed that players Musa Barrow and James Gomez, as well as the Gambia National team, missed out on the final cut.
After guiding the scorpions to their maiden continental football competition in the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon earlier this year, the Belgian tactician was nominated for the continent’s Coach of the Year Awards and subsequently made the cut for the final list alongside Aliou Cisse of Senegal, Carlos Queiroz, Pitso Mosimane, and Walid Regragui.
“I am very honoured and happy to be on the list with several top coaches in African football. It is fantastic. This is a result of the whole technical team, the players and the GFF. I have to be very grateful to them”, he said.
However, the coach expressed disappointment over his star players Musa Barrow and James Gomez missing out on the final list of nominees for the Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year Awards respectively, as well as the team missing out on the National Team of the Year award.
“I am very disappointed that as a team, we didn’t make it to the Team of the Year and also Musa Barrow and James Gomez deserved to be on the final list and even more players from our national team deserved to be there. I am disappointed that they didn’t make it to the final list.”
Speaking further on his chances of winning the award that is set to be held in Rabat, Morocco on July 21, the Scorpion’s gaffer said he is expecting Aliou Cisse to be the top candidate for the trophy. He outlined that being in the top five is a great thing for him.
The 2022 CAF Awards will be held on July 21 in Rabat, Morocco, where the final winners of all the categories will be announced.
It is the first time in the history of the Gambia that the players, coach and the National Team are nominated for the CAF awards.
