By Lamin Drammeh
Germany-based Gambian coach Alieu Njie has obtained Fifa’s ‘B’ coaching license from Oberhachingen training school in Munchen, Germany.
Njie, a native of Kiang Jiffarong in the Lower River Region, who also fearured for LRR/Kiang West regional football teams received the license by the governing body of world football (Fifa), at the end of an intensive coaching program for young coaches across the globe, last July.
The ambitious coach Njie, himself a former midfielder who had brief spell in Gambia’s second tier league team Latdior in 2001/02 season, wasted no time in jumping into the opportunity provided by Fifa through his Germany youth team TSV to undergo a Fifa training course.
He did a vigorous 3 months practical coaching course for TSV U-19 under the head coach Ilija, in preparation for his Fifa ‘B’ license course in 2014. Ilija was in charge of Fc Heidenheim U-17 team, a feeder team to Heidenheim in the second tier of Germany league at the time.
Alieu can now boost of taking a major step towards becoming a fully accredited Fifa coach. He has since set his sight firmly on achieving greater success in his young coaching career that took him to Vfb Ulm as a contributor to the Germany youth team.
Njie who left Gambia for Germany in 2003, is the head coach of Tsv-Neu Ulm where he won domestic winners cup title with a record number of 54 goals and secured 21 points. His defense conceded only 4 goals in the run up to the 2016 youth cup title, his second youth cup trophy in two succession seasons.
He was also in charge of Tsv team that won the Euro-Sporting youth championship held in France from April 14-16, 2017, his first major international title since joining the club in 2013.
A first half brace from talented young striker Leonard Dinaj was all Alieu and his team needed to clinch the French youth cup title at the expense of Swiss side Fc Rot Kreuz Luzerne whom they defeated 2-0 in an entertaining final played in France.
His coaching potential was soon discovered following the Euro- championship triumph leading to reports that he could be set for lucrative coaching contract in Germany and elsewhere.
Njie who started his coaching career in 2013, made the headline in the German sports Newspaper magazine following his appointment as the head coach of Tsv, U-13 youth team on a two-year deal.
However, he is optimistic that his lads could produce yet another league cup success as they remain on course to grab the prestigious league title this season. Tsv sits second place on the league table after 4 wins in 5 games. They lost just 1 in the ongoing league season with the second round fixtures to come later.
“I’m hopeful that we will retain the league this season after we won last year with 21 points and 54 goals in the build up to the title,” Njie told The Fatu Network in an interview.
He also took time to heap praises on Herbert Bracknis, a veteran German coach with a wealth of coaching experience at the highest level.
He said, “Herbert is a prominent personality in German football and has coached some of the most recognizable footballers in the Bundasliga.
“He is the main man behind me and my team as he guides me towards gaining my coaching experience in his capacity as Tsv’s assistant team coordinator,” Alieu said about the man he credited for his recent success at the club.
Alieu hopes to build on that strength as he remain ambitious of developing his young footballers into becoming household names in world football with ultimate desire of achieving greater coaching success on a personal level.
Alieu started his coaching career as an assistant coach of Tsv, under Ismail Tasqin who is currently serving his son Ebrima Leon as a trainer.
Alieu had previous spells with Sportbund Ulm, Biberach and Sv Senden, between 2004-2009, as a midfielder. But his hopes for making a mark in professional football was hampered by constant groin injuries.
He eventually opted out of soccer in favor of a coaching career when he suffered a major setback while playing in a pre-season tournament in Turkey, an injury that require groin surgery on his right foot in 2009, marking the end of his career.
Alieu’s coaching career saw his move to Vfb Ulm youth team where he was tasked with the role of football trainer in assistance to former Vfb Ulm head coach Cihat during a 3 month spell at the club.
Vfb had his son Ebrima Leon in their rank at the time.
The Fifa ‘B’ license coaching qualification consists of 80 learning modules with focus on acquiring knowledge and conducting the technical and tactical learning processes as well as supporting junior footballers both on and off the pitch.
It is also regarded as a key requirement for conducting training programs/activities in German professional football.
