Nothing good ever comes out of The Gambia. Yes, you heard me. I said, Nothing good ever comes out of
Gambia…Ok, I’m kidding…but isn’t that the feeling you get reading all our online news sources? When was the last time you read something good about the country from our online journalists especially those based abroad? Same as critiquing our journalists, it’s almost like a sin to report on something positive (Just ask Cherno Baba Jallow).
Anyway, just like I dared to break that taboo of critiquing our “journalists”, today I am breaking another one by reporting something positive that Gambians everywhere can be proud of.
The USA is not known for football, or soccer as they call it, but the Major League Soccer has been making some major strides in trying to catch up with the rest of the world. The addition of big names like Juan Pablo Angel and David Beckham is drawing crowds and interest from around the world. At the conclusion last year of the U21 World Cup in Canada, the New England Revolution drafted 2 Gambian Internationals in Sainey Nyassi and Abdoulie (Kenny) Mansally. Having joined mid-season last year, they played with the reserve team but have broken into the starting eleven this season and they haven’t done so quietly. Not once is the New England Revolution mentioned this season without the anecdote “the two young Gambians”. The “boys” are playing so well that they’ve made themselves key players to the New England squad and a talking point of every MLS discussion. Sainey Nyassi’s goal on his debut was voted MLS goal of the week.
All of us at The Gambia News Filter send our congratulations to Nyassi and Mansally. We wish them good health and luck for long successful careers representing Gambian football.
Now, I know football is may not be of interest to some of our readers but this issue extends beyond football. These boys are ambassadors of the Gambia and their good performance will open doors for many more aspiring young Gambian footballers.
On that note, I would like to take this opportunity to alert Gambian parents, AND THE GOVERNMENT, to be cautious about the possible negatives that come along with increased interest from football scouts. It’s a serious problem facing African countries like Ivory Coast, Ghana and Senegal. After their performances in the World Cup and the brilliance of stars like Didier Drogba and Michael Essien of Chelsea, huge doors have been opened for young football aspirants to have the opportunity to change their lives and those of their families and communities with the kick of a ball. However, along with the opportunities come the predators. Unlicensed football traffickers are taking advantage of the desperation and ignorance of poor young men and their families by charging them fees and promising tryouts in Europe only to leave them stranded on the streets of Europe.
To end, I would like to remind our journalists that there are others in the country besides Jammeh and reporting on something positive does not make you a Jammeh supporter. It doesn’t make you unpatriotic either. The current administration doesn’t need any help embarrassing itself or us Gambians. With stories of mystery cures, hire today/fire today and cases of missing demons, Gambians have enough egg on their faces to wipe off. You can help provide napkins by occasionally finding positive stories that we can show our friends.
