Tom Saintfiet, the coach of Gambia’s national football team, shed light on his decision to keep the squad list for the upcoming AFCON 2023 under wraps. The Belgian tactician revealed his strategic intent to spring surprises on their opponents by unveiling an unexpected roster.
Despite a trend among the participating nations to disclose their selected players for the tournament in Ivory Coast, Saintfiet has maintained a deliberate silence on Gambia’s final squad.
With adversaries such as Guinea, Senegal, and Cameroon already publicizing their lineups, Saintfiet aims to cultivate an element of unpredictability for Gambia’s campaign.
“My list? I didn’t want to reveal my squad now because I wanted to surprise our opponents, to be more dangerous,” explained Saintfiet, emphasizing the tactical advantage he believes secrecy can provide.
Delving into the selection criteria, Saintfiet expressed his preference for seasoned players with ample experience. Addressing the expanded list presented by CAF, he noted, “I could have selected young players who play regularly with a little experience.
But I decided to go for experienced players who haven’t played much.”
Highlighting specific players, Saintfiet mentioned Yusupha Bobb, Sulayman Marreh, and Ebrima Darboe, outlining their contributions during the qualifying matches for AFCON 2023.
Despite not being frequent participants in the qualifiers, Saintfiet values their experience and sees them as crucial additions to the squad.
“In the last 12 months, we have not played the way we wanted, so that is the reason why these players are back with us because of their experience,” concluded Saintfiet, underlining the significance of the selected players’ seasoned prowess as Gambia gears up for the continental competition.
The football community awaits with anticipation for the eventual revelation of Gambia’s squad, adding an element of intrigue to their CAN 2023 journey.
