– Advertisement –
By Mbaye Camara
Former Gambian international and player representative Cherno Samba has arrived in The Gambia with a high-powered delegation from top European clubs for a historic football scouting mission.
The visiting scouts team includes:Dan Kelly, Nottingham Forest Head of Emerging Talent, Tor Sparv, Fulham FC European Scout for the First Team, David Löfquist, Mjällby AIF First Team Scout, Geoff Lockhart, Player Representative and Cherno Samba, Player Representative.
– Advertisement –
Speaking to the media shortly after arrival, Samba expressed deep emotion and pride in bringing such elite football figures to his homeland.
“First of all, this is where I was born, and it’s in my roots. If you look at the football pyramid today, Gambians are doing very, very well. So it would be wrong of me not to bring Premier League clubs and Mjällby here to identify the next best talents in the country,” Samba said.
Samba highlighted the abundance of raw talent in The Gambia and praised the expertise of the scouts accompanying him.
– Advertisement –
“These guys have been at the highest level for a long time. If they can find even one player, it makes our country better. That’s why I brought Fulham, Nottingham Forest, and Mjällby.”
He described the visit as historic, noting that this level of direct engagement from Premier League clubs has never happened before.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think a Premier League club has ever come to The Gambia specifically to scout talent. Maybe individuals visited on holiday and watched games, but not at this magnitude. So hopefully they will see what they want, and one or two players can start their professional careers.”
The delegation will embark on a structured programme of matches, assessments, and club visits across the country as they search for the next generation of Gambian football stars.
