The Gambia government, through the department of state for Youth and Sports, has renewed the contract of Scorpions’ Belgian coach Paul Put by four years.

The contract renewal, which took place yesterday at the President Jammeh Joint Officers Mess at Kotu, came after the European’s one-year Africell-backed deal elapsed. “The primary focus of this contract renewal emphasises the importance of being successful on the international arena,” the secretary of state for Youth and Sports, Mr Sheriff Gomez, said shortly after the signing.

He said the Gambia government, through the leadership of Professor Dr Alhaji Yahya Jammeh, takes sports development as fundamental to national development. It is for this reason, he added, that his department of state, inspired by Professor Jammeh’s yearning for excellence in sports, particularly football, set out a mission that will ensure that excellence in sports is archiveds.

SoS Gomez said the government has set the pavement by retaining the coach, hinting that every stakeholder including the private sector, the football association and the fans, must now play their role in such a way that the Gambia will reach the height it wants in sports development.

“It’s not only enough to sign a magnificent coach, but every player must also give their best. The private sector support is very much needed since government alone cannot it,” said Mr Gomez who also hailed Africell for their support to the cause of sports development in the country.

Speaking earlier, the president of the Gambia Football Association, Mr Seedy Kinteh, thanked the sports-loving Gambian leader for retaining the Belgian who is very keen to work with the Gambia. Kinteh also reserved a praise for one of the leading GSM operators in the country for its intervention at the initial stage.

According to the GFA boss, Paul Put would not have been available to sign another contract with the Gambia if not for Africell’s timely and worthy intervention last year. Assuring the coach of Gambia’s support as was the case during last year’s qualifier campaign, the GFA supremo reminded the Belgian of a series of task lying ahead, including the formation of a local-based team for sub-regional tournaments.

He added that  Paul Put will also work with his association to establish an Olympic team that will participate in the qualifiers for the 2012 Olympics Games in England. In his post-signing speech, the elated Belgian thanked President Jammeh for honouring his promise. He said his mission is to qualify the Gambia to the next Nations Cup finals. Reflecting on Scorpions performance under his stewardship in the past year, Paul Put insisted that though the Gambia did not qualify [due to CAF’s unpopular formula], a lot had been achieved during the period is evident in the country’s current standing in FIFA rankings.

Yesterday’s signing ceremony, which was chaired by Abdoulie Kah, deputy permanent secretary at the department of state for Youth and Sports, was attended by a cross section of football enthusiasts including the members of the national Scorpions Fan Club.