Abdoulie Bangura, the Manager of the Gambia National U-17 team who has won 3 trophies with the two times African champions since his appointment in 2007, described the current U-17 team as the most successful cadet team the country can be proud of, due to the numerous successes the youngsters continued to register at the U-17 category.

Hada as he is affectionately called could count himself lucky after going down into history book as the first national team Manager to clinch one of the world’s most prestigious championship trophy for the first time in the history of Gambian football away from home which is no other than the Africa U17 cadet championship title in Algerian, after the Gambian side thumped the host Algeria 3-1 in the final as the country recorded its second Africa U-17 cadet championship title.

The 49-year-old who made these remarks during an interview with our reporter at his residence in Bakau recently expressed satisfaction for what he referred to as magnificent achievements by the Africa U-17 champions, although he is aware of the fact that more adjustment and preparation needs to be done in order to strengthen the team ahead of the U-17 World Cup in Nigeria.

Hada who has also been honoured with another leadership role following his appointment as the Chairman of the Bakau Zonal Sports Committee recently, still remains optimistic of the Darling U-17 team’s possibility of maintaining their spectacular performances when the U-17 World Cup kicks-off in October.

‘I am very much confident that if all hands are on deck as far as the preparation ahead of the world mega football showdown is concern, the boys will fight hard in order to raise the standard of the Gambian Football once again Pointsport quoted Hada as saying.

Abdoulie Banjura, who is in his 3rd year as the U-17 team Manager revealed that his greatest achievement since accepting this leadership role came during the just ended Africa U-17 cadet championship as the Gambia enjoyed an emphatic 3-1 victory over the host Algeria to lift their first African U-17 cadet championship title since 2005, when the Gambia hosted and won the title after outclassing Ghana 1-nil in the final played in Banjul, thanks to a controversial second half strike from Ousman Jallow.

The Manager could not conclude this interview without commending the team for their remarkable achievement in the recently ended Pepsi Academy Football Tournament in Nigeria where they collected five awards, such as the top goal scorer, the best player of the tournament, both the best defensive and offensive team of the tournament, and more importantly the championship trophy.

Hada Bangura concluded by thanking and extending appreciation to President Jammeh for his continuous support towards the success of the Darling U-17 team, and assured the Gambian leader of the team’s readiness to raise the standard of the Gambian flag at the higher heights.