Winners of the 2016 Sports Journalists’ Association of The Gambia (SJAG) awards have spoken to Observer Sports about how they felt.
Speaking in an interview, Tapha Manneh, Gamtel Coach, who won the Coach of the Year, described the award as very important to him and his family. The award, he added, indicated that people recognise his success in coaching.
Kaybama, as he is fondly called, the 2015 league winner and runner-up in the Football Federation Cup, said the award came with challenges but promised to continue his good work.
Manneh whose Gamtel FC also won the Team of the Year Award said his team has been doing well in the domestic league for the past years.
The Public Relations Manager of Multimedia Gateway International (MGI), Maimuna Sowe, winners for the Best Institution in Support of Sports, said the award means a lot to her institution.
The SJAG Award, she added would encourage MGI to continue supporting sports development in the country. “What our Institution is doing for the GFF and the National Team is tremendous and we would not relent in our support to the Scorpions and GFF to get or develop the sports to higher height,” she said.
Mawdo Jallow, winner of the Best Referee of the Year Award expressed gratitude to SJAG for recognising his outstanding achievement in 2015. “This is a big achievement for me as a referee and I will continue to live up to expectation.”
Gambian international Pa Modou Jagne of FC Sion in Switzerland, who won the Best Foreign Based Athlete Award, said he was honoured to win the award. “This award is very important in my football career. I congratulate my fellow nominees and encourage the young ones to be focused and committed,” he stated.
by Arfang MS Camara