by Baboucarr Camara
Gambian international defender Omar Colley is in contention to become the new Djurgarden captain after the departure of regular skipper Emil Bergstrom to Russian side Rubin Kazan.
The former Wallidan prodigy is in his second season with the Swedes after moving from Kupio in January 2015. If chosen, Colley won’t be the first Gambian to have skippered Djurgarden with the first being Pa Dembo Touray.
“Emil was the team captain and is a friend of mine. I am a leader in the defense even though I do not have the captaincy. If I would get the band is just a bonus, but I still think that I am a leader and will continue to be there whether I get it or not. I don’t know the club culture; how they choose a captain and so, it’s not my thing. I focus on the football,” Colley told Fotbollirekt this week.
“I’m still a leader on the pitch but we have some older players too. There are other great players who have been in the club and the league more likely to go ahead of me in the discussion, but if I get it fine, I’ll take it, but I do not think it’s my thing. I focus on the football.”
Colley, 23, a native of Lamin came to prominence while playing for The Gambia’s biggest and most successful club, Wallidan, where he won league and cup titles. He also became an African U-17 champion in 2009 while playing for the Blues and would go on to represent his country at the 2011 African Youth Championship in South Africa and made his senior Scorpions debut.
After six years at Wallidan, he briefly moved to Real de Banjul and was later sold to Kupio. After two years with the Finns, Colley was described as “perhaps our best foreign signing ever” by the KuPS club President. He joined Djurgarden for the 2015 season and proved one of their best players last year with his uncompromising style of play earning him the nickname “The Monster”. He is currently linked with a move to Monaco and Ghent but Colley said he is taking his time by following the footsteps of his ex-defensive partner Bergstrom.
“Emil works very hard and has a lot of talent, and has played in the league for five years since he was 17. He knows everything about the league, and helped me personally a lot even though I am older than him. We worked together hand in hand, and were one of the best center-back pairs in the first half of last season,” Colley reaffirmed.
“He deserves this; he has worked so hard and has played for the national team [of Sweden], it was his turn to move on. I know the fans are not happy about it, but it was his turn to move, and I’m happy for him. He’s a good friend, and we’re still talking. Maybe one day it will be me, but I’m happy for him right now.”
Despite Bergstrom’s departure, Colley said Djurgarden has the talent to compensate for the loss, but added that it means he has to step up his level, describing it as a challenge for him and the other players. He was quick to add that this competition between him and the other defenders doesn’t mean they have any animosity against each other.
Djurgardan hasn’t won the championship since their double winning season of 2005 and Colley said they have to improve especially in big games if they are to return the Allsvenskan title to the Tele2Arena.
“We played four derbies last season, and did not even win a single one. There were some disappointments, but I think it will be better this year. We need to improve our weaknesses and win a derby, for that is what the fans want. From what I hear from the fans, we can fail to win the league, but we have to beat AIK and Hammarby,” Colley concluded.