Gambia Sack National Team Coach Paul Put

By Shout-Africa Gambia Correspondent – Reliable sources have informed this paper that the Ministry of Youth and Sports in consultation with the Gambia Football Association yesterday agreed to terminate the contract of Paul Put, coach of the senior national football team, and that of Franco Cresintini, an Italian goal keeper trainer.

Paul Put

Paul Put

The move, according to sources, is due to Paul Put’s failure to let The Gambia qualify for the African Cup of Nations final which is due to be staged next year in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Sources also told this paper that another reason for Put’s sacking was his failure to train local players and coaches.

It would be recalled that Paul Put in 2008 took over the senior national team, but failed to let the country qualify for Angola 2010.

On 4th February 2009, Put, a Belgian national, had his contract renewed with an option to qualify the senior national team, which he failed to achieve.

Football analysts believe that Put’s sacking is timely.

Apart from his salary of €12, 000 per month, Paul Put enjoyed other incentives including free accomodation, free car and four air tickets annually and free communication.