Gambia coach Abdoulie Bojang has been praised for his stellar work at the ongoing African Cup of Nations U-20 championship in Egypt.

Coach Bojang was named the best coach of the group stage of the tournament after his team comfortably beats Tunisia and Zambia to top Group C without conceding a goal. 

The Young Scorpions are already in the semifinals of the tournament after hammering minnows South Sudan 5-0 in the quarterfinals.

The team is one game away from the final as they face the Young Eagles of Nigeria on Monday. 

Coach Bojang has also helped the team secure qualification for next year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia. 

He has received lots of praises from Gambians for lifting the mood of the nation. 

There is now a growing call to make him the coach of the national team and for the country to give priority to homegrown inste of foreign coaches. 

“This is one of the reason(s) I prefer a Gambian coach than a foreign coach in senior scorpion. Thank you Lie and boys for this milestone achievement,” one fan wrote.

“Abdoulie Bojang is doing us proud at the ongoing U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. Semi-final and FIFA U-20 World Cup spots already secured with sight now set on the coveted trophy,” another fan wrote.

“The time is up to us to ditch our foreign coach and learn from Morocco, Cameroon, and our neighbours Senegal in hiring local coaches to manage our national teams.

“This coaching philosophy has proven critics of African football wrong, as in the case of Aliou Cise of Senegal and Morocco’s Walid Regragui. 

“We have brilliant tacticians like Coach Matarr Mboge and Abdoulie Bojang.  Please note that I’m not calling for the immediate firing of the national team coach, Tom Saintfiet; it’s important to lay a smooth succession plan ahead,” yet another fan wrote. 

“He is really proving his worth and making the Gambia proud.  He has demonstrated that he has a great football philosophy that is anchored on ball possession and attack.  His philosophy and technique is 100 times better than the so called Tom Saint,” another fan added. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba