The Gambia Football Association has hailed the contributions of the Gambian leader, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, towards the welfare of the Gambia Under 17 team during and after the just concluded African U-17 Championship in Algeria.

President Jammeh made numerous telephone calls to the team during the two-week event in Algeria. After winning the coveted title unbeaten in all the five matches, members of the Baby Scorpions squad received a substantive amount of one million dalasis each as  a reward from the Gambian leader.

According to the national football's governing body, President Jammeh's personal contributions toward football development have made The Gambia an emerging force in global football. "The Gambia Football Association under the leadership of Mr. Seedy Buwa Kinteh would like to thank His Excellency President Professor Doctor Alhaji Yahya AJJ Jammeh, for his significant and personal support to the U-17 national football team before and during their campaign for the African U-17 youth championship held in Algeria," the GFA said in a one-page thank you letter dispatched to the press yesterday
"The support enjoyed by the team from the president speaks volume of the extraordinary performance of the boys against the likes of the Algeria, Guinea Conakry and Cameroon the one time big boys of African football."

"Gambia is an emerging football power thanks largely to the generous and warm hearted support of His Excellency, [Professor] Doctor Alhaji Yahya AJJ Jammeh and large scale efforts of the private sector and enthusiasm and love for football by the general public." "As the continental champions in the junior category, the team stands ready to raise the bar in the FIFA world youth championship in Nigeria in October 2009.""Similarly, we would like to thank the executive governor of Upper River Region, Alhagi Omar Khan for his outstanding moral support to the team."

"The Gambia Football Association would like to thank the Department of State for Youth and Sports, the technicians, the footballers and the families of the Darling U-17 team for their outstanding contribution to football."