Gambia to renew Osam Doudou's contract

Banjul, Gambia, May 22, GNA - The Gambia Football Association (GFA) has renewed the contract of coach Fred Osam-Doudou for another year with a 50 percent increment of his salary.

The new contract starts from June 1, 2005 to May 31st 2006.

Coach Osam Doudou's annual salary was 30,000 dollars per annum when he was employed by The Gambia through the efforts of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Gambian National Olympic Committee (GNOC) and the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC).

Following the renewal, the coach will now be entitled to 45,000 dollars per annum as salary.

The renewal was based on the Coach's current performance in the Sixth Africa Under-17 hosted by the Gambia. The decision to renew the contract was taken after an Executive Committee meeting held by GFA last Friday.

The Gambian FA are however hoping to conclude other details of the contract by the close of the week.

Mr Jammeh E.K. Bojang, General Secretary of the GFA told the GNA Sports on Sunday that documentation have begun on the renewed contract and they be will be implemented early in the week.

Mr Bojang added that the GFA would also forward documents to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) early in the week on the new development.

Mr Bojang said coach Osam Doudou will still be in charge of youth development as well as the organisation of courses for young coaches in the country.

There are however indications that the veteran coach will be given an additional responsibility as the coach of the senior national team of the Gambia. A member of the Executive Council hinted the GNA Sports that such a proposal will also be taken into consideration when both parties enter into negotiations next week.

Coach Osam-Doudou in an earlier interview told the It is therefore certain that the 50 percent increment of his salary as well as the impending negotiations on other benefits will put to rest the uncertainty over his stay with the Gambian team.

The coach had earlier indicated that he has had other offers but he would have to give his present employers the first option.

The coach is expected to lead the West Africans to their first ever participation in the World Cup at the juvenile level in Peru later this year.