Tom Saintfiet steps down as Gambian National Team Coach Following AFCON Elimination
Tom Saintfiet has resigned from his position as the coach of the Gambian national team following their dramatic elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
The 50-year-old Belgian coach announced his decision after the Scorpions’ late 3-2 defeat to Cameroon in their final Group C match, leaving his team at the bottom of the group with no points despite the enthusiasm they generated throughout the tournament.
Saintfiet, who has coached various African national teams, had been in charge of the Gambian team since 2018.
He led this small country, surrounded by Senegal on the west coast of Africa, to its first-ever qualification for the Africa Cup in 2021.
His team reached the quarterfinals of that tournament.
«Thank you for your service», said the Gambian Football Federation on X. «After all that has been said and done, a great tactician will indeed be missed by The Gambia. For five and a half years, he has rendered incredible services to our nation, qualifying us for two consecutive AFCONs, which was no mean feat. We wish him good Luck ».
