Gamtel FC duo offered Enugu Rangers trials

Two Gamtel FC players from the Gambia’s first division will soon feature for Enugu Rangers in the Nigerian Premier league if reports monitored in Nigeria are anything to go by.

Gambia Sports Online has gathered that the players were spotted by the Rangers management at the last WAFU Cup in Lome, Togo, where the players starred for the losing finalists Gamtel F.C.

When contacted by Gambia Sports Online to confirm the story, Gamtel’s head coach Mustapha Manneh said that the players are currently in Nigeria for an eleven days trial and he revealed that the two players are Ali Sowe and Assan Ceesay alias Torres.

“It’s true that my players are in Nigeria as they were invited by Enugu Rangers. They will be at the club for 11 days and I’m hopeful they will stay with the club,” head coach Mustapha Manneh said in an interview with Gambia Sports Online.

Meanwhile, Gambia Sports Online has reliably learnt from sources in Nigeria that all negotiations have been concluded and the players’ licenses are on the way from Abuja and that they may even be in the team to Port-Harcourt for this weekend’s game against Dolphins FC and they are very enthusiastic of this opportunity.

The players were spotted at the club’s Tuesday’ morning training receiving special drills from the coaches, while efforts to speak to the players was rebuffed by some officials of the club who said they were acting on the instructions of Rangers CEO, Ozor Paul Chibuzor.

The Flying Antelopes’ have already signed a Togolese goalkeeper Mensah N’Souhoho and an Ivorian striker Konan Boris for this season and are currently second in the 20-team-table with 7 points from three games.

Who are Enugu Rangers?

Rangers International football club of Enugu popularly called Enugu Rangers is one of only two Nigerian division one football teams (along with Heartland F.C) that has never been relegated.

They are based in Enugu and play their home games at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium. In 2008-2009, they played some games in nearby Abakaliki and Nnewi as their stadium was renovated for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Before the season started, Enugu’s State governor, Sullivan Chime paid the backlog of sign-on fees dating to three years ago and all other debts owed the players. In November 2008, Rangers became the first Nigerian club side to be a public company and sell ownership stock. However the deal fell through, and the club began the 2009 season in debt.

They are six time winners of the Nigerian Premier League, five time winners of the Nigerian FA Cup and have one the African Cup Winners’ Cup which was abolished in 2004 once. They have also participated in some CAF competitions.