Season over for Dawda Bah

Gambia international midfielder Dawda Bah’s debut season in the German Bundesliga has come to an end as he requires a second operation on his left knee, Gambia Sports Online can reveal.

A major German regional daily newspaper, the Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung reported that the Gambian will need a further operation to stabilise his knee, after breaking a kneecap in training last September, soon after signing from Finnish champions HJK Helsinki.

The 28-year-old’s only appearance in the Bundesliga this season lasted just 13 minutes, when he came off the bench to replace Axel Bellinghausen in Augsburg’s fifth game of the campaign which was a 4-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen before sustaining the training ground injury.

Bah was confident that he can soon begin training again and atleast have some appearances again for the team but it doesn’t seem to be going his way now as this coming operation will be another setback for him.

He had to have surgery again on his left knee and for him, the season is finally over. Upon request, the Hessingpark Clinic showed results of the tests and said that there should be another scheduled surgery to stabilize the knee of the Gambian.

Currently, the Gambian walks with crutches but his adviser Martin Rath is optimistic that the player will soon recover. Rath said, “Dawda will soon be able to put away the crutches he is confident that he can engage fully in the summer.”

Dawda Bah, who played in the Gambian League, with Banjul Hawks started his professional career in 2005 with Finnish First Division club KPV. He became a key player for the second tier club and was the leading goal scorer in the division.

He later drew interest from Veikkausliiga [top tier] clubs, but decided to stay with KPV for another season. Belarussian club FC MTZ-RIPO had offered 200.000 Euros for the Gambia, but he turn down a move to the Belarus club.

He had had trials with Norwegian side Odd Grenland, but did not get a contract offer. In January 2007, Bah trialed with Algerian club USM Blida, but the clubs could not agree on the transfer fee.

He started the 2007 season with KPV, but moved to Helsinki on a loan to Veikkausliiga club HJK. He debuted in a UEFA Cup match against FC Etzella of Luxembourg and scored a goal.

Later the capital city club bought him from KPV and offered him a three-year contract. In 2009, Dave as he is fondly called was one of the most important features in the Finnish title winning side HJK Helsinki, scoring eight times and assisting eight times in 25 league games.

In 2010, Bah continued showing his importance for HJK Helsinki, both in the Finnish league and the Champions league qualifications. Due to his good performances he was given a two-year extension to his contract on 2 September 2010, a deal that will see him stay at the club until 2012 but the Gambian didn’t even see the end of his contract as the promoted Bundesliga club FC Augsburg came calling for him in 2011 and penned him on a three-year contract.