BY: Media Officer Foday Jatta

Real de Banjul Head Coach Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko says he is surprised how quickly the City Boys’ players have understood his instructions and tactics after just a few days of working with them at the Live Your Dream Sports Academy in Basori.

The Estonian tactician, who’s also known as ‘Slava’, went straight to work after he was unveiled as the club’s new head coach and manager last week and has already to put in place a structure at the club by creating a team and putting across his ideas in time before the start of the 2022/23 GFF League Division One season.

The 40-year-old had the chance to meet and familiarize himself with the players and also try to get first hand information of the players he will be managing.

“I am really happy with the first week. I need a little bit of time to get to know each player but with everyday going by, I am understanding who is who. I am really happy with the attitude of the boys and they’re really training well. Yes, we have some adjustment to make, it’s not easy for them and for me as well but they listen, they understand and that’s the most important thing at the moment. So, I am really glad with this week,” Zahovaiko said.

The former Paide Linnameeskond coach added: “We can always debate about talent and everyone sees differently but for my experience, what talent means for me is you’re hardworking. If you work hard, you can find many good things about yourself. So, everything starts with the attitude and hard work and I have already seen that.”

Slava admits he’s also taken aback by how quick the playing group understand his instructions, saying: “We haven’t talk about ideas until Friday, the fifth day of training. We played a big game 11 against 11 and I gave some assignments for one group and I was very surprised, really surprised how they took this information. They are very smart boys and for me, this very promising with the way they react. They are eager to learn, I have seen that too. I have seen that the players also accepted me into the team, so I am happy and I really also hope that the players feel the same because this is important.”

Goalkeeper Lamin Saidy meanwhile is a fan of Zahovaiko’s personality and he thinks they are lucky to have him at Real de Banjul.

“He is a great coach. So far the way things are going is promising and he’s a down to earth person, he has empathy and he brings himself to our level which will help us a lot to connect with him. He has a good communication skills with the way he makes us understand what he wants to be done. It’s easy but as time goes on we’ll understand better how he wants us to play.”

Saidy added: “He’s teaching us how to be behave professionally off the pitch, most importantly he’s very concern for our welfare”.

Midfielder Samba Jallow, one of the key players set to work with Zahovaiko says he feels it’s an exciting time to be at the club saying: “it’s an exciting time and a pleasure having a coach with experience like him. We have worked with him for these few days and everybody can attest to the improvements he’s already doing in the team tactically and fitness wise and he’s already brought many new things to team which everyone is trying to cope with at the moment.”

Samba added: “Most importantly he wants us to see here (LYDSA Training complex) as our homes. Our welfare is a big concern to him and he even made us all do a general cleaning exercise of our dressing and rest rooms. I am seeing a very strong team with time because every players is pushing himself to get very fit because one of his principles is everyone most be fit and you must be brave to be that strong and spirited in your fight”.