Real de Banjul head Coach Ebrima Jatta has said that competing for trophies is a tradition in the club and believes his team has a strong chance to defend its league title.

The Champions’ bright start saw them leading the GFF Division One League table, with the team dropping to second after an accumulation of bad results saw Fortune FC replace them at the top before Ebrima Jatta and his charges bounced back to reclaim the top spot after their resounding 4-0 victory over Falcons FC at the Live Your Dream Sports Academy complex with Fortune dropping points against the Gambia Armed Forces and TMT FC.

“Our team is back on top again and it seems we have a strong chance of defending our title. It is clear that Real de Banjul has a tradition of competing at the top and aiming for the number one spot,” Jatta said.

Ebrima Jatta says the early stages may have determined who the title contenders are as the first round of the 2023/24 GFF Division One League draws to a conclusion.

“The early stages of the season may have determined the title contenders and it seems like our team, Real de Banjul, is in a good position,” Jatta said.

He added: “To assess the chances of our team, it would be important to consider various factors such as the team’s current form, the player’s fitness, squad depth and the competition from other teams in the league. The challenge now is we the coaching staff having the ability to adapt to different opponents in the league.”

Jatta, fondly called ‘Giggs’, credits the good training the City Boys put in and quick adjustments to tactics to having a good start to their title defense season.

“Real de Banjul have been successful in implementing a variety of tactical approaches leading to good performances. The combination of balancing defensive and high pressuring drills in training helps the team win games and seeing the team win games with clean sheets suggests a well rounded approach to the game. It’s a combination of the concentration and the understanding of the tactics by the players as well as their individual brilliance and skills.”

“When a team is able to execute a range of tactics effectively, it often indicates that the players have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities within the team’s system or style of play.”

‘Giggs’ pointed out that he never doubted his side’s capabilities to shoulder pressure of having to bounce back against Falcons FC saying that: “This victory is a positive response to the previous setbacks reflecting the resilience and determination of the team. It is a testament to the dedication and efforts of both the coaching staff and players. This four-nil victory over Falcons demonstrates that the team has the ability to bounce back from adversity and perform at a high level when it matters most.”

The City Boys will end the first round of the league with a visit to the Serrekunda East Mini Stadium where we play BST Galaxy FC on Sunday.