The president of Real de Banjul FC, Willy Abraham, has thanked President Jammeh and his government for the role they played in the team's smooth participation at the 2013 CAF Champions League.

Willy Abraham was speaking at a press conference organised by the Gambian champions at the Independence Stadium on Monday, ahead of their trip to Morocco, where they will take on FUS Rabat in the first leg of the preliminary rounds of the competition on Friday.

The delegation was expected to have left Banjul for the North African country by the time we went to press yesterday.

The Real supremo said the coaches and players have been brilliant noting that the camaraderie and spirit within the team has been excellent and high. He added that they will be hoping to become the first Gambian side to make it to the group stages of the competition after Brikama United came close to achieving that feat last season.

"Things have been going on very well. The coaches have done a very good selection and they have been training very hard. The team will not be going to represent Real de Banjul but it is representing The Gambia. We will try and be in the group stages and we will maximise our efforts for the dream to come true," he stated, while thanking all those who supported the team both financially and morally to see that they participate in the continental club championship.

The vice president of the club, Bakary Kebba Jammeh, made similar remarks and joined his president to thank the Normalisation Committee of the Gambia Football Association for their support. Jammeh, who also doubles as the Managing Director of Elton Oil Gambia Ltd, said that his team has represented The Gambia numerous times but will endeavour to go the extra mile in the continental club competition so as to expose and showcase the footballing talent prevalent in the country.

The acting secretary general of the Gambia Football Association Normalisation Committee, Marcel Mendy, said the GFA is delighted to be associated with the league champions.

"It is like the Gambian national team is playing. That is the way the GFA sees it. We must not see ourselves as underdogs in international competitions now. It is now everybody's business to see that the team succeeds. It is a very good opportunity to expose the players and it must be grasped with both hands," he remarked.

The head coach of the team, Alhagie Sarr told the gathering that spirit is high in his dressing room and that their wish is to go as far as they can in the competition.