The Gambia Football Association is eager for the signature of Belgian coach,Paul Put, as preparations for the 2010 World Cup and African Nations Cup finals, to be hosted in South Africa and Angola, respectively, draw nearer.

Officials at The Gambia Football Association have revealed to Observer Sports that the seasoned Belgian coach has all it takes to successfully guide the Scorpions who have been left coach-less since the departure of Spaniard, Jose Martnez, last year.

“This is a rare chance and we can’t afford to blow it away. Paul Put is an experienced coach who has been involved in active coaching for the past 20 years, and taking a look at his CV says it all,” revealed an insider at the Football Association.

The 52-year old Belgian, who can be mistaken for school boy, is currently in the country, awaiting the approval of the department of state for Youth and Sports before taking of the Scorpions whose quest for spots in the 2009 finals start in May 30, with an away-match to Liberia.

Brief profile of coach Paul Put

Paul Put, who was named the 2003/04 coach of the year in the Belgian First Division League, started active coaching in 1988 with Tubanta, who at that time, were plying their trade in the Belgian Forth Division League. He helped Tubanta gained promotion to the Third Division League, and in effect, landed them over as many trophies as well, before switching to the Belgian Division Two giants, St. Nicolas, in 1994.

He had two memorable seasons with St. Nicolas before making a move to KFC Tielen in 1996.

In 2002, coach Paul Put was hired to take charge of the Belgian First Division side, SP Lokeren, the former club of Gambian international, Seyfo Soley. In his first and only season with Lokeren, coach Put and the club berthed a deserved spot at the UEFA Club competition after a stunning display in the domestic league.

Having managed to create a niche for himself within a short spell in Belgium football, coach Put became every club’s dream, and expectedly, Lokeren’s grip on him started to loosen, owing to the numerous clubs which were courting him.

SK Lierse, where Gambian Mustapha Jarju currently plies his trade, counted themselves lucky when they grasped coach Put in the 2005 season. However, Lierse’s fans joy was short-cut when the coach left, after leading them to the Belgian Cup semi-final in his only season.

The following season saw Paul Put guided his new club Moeskroen to the Belgian Cup final, before heading to Guinea Conakry in 2007.

While in the West African country, coach Put was having a dual responsibility hanging on his neck - a coach and a technical director. He was not only assigned to coach one of the best clubs in FC Satellite, but also to technically develop the local players to suit the Belgian market demand.