“Everyone thought I was mad,” says Tom Saintfiet of his decision to take on the job of coaching Gambia, and yet the Belgian has led the little west African nation to the last 16 of the Cup of Nations.
They play Guinea in the Cameroonian city of Bafoussam on Monday after qualifying from their group against the odds, beating Mauritania and former champions Tunisia and drawing with Mali.
It is a remarkable achievement for the Scorpions after they reached the AFCON for the very first time under Saintfiet, the 48-year-old whose CV reveals him to be a veritable globetrotter, including a short spell as coach of the Malta national team.