Legendary coach and football administrator, Abdirizaq Farah Omar AKA Goroje, has announced his bid to run for the position of Somali Football Federation senior vice-presidency in the SFF election due in November this year.
The legendary administrator who is also a businessman, made his announcement to run for the senior vice presidency at the end of a several-leg tour to a number of regional states and the capital Mogadishu. This makes him the first-ever football legend to stand for the top administrative position at Somali Football Federation.
Legend Goroje, who formerly served as the president of Elman Football Club – the most successful giant in the Somali Premier League, has so far attracted huge support from most football clubs in the country. “He is known to all of us. He is a legend and a man of great football personality. On behalf of the national football clubs in the country, we assure our support for him and we are committed to voting for him” Jeenyo FC president, Abdihakim Osman Diriye, said on one occasion.
The English FA-licensed trainer has in the past hugely contributed to the development of football in Somalia, mainly in youth football development where he donated equipment to several member states of the federal republic of Somalia.
A Brief About Abdirizaq Farah Omar AKA Goroje
The football legend was born in the capital Mogadishu on 8 June 1970 and in his childhood, he was well committed to the beautiful sport. In 1985, he joined the Somali Military Club Hoseed SC, as a junior player after he impressed at the Somali Schools championship in the previous year.
In 1987, he joined the National Printing Agency Club locally known as [Madbacadda Qaranka]. But two years later he rejoined his previous club Horseed SC. Unfortunately, he was unable to pursue his career in the country as Somalia was on the verge of civil war so he left the country and finally ended up in London where he made a lot of achievements both in the community, sport and as well as in business. He now holds a top level English FA goalkeeper license.
What He Has Done in Somalia and Neighbouring Ethiopia
In July 2018, legend Abdirizaq Farah Omar, founded Goroje Goalkeeping Academy [GGA] which so far successfully carried out many development projects and trainings in a number of cities across the horn of Africa region. In August 2019, the academy sent trainers to the southern port city of Kismayo in the Jubbaland State, where coaches were trained and equipment was distributed to the local football administration.
In January 2020 the academy trained more than 30 goalkeeper trainers for each of the federal state members of South West and Puntland. Then in December 2021, the same missions were carried out by the academy in Hargeisa, the break-away region in Northern Somalia and in Jigjiga, the capital of the Somali State in neighboring Ethiopia.
“Our mission is to develop goalkeeper trainers in the Horn of Africa region, so we can have more professional goalkeepers in this part of Africa” Mr. Goroje said.
