Debbah, Kelvin, Crayton, Gebro, Recalled

Several old players of the national team, Lone Star has been recalled to service in an effort of reviving the country soccer nightmare which has faced out for some times making it difficult but not impossible to qualify for any international competition.

The invitation comes in the aftermath of 2 meetings held at the Liberia Football Association (LFA) nights ago; suggesting the return of some of the legs of George Weah 11. And those listed for a comeback are James Debbah, George Geebro, Joe Nagbe and Jimmy Dixon.

Others are Lewis Crayton, Oliver Makor and Kelvin Sebwe but there will be mixture of some young faces like Sekou Jabateh, Zak Krangar, Ben Teekloh, Anthony Laffor among others. The FA seems to have realized it mistake by now that no football team, be it club or national can do without old players globally.

Many all those listed for recalled by the FA despite their age advancement, are still in active services oversea. A senior official of the LAF told this paper that enough is enough and they’ve realized their mistake by doing without those whom have the experience of the game from that the young ones can copy. The official believe that those recalled will be able to form part of the national team, Lone Star when she faces her Cape Verde counterpart June 5 in Monrovia.

The inclusion of these players could mean something else for Liberia which has had no win in five matches.  Roberto Landi will handle the senior team while Thomas Kojo will be in charge of the Under-23.

Landi, Kojo Any Impact?

The Liberian Football Association conventional belief that only international coaches can rescue the country from its soccer nightmare seems not to be working. Liberia mathematically is out of the 3 competitions- London 2012, the All African Games, and the African Cup of Nations in which she is the least on the table.

Liberia was eliminated by Ivory Coast 4-0 on aggregate in 2 legs (home and away) in the qualifiers for London 2012. For the All African Games scheduled for Maputo, Mozambique Liberia walloped 7-2 on aggregate in 2 leg matches by Nigeria. For CAN 2012, the country is the least on the table with no hope of reaching the finals accept there is a miracle divines that must take place.

Roberto Landi (Italian) and Thomas Kojo (Liberian) both caretaker managers were hired by the FA to help qualified Liberia to the finals of these competitions. But from the way things are at the moment, the lack of programmes, planning and implementation have been proven by giving Liberia bad results.

Unlike Nigeria which now reverts to indigenous (home-grown) managers or coaches instead of expatriates (white or black) trainers from oversea, Liberia will continue to fail. Because many of imported football so-called redeemers don’t understand the cultural, tradition and environment of the Liberian games.

Six Hold League to Ransom

Six players are holding the national league to ransom as the league can’ot go ahead until they return from international duty in Nigeria. Those involved are Patrick Wleh, Michael Jaesue and Emmet Wleh all play for league leader, LISCR. Others are Samuel Cooper, Archie Harvey and Martin Kandu of Mighty Barrolle .The players are with the national U-23 side in Nigeria partaking in the West Africa Football Union tournament.

The FA postponed the league for the next two weeks, an idea many have opposed and described as disgraced to the country’s game. A former sport administrator told this paper that Liberia will not meet international standard because of the manner and form in which the local league is being run. As he puts it, a club cannot registered 21 players for a season and  cannot continue in the absent of just 3.

Meanwhile, Nimba FC defeated Club Breweries 1-0 last Friday before settling to a scoreless draw in Knockout champion with IE on Sunday in Ganta City.