Liberia Lone Star Coach Lamblast Sports Authorities

The Inquirer
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

May 27, 2003

The technical director of the Liberia national soccer team says there is nothing wrong with naturalizing an alien to play for Liberia.

Coach Kadala Kromah said other players including Mass Sarr Sr. and the Brazilians in the past were naturalized to play for Liberia.

The coach who walked into the offices of The INQUIRER Newspaper last Wednesday, said Michael Amakazee alias "Agali" has expressed interest in naturalizing as a Liberian citizen and as such there should be no hullabaloo about calling him to justify with U-23 side.

He said the player is not among those called for the Liberia U-23 to face their Ghanaian Counterparts come next month, but was rather under scrutiny.

A pandora box was reportedly opened following both The INQUIRER Newspaper and Liberia Communication Network (KISS FM) reports that Coach Kromah want sports authorities to naturalize the Nigerian striker since the player has expressed interest in playing for Lone Star U-23 side.

Although Coach Kromah said the player was interested in naturalizing, "Agali" is yet to openly say that, as he told reporters last Tuesday he (Agali) was not prepared to speak to the press on the matter.

Some soccer fans welcomed the news about the player wanting to naturalize. On the contrary, many criticized the coach for first inviting a non-naturalize player to justify when there others competent talents being left unattended to.

They accused the coach of down-casting some of the strikers in and out of the country if he really supports "Agali" naturalization just to play for Liberia.

"Is he telling us that Michael Amakazee is better than Josiah Seton, Dioh Williams, Henry Gobah, Varney Boakai, Bill Sheriff, Hoff Fannoh and etc.", they wondered.

Following the public reaction to the saga, player Amakazee has been dropped from training with the Lone Star.

Meanwhile, the head coach has accused those running the affairs of football in the country of knowing nothing about the game.

"The real problem with Liberian football is that it is run by those who never came through the hierarchy or adequately prepared to run the affairs", the coach said.

Coach Kadala Kromah did not elaborate further but many believe the coach allegation comes as a result of the frustration he is undergoing at the ATS.

Recently, the coach told journalists that he is not getting the needed per diem for the players.

The coach said although he is training two teams, the FA was providing per diem for one team, while the bus was not effective.


© 2003: This article is copyrighted by The Inquirer newspaper (Monrovia, Liberia) and distributed by The Perspective (Atlanta, Georgia). All rights reserved.