The coach was so incensed that his salary was known by the whole-wide world, he further threatened to, “send his boys” after the reporter. The reporter’s only crime was that he reported how much the head  coach of Liberia was being paid.

In addition, the administrative manager of the team, Benedict  Wreh, was horrified to see his monthly salary of USD450 also reported on the internet, and he went ballistics, threatening violence against  reporter Johnson.

It is clear that the two men had “unclear” priorities. And like always, the assault on Johnson just ended how it began: without justice for the reporter.

Personally, I have had some bitter experiences during my days as a  sports writer in Liberia. When the search for a national coach became a  contest between Coach Wilfred Lardner (Kiljani) and the South  African/Brazilian Coach Fernando Sithole, prior to the 1996 South Africa Nations’ Cup, Sithole assaulted me at the premises of the Liberian Football  Association.

What caused coach Sithole to turn a boxer was that I reported on  series of recommendations that he had submitted to the Ministry of Youth  and Sports. The recommendations included a live sheep or goat for sacrifice in Guinea whenever the Lone Star was scheduled for any encounter.

Along with the goat or sheep, were also several bags of rice. I  could not just accept that there was any  “power” in Conakry, Guinea that  could have helped Liberia won her encounters; why, if that were so, Guinea would have won every tournament in the world!     When I stumbled on the report, I felt it was too much for a coach  in our time to request for such materials and for such a sacrifice.

Though I was aware of the psychological nature of such practices, there was  no way that I could reconcile the coach’s request.

In my report, I stressed on the value of vigorous training and  other modern “methods” of physical preparedness that were fashionable,  and contrasted it with the “juju” angle, and I could not see the value of  the former.

Unhappy for my report, the coach decided to engage in a practice,  that unknowing to me, he was the master in it.

Here again, there was an “unclear” priority for the coach. I regret that during his sojourn in the Ivory Coast, report came  that Coach Sithole lost his battle to a certain disease and died. May  his soul rest in peace. Presently, German national Antoine Hey is reported to have been  appointed as head coach of the national soccer team, Lone Star. The  report, by my good friend, Ledgerhood Rennie of the BBC, said, among other  things that Hey has asked to be paid “between 8 to 10 thousand dollars  monthly; with a cash bonus if he qualifies the Lone Star for the Nations  Cup and World Cup.”

And this is where I am seeing an “unclear” priority again. In  fact Youth and Sports Minister Edmonia David-Tarpeh said in Monrovia that  "We hope that his (Hey’s) expertise will help us achieve our desire to  be at the 2010 World Cup."  I wanted to shout my lungs out when I compared the cost of the  exercise in reference to how much was paid to coach Jericho. And as far  as the minister is concerned, her primary “desire” is for Liberia to be  in South Africa in 2010.

Since I am pointing on “unclear” priorities here, let me hasten to  make an important point. That soccer has a vital role to play in the  redirecting of the focus of the youths is no argument. But since the  ministry is responsible for the youths, the most abused in the recent war,  one would think they would be the ministry’s priority. Let me also rush  to point out that the government and other NGOs are working tirelessly  to save the future of Liberia and therefore I mean no disrespect.

What I am wondering is whether Liberia can afford to pay eight to  ten thousand dollars a month to a soccer coach. My doubt comes from the  recent treatment of a technical coach sent by the Egyptian government  to help Liberia. According to published reports, the coach was to  provide his services free. The Liberian government was tasked to provide him  a car and living expenses.

Sadly, the last time I heard about the coach, the ministry  reported that he was unable to speak English and therefore his services were  not needed. The interesting part was that the week the coach arrived in  Liberia, he called a news conference, and the next day, the daily newspapers were full of his aims and objectives for the Lone Star.

In fact the said coach in the various reports carried out by the  papers, wondered why Liberia had been absent from continental games,  when there were talents aplenty, in his opinion. In the end, the Egyptian  left with dreams unfulfilled.

Liberia could not maintain a free international coach, and the  coach had to leave.    Meanwhile on the current arrangement, according deputy minister  Marbue Richards, "He (Hey) has also asked for a possible training camp  for the team in Germany, as well as a couple of international friendlies." It is important to remember that wishes are not horses, and to make  the minister’s “desire” comes true; there is much that she and her  ministry must do. Dreams remain dreams until effective steps are carried  out to make them certain.

The “desire” for the 2010 South Africa World Cup may be the  correct medium to get the Lone Star up and running, but with the kind of  wait-and-see-attitude that has characterized official attitude to the most  important issues affecting Liberia, Coach Hey may soon find out that  running away from Gambia due to the financial woes of that nation, would  be the start of his learning how to run from another nation in the  future, when promises fail to materialize. I think it was the late Bob  Marley who said, who fights and runs away stand to fight another day.

Finally, I am hoping that the ministry can draw up a long term  soccer program, while Liberia regains some healthy ground financially. With  an effective league-system, covering the entire country, budding  players can be groomed to serve as the home-based side to be assisted with the few abroad.

Until then, “unclear” of our priorities may lead to future  disappointment that can now be put in check. When that day comes, we would  mourn over our shortsightedness.

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