Jericho To Quit NPA Anchors If…

February 2, 2003

By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
 

    Newly appointed NPA Anchors coach Frank Jericho Nagbe has vowed to quit the job unless officials refrain from interference.

    According to the veteran coach, officials of the club have persistently rejected his decision to drop some members of the old NPA Anchors squad.

    After Jericho carried out a complete reshuffle of the team, the coach said officials have asked that the victims be "given another day in court" so as to enable them justify their inclusions. Jericho has, nonetheless, promised to give the players the shock of their lives, as he will "do his thing" so as to maintain his job.
He mentioned that the decision to overhaul the team stemmed from NPA Anchors president Jimmie Toe's request for good results during the pending league season.

    Jericho claimed that players affected by his policy are not worthy to fit into the system he intends to introduce.

   "Telling me about West Point players can't help. DC Talk can't help either," Jericho reacted, meanwhile, to letters read on the popular DC Talk last Friday accusing him of flooding the team with players hailing from the Burroughs of West Point. He revealed about initially informing the NPA management about his decision to drop certain players after an evaluation period.

    But Jericho noted that he won't hesitate to step aside if the team fails to accommodate the ten new players he is about to infuse into the team.

    The players targeted by Jericho include Francis Kojo, Frank Weah and his son Frank Nagbe, Jr., all of second division side LMA Green Peppers as well as Solomon Wesseh of Monrovia Club Breweries.

    Others are Augustine Ketter of ULFASCOM, Namie Yancy of St. Anthony, Jacob Blamo of Black Star, Winston Daniels of Mighty Barrolle and James Kellie of Young Survivors.

   The old guards Jericho intends to retain comprise Francis Carr alias Razak, Rufus Morgan, Sylvester Swen, Christopher Ero, Chris Ogwike and Alhaji Seuleman.
The rest are Emmanuel Lackay, Emmanuel Nimely, Wesley Tarbah, Solomon Tarplah, Jihn Nagbe, Ezekiel Kumateh, Blamo Swehne and Frederick Nyemah.

   Jericho said those dropped are five defenders, four midfielders and a goalkeeper, while the newcomers are made up five defenders, two midfielders, two strikers and a goalkeeper.
At the same time, Jericho declined to disclose the names of the players dropped, but as far his list of players is concerned, the likes of long serving midfielder Francis Denue, defender Tom Doryen and Ben Zoway are among the casualties.

   "My target is to qualify the team for the premier league since it did not reach the Big Eight and to win the knockout title to enable the team travel," added Jericho.

    "They told me boldly they have no money to buy new players, but there are some players who are willing to bring their own documents because they signed one year each with their respective clubs," Jericho stated.

    Upon the team's return from Buchanan, Jericho anticipates forwarding a list of his final selection to the management, but, according to him, if management refuses to give the green light, he would resign.

    When the Vice President for Administration of the NPA Sports Association Mohammed Kromah broke the news about the dropping of ten players by coach Nagbe, he did not give reasons for which the move is being rejected by management. However, from what has been gathered, the affected players will no longer receive monthly incentives of a bag of rice, L$700.00 and US$40.00.