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"We Can't Make It Without
the Old Boys -
Kadalah Confesses, Sends Out Open Invitation
-to Weah, Debbah, Nagbe, Zizi, Seator Others
October 2, 2002
Siebo D. Williams
Monrovia
With barely ten days to for the
crucial African Cup of Nations qualifiers between the National football
team, the Lone Star and the Mena of Niger, the technical manager Kadala
Kromah has disclosed that Liberia cannot make it without the old players
because the young locals are not given the opportunity to play test matches
for exposure, and he was therefore extending an open invitation to the old
school boys.
The Lone Star coach made the assertion
yesterday on DC Talk and also extended an open invitation to former Lone
Star technical director George Weah (UAE), the Nation's most celebrated
soccer star James Salinsa Debbah (UAE), Zizi Roberts (USA & Ghana), Joe
Nagbe (formerly of Greece), Varmah Kpoto (formerly of Greece) among others
for the match against Niger slated for Saturday, October 12, 2002.
Already a formal invitation was extended to
midfield maestros Kelvin Sebwe (UAE) and Oliver Makor (Greece), along with
Prince Daye (France), George Gebro (Greece), Jimmy Dixon (Sweden), Dulee
Johnson (Sweden), Fallah Johnson (Indonesia), Louis Crayton (Switzerland)
and Alvin "Power" Kieh (Cyprus) for the match.
The Coach however, said that he extended this
open invitation to the old players for the sake of peace and reconciliation
after what transpired in Mali. And on the other hand, Liberians are not
patient enough to wait for the next two to four years for the Lone Star to
be rebuilt. "Since these guys are still playing, it is imperative that we
invite them to the National team, and as time goes by they will be replaced
gradually."
The Lone Star's technical manager did not say
whether adjustment will be made on the list of the nine players who have
already been invited to accommodate Weah and the rest of the guys.
Commenting further, coach Kromah also extended an open
invitation to Frank Seator, who is still in the country since the Guinea
match. Seator was said to have been dropped due to poor showing in Guinea.
It is not known whether the Ministry of Youth and
Sports and the Liberia Football Association (LFA) will endorse the open
invitation extended to Weah and the rest of old school boys by coach Kromah.
Bookmakers are saying if coach Kromah needs these
players, he should officially communicate with the LFA for formal invitation
to be extended.
The MYS is on recorded as informing the LFA that
Government will only be in the position to fund the bringing of nine
foreign-based players.
It can be recalled George Weah officially
resigned as technical director and player of the Lone Star in Mali on
January 28, 2002. James Debbah also announced his retirement verbally saying
he had nothing to prove to Liberians on the field of play. These players
said they have served their country for almost 16 years.
The likes of Joe Nagbe and Kelvin Sebwe did not
announce their retirement from the Lone Star.
Following Weah and Debbah's resignation in Mali,
the Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with the LFA disbanded the
national team.
It was recently reconstituted with Kadalah Kromah being named
as its Technical Manager. Kadalah and his technical staff were appointed
without a contract being drawn to show their benefits and mandate given them
for the 2002 Nations Cup qualifiers.
After the Lone Star's technical staff was
appointed, they decided to draw up their own programs aimed at rebuilding a
new national team with youthful players since the older guys had announced
their retirement.
In their first match against Guinea, the newly
reconstituted Lone Star went down 3-0 in Conakry, something which prompted
most Liberian football fans to call for the return of Weah and others.
Some argued that Weah, Debbah and Nagbe have served to the
fullest and should give way to younger players, while the likes of Kelvin
Sebwe, Oliver Makor, Zizi Roberts, Prince Daye, George Gebro, Musa Shannon,
Josephus Yenay, Josiah Seton, Fallah Johnson, Frank Seator, Edward Zico
Dixon, Louis Crayton, Jimmy Dixon, Dulee Johnson, John Menyongar and some
quality local-based players could be used for the reconstituted team.
Prior to the Guinea match, Kadalah Kromah
cautioned Liberians to be patient and that "Rome was not built in one day".
But barely ten days to another crucial match, the coach has again come out
to say that "we cannot make it without the old players because the younger
local players do not have the kind of exposure compared to the old players."
He was therefore calling the old players back to national duty.
He made specific references to the Lone Star defense which he
said needs to have players like George Gebro, Jimmy Dixon, Joe Nagbe, Fallah
Johnson, Varmah Kpoto for a better result.
The coach also criticized the performance of Lone Star's A-1
goalie Louis Crayton. He disclosed that Crayton does not have a contract,
something which makes him inactive to perform satisfactorily. "He has a
fundamental problem with crosses from the wings. He is getting rusty,
something which lead us to goalkeeping problem."
Meanwhile, some football pundits see Kadalah's
pronouncement as a somersault after having said that he wanted to build a
new team. Others also sees his decision as being wise since the old players
are still playing and the local-based lack the requisite exposure.
One question still lingering on the minds of most
Liberians is whether the old players were ever dropped apart from Weah and
Debbah, who announced their respective retirement in Mali after the Nations
Cup finals. |
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