LFA, President Sirleaf will give big bonus if Liberia beat Zimbabwe in September


Written by Albert Dayyeah


The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has revealed that players, who will be called for the make or break 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Zimbabwe in Harare between September 2-4, will receive a big bonus if they win.

LFA president Musa Bility also disclosed that the team will receive a bigger bonus if it beats Mali in the final group game between October 7-9 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Sports Complex in Paynesville.

Bility said three friendly matches and a weeklong training camp in Johannesburg, South are being worked on by the LFA as part of its preparation for the two qualifiers.

“We're planning three test matches. One is on July 25 between our senior team and the senior team of Egypt or Gambia. Then we've another match slated for August 10 - 15 [TBA],” Bility told FrontPageAfrica in an exclusive interview on June 28.

The FA president then disclosed that the incentive packages for the two games are being worked on with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the chief patron of sports.

“We're working with the President of Liberia to organize a massive bonus for the players. We think it will motivate them to win against Zimbabwe. And we are even working on a bigger one if they win in Liberia,” Bility boasted.

He said he’s hoping that with the two victories Liberia will qualify for its third Africa Cup of Nations final (1996 & 2002), provided other results go their way. Although he didn’t make prophetic pronouncements, Bility said the FA is doing everything humanly possible to qualify for the jamboree in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon in January.

There was no pronouncement about the composition of players, who will be called for the crucial tie but pundits are predicting the inclusion of Olivar Makor, Joe Nagbe and Kelvin Sebwe, who starred during the George Weah-eleven, given the suspension of Al Husein Keita. The promising midfielder, who is based in France, picked-up two yellow-cards in the back-to-back fixture against Cape Verde.

Now a deputy coach, midfielder Sebwe last played for Liberia against Algeria during the joint 2010 World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifying match on June 6, 2008 in Blida and was set to come out retirement against Cape Verde on June 5.

Defensive midfielder Makor wore the captain’s armband in his last match for Liberia against Algeria during the joint 2010 World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifying match on October 11, 2008 in Monrovia and was tip to play against Cape Verde on June 5.

But defender Nagbe, who last played for Liberia in a 2002 World Cup qualifying match in Freetown, Sierra Leone on July 14, 2001, cut short his retirement to play in the historic 1-0 win over Cape Verde in at the SKD.