Liberia
Declares: Chipolopolo Will Fall
The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
September 4, 2004
Sports Reporter
A 15-member Liberian national team jetted in yesterday to join the
rest of their colleagues who arrived in batches earlier in the week
ahead of tomorrow's combined 2006 World Cup and Africa Cup qualifier
at Independence Stadium.
The Liberian team officials who expressed confidence about
tomorrow's match, the first between the two countries at all levels,
were however tight-lipped and declined to say anything on the match.
And Liberian Youth and Sports minister Whitonia Dixon Barness who
arrived together with the team, said the Lone Stars were ready to
beat Zambia despite having spent two days on the long flight from
Monrovia.
Barness said despite her country coming from a war background, the
team had prepared adequately for the crucial game, what with the
goodwill from its soccer legend, George Weah who donated US$ 5,000
to the squad.
She said the team, like Zambia, was tyring to make up for its their
failure to qualify for the last Africa Cup by making the next Africa
Cup and World Cup finals.
"With all the fighting in our country only one thing, which is
soccer, unites the people at home. As I talk to you, many already
have their ears towards Lusaka to get to know how their team is,"
she said.
And Sports Minister Gladys Nyirongo who was on hand at Lusaka
International Airport to welcome her Liberian counterpart, said
government was ready to mediate in whatever problems there between
the FAZ and the country's foreign-based players in order to ensure
that the strongest possible team is fielded.
She said that it was wrong for the players to turn their backs on
the national team when it was through playing for Zambia that they
were exposed and marketed.
Nyirongo said in future, government would regulate laws on how such
truant footballers could be compelled to feature for the national
team and that her ministry was ready to mediate in case of problems
between the FAZ and the players.
Nyirongo said the players must emulate the enthusiasm of their
counterparts in Europe who strove to put on national colours even
when they are not paid as much as at their clubs.
"It's unfortunate that the boys are behaving in this manner. The
government and the entire soccer fraternity has invested a lot to
groom these players but they want to neglect the national team now,"
she said.
She warned players against the tendency of ignoring call-ups as it
would also jeopardise their stay at their clubs which have the moral
right of grooming their own nationals.
On tomorrow's game against Liberia, the minister said she had all
the faith in the available manpower to overcome the West Africans
whose game has tremendously improved over the years.
Also present at the airport to receive the Liberians was deputy
sports minister George Chilumanda, director of sports Muswayapenga
Munkombwe and FAZ president Teddy Mulonga.
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