The Liberia Football Association (LFA) and the Sports Ministry have reached a compromise that means Joseph Sayon will remain as the Lone Star's coach.

Sayon, known locally as 'Kofi Bruce', was appointed as caretaker coach in November after the resignation of Kadala Kromah.

However that appointment was originally rejected by the Sports Ministry, who said that it could not afford to pay for a coach.

Instead the ministry wanted to use two coaches who work at the ministry as civil servants.

The LFA have now agreed to pay his wages for the remaining 2006 World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

LFA Secretary General Yanqueh Borsay said: "We were reluctant to accept the Ministry's proposal so we offered to keep Sayon and pay his salary, fortunately they agreed."

Borsay admitted that it was an unusual arrangement but they have acted to avoid further confrontation with the ministry.

"Time is not on our side and we needed a coach to begin preparing the team for next month's qualifier against Senegal in Dakar," he told BBC Sport.

Meanwhile, it is uncertain whether Liberia will invite any of its overseas based players for the remaining qualifiers as the Sports Ministry insists it cannot afford to pay the travel expenses and per-diem for the players.