Retired Lone Star striker James Debbah has called for the Liberian FA to pay up outstanding allowances to the national team.

June 18,2003
Debbah said if the team is not suitably remunerated, it can affect the Lone Star's chances of qualifying for the Nations Cup in Tunisia.

Top players of the side are owed bonuses since last year's Nations Cup in Mali.

Liberia currently sit bottom of Group Two, but with all four sides tied on six points, only goal difference separates them from first-placed Guinea.

The Lone Star play Guinea on Saturday, yet Liberia's ongoing civil war means home advantage in the key fixture has been lost and the qualifier will be played in the Ghanaian capital Accra.

"The team needs some kind of motivation," Debbah said.

"The country is undergoing a lot of crisis and it's a little bit demoralising for the players because things are not stable financially," said Debbah.

"I think the FA need to make some big steps to come to the rescue of the players financially."

Yet even should such a scenario arise, Debbah doubts whether Liberia's new crop of young players have the international experience to overcome their neighbours.

"I don't think this team has the ability to defeat Guinea," he said.

"Guinea is the most seasoned team. They have good players, players with experience - Titi Camara and the rest of the crew."

Liberia could claim internationals with such experience, but for the fact that players such as Kelvin Sebwe, Oliver Makor, Zizi Roberts and Debbah himself distanced themselves from the Lone Stars after financial squabbles with the FA overshadowed last year's Nations Cup.

Should these players and the FA bury the hatchet, it is likely the footballers, including Debbah, would make themselves available for selection again.

And Debbah believes this is the key if the Lone Star are to qualify for their second successive Cup of Nations.

"What the team needs is people with international pedigree, the players that were on the team before - Kelvin Sebwe, Oliver Makor, Zizi Roberts and the other players.