Liberia Needs the Brazilian Dream
-To Qualify for International Competitions


                                 Coach Jose Luciano Reis Silva

September 14, 2011 - 4:08pm



By: Leroy M. Sonpon, III
leroysonpon@yahoo.com
 (231-6-585875)

About 14 months ago, when the Bishop Allen Klayee’s Technical and Vetting Committee shortlisted five coaches for the job of head coach of the Liberia national football teams, the Lone Star---there were mixed views on who should actually manage the national teams. The coaches were: Jose Luciano Reis Silva of Brazil, Roberto Landi of Italy, Bertalan Bicskei of Hungary, Angel Alonso of Spain and Samson Siasia of Nigeria.

Two day after the short-listing of the coaches, a group of keen football followers, under the umbrella, Concerned Football Fans (CFF), from Gardnersville, urged the Bishop Allan Klayee’s Technical and Vetting Committee of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) to employ Brazilian Coach Jose Luciano Reis Silva, owing to his loaded experience.

The group spokesperson, Darius T. King, told the Daily Observers (which was published) that the Brazilian, an author of the book, Brazilian Box Midfielder, is the most achieved coaches in the United States of America, owing to the fact of winning the U-20 Dallas Cup twice, and also the Philips Cup in Holland, three times, two of the best tournaments in the world.

The group maintained that the Coach Silva’s Project 100 which includes the naturalization of some Brazilians to boost the Lone Star teams, the transfer of Liberians to Brazil and the development of U-12 Liberians are commendable.

The Coach Silva’s letter of application sent to LFA, of which a copy is in our possession, says that he will manage the Senior Lone Star team and serve as Director of football for all the national teams, to include: U23, U20, U17, U15, U13 & Female.

“As a Director of Football for the Liberian Football association, I will be responsible for the Developmental program at the whole country from the younger age, that would be from 6 years old until the senior national team.

“I believe that we cannot build a house from the top, that is why I am strong believe that I can help to develop the football in Liberia. In the attachments will be my resume, the Project 100, a Letter from the Coaches Association from Rio de Janeiro Brazil, and a Letter of recommendation.

“To take over the football in Liberia is really important that not only worry about the senior national team, we need to build a program to qualify coaches to develop players at whole country. An example the Liberia Football are in the 156 in the FIFA ranking and 42 at the Africa ranking, we need to start as soon as possible something to make all the players start at the age of 12 years old or maybe younger, to be develop, so in 3 or 4 years we can have another scenario. At last 3 month I have been study the country of Liberia, and I build a program that call Project 100 (see at the attachment) that for sure will give the younger players a chance at near future to put the Liberian Football at the better place at the FIFA ranking, as was in 2001,” Coach Silva wrote.

Coach Silva stressed that in the event of developing Liberian football, in order to qualify Liberia for international competitions, “he will champion the neutralization of about six top Brazilian footballers, and maneuvers to sent about 20 local based players in Brazilians to acquired Brazilian and international experience to beef up the team---such request was ignored by the Bishop Allan Klayee’s Technical and Vetting Committee and employed Hungarian Coach Bertalan Bicskei.

The so-called Hungarian Coach Bertalan Bicskie (May His Soul Rest in Peace) left Liberia in the bottom of Group 1 Table with merely “One Point” in the 2012 African Cup of Nations, while during his reign of successor Italian Coach Robert Landi , Liberia was convincingly thrown out of Continental Football Battle, went she shamefully bowed to the Warriors of Zimbabwe, 0-3 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

In order to the tackle the future of the Lone Star, veteran sports journalist Dennis Toe listed two problems to be addressed: “ The first problem that Liberia has been facing and will continue to face unless something is done is the lack of an administrative blueprint that will be aimed at football development. The youth football development which should be the cream of our football program is non-existence. What we’ve tried to do over the years is to put together an ad-hoc program for the youths when a competition for U-20, 17 is coming up and the second problem is the unwillingness of the players to keep up the challenge to uphold the national colors--- Most of our players have grown more wings than they can fly with, once they are mentioned in the press of having potentials. Without striving to build up on what is mentioned of them, they see themselves in the company of the likes of the E’to’os, Rooneys, Ronaldos and the rest of the super stars.”

According to Mr. Toe in order for Liberia to qualify for the 2014 World Cup slated for Brazil, the team needs to be “better prepare.”

Based on the above, the Concerned Football Fans (CFF) is urging the LFA to embrace the Brazilian Dream, for the betterment of the country. The Group is calling on the Musa Bility’s leadership to dismiss the “un-mandated” Italian Coach Roberto Landi and employ the Brazilian coach based on the mandate of qualifying the Lone Star for the 2014 African Cup of Nations of World Cup in Brazil.

“We strongly believe that the employment of Brazilian coach, with a mandate can qualify Liberia,” Darius T. King, CFF spokesperson indicated.
Coach Silva’s proposed Job description:

1. Head Coach& Director of Football - Luciano Reis
• Head Coach of Senior Team
• Coach Senior National Team
• Will plan and organize the future of Football in Liberia through PROJECT 100
• Will be Director of the All the National team
• Will be Director of Youth Program
• Will be Director of Developmental Program

2. Assistant Coach
• Coach National Team Under 23 and coordinator of Project 100 Under 23
• Coach National Team Under 20 and coordinator of Project 100 Under 20
• Will be responsible for develop youth coaches in whole country
• Will do a Coaches Clinics for all coaches in Liberia

3. Football Coordinator
• Coordinator of Youth Program
• Scouting Player for National team at all ages
• Organize youth Tournament at whole country
• Will be the person to contact Brazilian team to put Liberian Players to play in Brazil.

4. Physical Trainer
• Coach National Team U17 and coordinator of Project 100 Under 17
• Will be Physical Trainer for all the national team
• Will develop a Program for Physical Trainer at every National team
• Will be responsible for develop professional and youth Physical Trainer in Liberia
• Will do Symposiums and Clinics for Physical Trainer for whole country

5. Goalkeeper Coach
• Coach National Team U15
• Will be Goalkeeper Coach for all the national team
• Will develop a Program for Goalkeeper at every National team
• Will be responsible for develop professional and youth Goalkeeper in Liberia
• Will do Symposiums and Clinics for Goalkeeper for whole country

6. Coach Youth Program
• Coach National Team Under 13 and coordinator of PROJECT 100 Under 13
• Assistant Coach of the Senior National Team, U20
• Scouting Player for PROJECT 100 team at all ages
• Will do a Coaches Clinics for all youth coaches in Liberia

7. Coach Developmental program
• Coach National Team Under 11 and coordinator of PROJECT 100 Under 11
• Coordinator of PROJECT 100 Under 10 and below
• Assistant Coach of National Team, U 17 and U 15
• Scouting Player for PROJECT 100 at all ages
• Will do a Coaches Clinics for all developmental coaches in Liberia

The group maintains that Coach Silva amongst other tournaments also grabbed the State Cup as professional fist division team in Brazil, EC Vitoria and EC Bahia, and those players that Coach Silva developed are now showcasing all over the world; such as Dida from AC MILAN, David Luiz from BENFICA and others.