Lone Star Test Match Against Indonesia-Based Fails to Hold


… Coach Nagbe, Dep. Min. Richards Threatened

Friday, 25th August 2006


By Michael Gebeh


A test match which should have taken place between the national team, the Lone Star of Liberia and the Indonesia-based players failed to take place yesterday at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium as scheduled.

The match was organized by the Liberia Football Association (LFA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports as a test game for the national team; which engages Equatorial Guinea next weekend in a joint Nations Cup and World Cup qualifier.

According to our reporter from the ATS the game failed to take place because of some reservations raised by the Indonesian-based players.

Our reporter said Coach Frank Jericho Nagbe requested that only three of the Indonesian- based players who were invited to the country for the upcoming Nations Cup/World Cup qualifier join the local boys for the test match against their Indonesian counterparts.

This request by coach Nagbe was bluntly rejected by the remaining Indonesian-based players who claimed that the three players were Indonesian-based and as such they needed to play for the Indonesian-based team despite been recalled for national duty. This brought everything to a standstill as fans and spectators walked out of the stadium.

In the end the game was quickly reorganized and the local boys along with the three invited players were divided to play among themselves as Lone Star and All Stars. That game ended 2-0 in favor of the Lone Star. Lone Star 2 goals came through Eric Weeks in the 33rd minute and Junior Wilson in the 67th minute.

As the game was going on fans began mock Coach Nagbe; accusing him of personalizing the team and refusing to send for the requisite number of professional players. At the same time hundreds of fans cheered former Lone Star skipper, James Salinsa Debbah and other former Lone Star players who sat at the VIP wing of the stadium. They chanted pro Debbah and Joe Nagbe slogans; requesting that they return to the team as the local boys were not doing anything to bring pride to the country.

They shouted “Frank Jericho Nagbe resign, this is not your father’s property”.

Meanwhile a release from the Ministry of Youth and Sports says Deputy Minister for Sports, Marbue Richards life has been threatened by the huge crowd who always jam pack the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) to see the Lone Star practicing.

The release quotes Minister Richards as saying that when he got at the ATS to see how the technical staff and the players are coming on with their training, he heard the crowd saying, “You Marbue Richards, if the team does not win the match with Equatorial Guinea, we will burn down your houses. We know where your houses are.”

The crowd was saying that Minister Richards influenced Coach Jericho Nagbe to bring in five foreign-based players instead of the regular number of players that usually come for Lone Star games.

At the same time on Tuesday, Coach Jericho Nagbe was attacked by some hooligans who went to the ATS to see the Lone Star Team practicing.

Meanwhile the Acting Public Affairs Director at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. J. Caesar Padmore is calling on all those that are in the habit of making sarcastic remarks and attacking coaches, players and peaceful citizens to desist from these ugly attitudes.

Mr. Padmore said the good people of this country want peace instead of hooliganism which is unhealthy for sports in the country.

The Acting Director of Public Affairs, Mr. J. Caesar Padmore said Coach Frank Jericho Nagbe has submitted three additional foreign-based players to be added to the previous five foreign-based players to the Ministry for Youth and Sports. These three players are already in Liberia and they are Steve Mennoh, Perry Kollie and Esiah Benson.