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“We will Defeat Liberia”
-Boasts Niger Coach
By M.V. Paasewe (Monrovia)
October 11, 2002
Minutes after reaching Monrovia Thursday to honor
Saturday’s 2004 African Nations Cup qualifiers against Liberia, the visiting
Nigeriennes say they are here to draw first blood.
“We are not afraid of Liberia; we’ve beaten them before
and we will beat them again,” the confident looking youngish head coach of
the visiting Nigerienne national team informed Liberian Soccer last evening
from his Carey Street hotel downtown Monrovia.
Coach Aruna Doula conceded that although his side is
not as popular as his Liberian counterparts, his players don’t however feel
threatened playing against a team that once paraded a galaxy of soccer
kingpins like George Weah, James Debbah, Prince Daye, Kelvin Sebwe and
others.
“My game plan? Well, I can only tell you that I have six
professionals on my squad,” said Coach Doula when quizzed on the tactical
plan that is supposed to dump the Lone Star this weekend at the Samuel
Kanyon Doe Sports Complex.
The pros listed by Coach Doula include Ibrahim Tankaray
who plies his trade in Belgium with a Premier Division club; Mustapha Ali,
who plays 2nd Division soccer in Germany and Osman Tchakoola who is making
waves in the United Arab Emirates.
As for the Liberians, Coach Kadala Kromah, speaking
this morning from his training camp, said more professionals have been
arriving since Wednesday.
Liberian professionals that have arrived to honor
Saturday’s ANC tie against Niger include Alvin “Power” Kieh, Dulee Johnson,
Prince “Bastia Rasta” Daye, Oliver Makor among others. Lone Star ace goalie
Louis Crayton however could not make the roll call due to club engagements.
We will bring up updates from the SKD Sports Complex today
where the Lone Star is running its last leg of training session and from the
Antoinette Tubman Stadium where the Nigeriennes are toning up. |
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