Weah Rescues
Liberia Again
Borsay Blames Lone Star Predicament on Sports Minister
 By
M.V. Paasewe
June 21, 2003
Liberian soccer kingpin has once again revived the hopes of soccer
aficionados by coming to the rescue of the national football team.
According to Liberia Football Association general secretary Yanqueh
Borsay, sports ambassador George Manneh Weah has agreed to charter
Ghana Airways so that home-based team can honor its June 21, 2003
African Nations tie against Guinea in Accra today.
According to LFA sources, Mr. Borsay, who is already in Accra,
negotiating with Ghana Airways authorities for landing rights, is
expected in Monrovia this morning aboard the special chartered flight
that would take the team to Accra.
“If the Ministry of Sports had done their job, we wouldn’t have faced
this embarrassing situation,” Borsay told journalists before his
departure for Ghana. He said Sports Minister Max Dennis failed to seek
audience with President Taylor to have the team transported to Ghana.
“Even with all the war situation, we know President Taylor loves the
team and he would have done everything to have Liberia fully
represented in Ghana,” Borsay said, blaming Minster Dennis for Lone
Star’s predicament.
Borsay, however, thanked George Weah for rescuing the national team at
the time when things had gone completely haywire.
The news of Weah’s generosity has taken Monrovia by storm, as
Liberians have begun expressing gratitude to King George.
“This is the reason why I have always called for a reconciliation
meeting between the estranged Lone Star players and our sports
officials,” says Kadala Kromah, technical director of the national
soccer team.
He said if the officials had heeded his plea, the embarrassment facing
the Lone Star today would have been averted, because Weah would have
rushed to assist the team as he had done on numerous occasions in the
past.
“But I don’t see the probability of us honoring this match,” Kadala
Kromah told Liberian Soccer this morning via telephone. He said up to
press time, the chartered flight has not arrived. But he expressed
confidence in the reserve national team comprising refugees and a
sprinkling of professionals to do the job if the players from Liberia
fail to make the trip.
He revealed that Qatar-based professional Frank Seator and others
would rise to the occasion along with the refugee stars to bring
smiles to Liberians. He however, regretted the fact that goalie Boye
Pratt might not play if the flight fails to take the home-based
players to Ghana.
Coach “Scientific” Kromah also maintained that even if the home-based
players are late to play Guinea, ambassador Weah should still send the
chartered flight. “We can take advantage of the flight and send our
Under-23 national team to take on Niger in the Olympics competition,”
he said.
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