Who Is
Frank Jerico Nagbe?
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
The man named by the Liberia Football Association (LFA)
to take charge of the national team is a household name in Liberian
football.
Frank Wontee Nagbe, popularly known as Jerico, is the
man who has placed NPA Anchors at the top of the premier league this
season, following victories over Mighty Barrolle and Invincible Eleven
(IE). He was the same person that promoted the port boys from the
first division.
Born on May 11, 1958 in Diyakpo Bokon Jadae in Sinoe
County, Jerico is a product of the William VS Tubman High School in
Sinkor.
The Liberian tactician played active soccer both at
home and abroad. He started with St. Jerry (1972-1975) before moving
to Invincible Eleven (IE) from 1975 to 1984.
Jerico, who was a midfielder, spent one season
(1976-977) with Sporting Club-Gagnoa in La Cote d’Ivoire.
As a player, he won the league title with
IE in 1976, the year he was voted Most Valuable Player, and the
six-nation tournament with the Lone Star in 1979. In La Cote d’Ivoire,
Jerico won the league championship with Gagnoa in 1977.
He spent eight years on the national team,
Lone Star as a regular player, which enabled Jerico to face great
teams of Africa, Europe and America. He got trained in Mexico in 1980.
The NPA Anchors manager started his coaching
sojourn in the second division with West Point-based La-Modell
International in 1985. Three years later, under Jerico, the club
reached the first division.
Coach Nagbe led his native Sinoe County to three County
Meet tournaments. Under him, Sinoe finished as champions in 1986,
third place in 1987 and semi finalist in 2004.
Jerico joined IE as Deputy Coach from 1989 to
1992. He then coached Junior Professionals for five seasons
(1993-1998).
Jerico promoted Junior Pros to the first division and
went on to finished as runners-up in his first season before lifting
the league title in 1997. He took Jr. Pros to the African Cup Winners,
at which time the club ousted ASFAG of Guinea (but could not continue
due the April 6, 1996 fighting in Monrovia). Jerico led Jr. Pros to
the African Champions League, and eliminated RCB of Burkina Faso, but
were eliminated by eventual grand finalist Obuasi Goldfields a year
later.
During the 1997-98 season, Adolph Lawrence hired him at
a time St. Anthony was in search of first division qualification.
Jerico did not fail in winning all the seven matches he had. In his
debut year with St. Anthony in division one, Jerico led the club to
second place in both league and knockout championships.
Jerico had two stints with the Lone Star as Deputy
Coach. His first stint ran from 1996 to 1998. On the second occasion,
the Lone Star reached the 2002 Nations Cup finals in Mali and nearly
qualified for the World Cup the same year. A year earlier, Jerico and
the Lone Star won the Good Will Tournament in La Cote d’Ivoire.
The LFA awarded Jerico five times as Coach of the Year
in 1985, 1987, 1996, 2000 and 2004.
In 1985, the NPA Anchors coach attended the FIFA Youth Training
Program conducted by Karl Heinz Moroski of Germany and Mohammed El
Wash ofd Egypt (CAF). He also participated in the FIFA Futuro II
course conducted by Philip Rouon in 1999.
Jerico has brought to light the likes of Christopher Wreh,
Francis Razak Carr, Isaac Tondo, Sunday Seah and William Fahnbulleh.
The veteran tactician is a Moslem who happily resides
in West Point. He is married with children. His son Frank Nagbe, Jr.
is the captain of the NPA Anchors.
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