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Despite
Weah's Achievement: Why Players Fall Out in Europe
- And Head for
Lesser Known Leagues
Dulee Johnson is Playing in Sweden
January 7, 2002
Siebo D. Williams
Monrovia
In 1988 when Arsene Wenger, then a coach of AS Monaco,
signed on Liberian international striker George Oppong Weah from
Tonnerre Klara Club of Cameroon, based upon a recommendation from
French coach Claude LeRoy, little did the world know that a soccer gem
had entered professional soccer, and would one day rule it.
Weah's achievements in the French, Italian and English
leagues left many to wonder how could a player from a little known
country (when it comes to soccer) rule world football.
It is history that Weah conquered the world in 1995
when he won the African, European and World best player awards, a feat
that is yet to be achieved by any African player. It was no surprise
when Weah was named as the African Player of the Century by a German
firm.
The towering Liberian prolific goal-getter and play-maker
performed so well in Europe that there was a rush for Liberian
players. From 1988 to 2001, Weah played for AS Monaco, Paris St.
Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester City and Marseille before
leaving Europe.
Weah was instrumental in carrying some of his friends to
Europe to play professional football. The likes of James Debbah, Joe
Nagbe, Kelvin Sebwe, Mass Sarr, Jr. Thomas Kojo, Christopher Wreh,
James Kamara, Thomas "Diego" Nyanfor, Edward "Zico" Dixon, Prince
Daye, Anthony Tokpah, Godfrey Peda, Zizi Roberts, George Gebro, Dulee
Johnson among others.
Like Weah, age caught up with some of his friends like Debbah,
Nagbe and Kelvin, and they too had to leave Europe as well. As for the
rest, some of them lost form and lost their contracts, while others
moved to lesser known leagues in Europe.
After Weah reached his zenith in Europe, the rest of Europe turned
their eyes on Christopher Wreh and Prince Daye to step into his
footsteps. Disappointingly, the two players failed to take up the
mantle.
In a quest to actually find out what led to the falling out of
Liberian players in Europe, our Sports Desk have been investigating
and found out the following reasons.
Every professional player needs a recognized manager or FIFA
agent. This paper discovered most of the players Weah carried to
Europe failed to acquire recognized managers, and at the same failed
to pay for the services of these managers. As a result, no manager
wanted to negotiate additional contracts.
A case in point is the whole batch of players that found
themselves playing in Greece at one point. Their manager, Tarsus,
turned his back on them because they were not willing to pay what is
required to enable them get bigger contracts.
As a result of these players not being willing to release
funds to their managers as their Cameroonian, Nigerian, Senegalese,
Ghanaian counterparts, they were left in the cold with little
contracts or nothing at all.
Take for instance, the recent decision by Liberian
international striker Prince Daye to leave Bastia for what he termed
"sitting on bench too much," the cancellation of contracts for
Liberian players in Greece and England, among others, is a clear
indication these players do not have recognized mangers who have the
requisite contacts with the bigger clubs.
At present there are few Liberian players plying their trade in
Europe. Interestingly, these players are only playing for little known
teams. You have few youthful players in persons of Jimmy Dixon, Dulee
Johnson, Dio Williams, Natus Ponnie, Sarten Hill (Sweden), Bill
Neewray, Janjay Innis (Switzerland) Edward Dixon (France), George
Gebro and Oliver Makor (Greece), Alvin "Power" Kieh (Cyprus) and
Josephus Yenay (Germany).
Until these players get recognized managers or FIFA Agents,
the possibility of getting bigger contracts in Europe like the other
African players is slim.
Let not anybody be carried away that Liberian players do not
have the skills to perform. It is known that some did not live up to
expectations, but the majority made it. Their only obstacle is that
they are not willing to relinquish the required percentages to their
respective mangers, and at the same time do not have recognized
managers.
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