End Of The Road
By: Emmanuel Obed Towouh
 2^nd division Player in  the
Liberian National League
Monrovia, Liberia

The performance of Weah has confused many, and most believe that he found himself on the unfortunate side as far as football developing countries are concern. If this theory is true, then one might ask why Jesus come from Nazareth? The Jews believed that nothing good come from Nazareth, yet Jesus came from there. George Weah doesn’t find himself on the unfortunate side, the fact remains that stars are never born in a palaces. The Unfortunate thing should be a question that all Liberians must ask themselves: Will Liberia ever produce another George Weah?

George, like all other African players started his soccer career in ill equip gears, at the back yard of his dilapidated home in West Point. He came up the hard way with out a father. He owes his survival to his grandmother. She could have live longer to enjoy the fruit of the tree she nurture so diligently. Life being a mystery, only God knows why good people don’t last.

George starve all by himself to develop little soccer skills, which led him to join Young Survivor of Clara Town - an area not too far from west point. He played for many local clubs, and finally switched to a more experienced 1st division club, Might Barolle, to try his luck among the experienced players at that time. George being a little boy he was usually knock off the ball by the huge experienced players. "First impression is not always correct” as the saying goes. Weah was classified as a weak player, and was only entitled to jersey when the coach wants to fill up space, or when some key players don't turn up.
 

In life, things do not always go the way we want. Such was the case with George Weah. As he couldn’t find enough playing time in mighty Barolle, he switched to Invincible Eleven-an archrival of Might Barolle.  Weah was not strong physically at the time but he developed extraordinary dribbling skills that drew attention to him. His dribbling was so powerful that he knocked Barolle out many times.  It was not long when Mighty Barolle coach realized that he has blunder by letting Weah go-but it was too late. That’s always the case with life, the important of the tree is not known until it is cut down. That was just the beginning of Weah's magic.

 

Due to Weah’s strange pattern of football, he was taken to the Cameroonian side Tonnerre de Yaoundé for his first major contract.  It was from this point that Weah found himself playing for top European Clubs such as AS Monaco, Paris St.Germain (France), AC Milan (Italy). Before Weah came into the picture, there were prolific soccer/football players in Europe, Latin America and Africa, and most like me continuously wonder why good things never last.  The fact of the matter is that there's always an end to every journey no matter how hard one tries to go above the end.

Edson Arantes de Nascimento (King Pele of Brazil), Frank Beckeber of Germany, Diego Maradona of Argentina are just few names among the great players the world has produced. Frank Beckeber was dangerous during the 70s when Pele resigned on October 1 1977.  Maradona controlled the 80s, and George Weah owned the 90s.


Great soccer stars don't come in bulk. They come one at a time but in the last 30 years of every century.  Those four players mentioned above have played greater soccer/football than any player in the world.

 

It takes a Star to beat a star. How can one describe a player who has never been to the World prestigious tournament (World Cup), but won the World Best player? A man who is not a European but won the European best player award, sealing it with FIFA and African best player titles all in just two playing seasons?  George Weah has contributed to modern football then one could ever imagine. He has played a modernize soccer/football far better the 70s and 80s.



Who doesn’t know Weah? In only two seasons in AC Milan he has shown all that he began to do in Monaco and PSG. A very quick center forward, at the same level than Ronaldo and Romario, very powerful, with great techniques, a great ability, with an excellent head shot and a powerful shot with the leg. All these make him one of the 3 best players of all times. There will be no star to beat Weah until the last 30 years of this century. Don’t ask why. I just told you that Great soccer/football Stars don't come in bulk. They come one at a time but in the last 30 years of every century.

There have been stars like I said, but George Weah was more than a star as far as modern soccer/football is concern. His only match is King Pele. If you have seen Weah playing, then I don’t have to tell you he was a tornado leaving nothing unturned in his patch as he sweep across the pitch toward his opponents goal.

 

Nicknamed the "Lion King" and "King George" by Liberians, George Weah has managed to collect almost every athletic accolade that can be awarded to an international soccer player. He has won numerous soccer awards but none as great as being named the African Player of the Century in 1998. He shares the same award with King Pele who represented South America and Franz Beckenbauer who represented Europe.

George Weah is a gift to humanity. He’s more than just an athlete. To his fans he is a truly legendary soccer player. To our National Team he is a brother and a friend. To our nation he is an inspiration and a savior. George Weah is the embodiment of unity, promise and hope in sport and life as a whole.

 

George was always there for his fans; he knew many left their homes just to see him play. He knew they were fainting and crying with his name when the goals were not coming. To wake them up, he scores the goals – not only mere goals but also goals score from position where no living thing would ever believe goal would come from. He knew they believe him because he made them believe that he was the miracle maker; and sure he was the true miracle maker.
 

 

George is dangerous on the pitch and he doesn’t look on the ball as he moves - excellent magic of only a true star. George allows the legs do the tricks, while his head is up looking straight ahead. He dribbles his opponents in his mind before he even gets to them, and as he passes them by; they are all history. When playing against Weah, don’t ever trust him. Don’t take eyes of him an inch. If you do, have my sympathy. He’s very swift.

 

There’s one major thing that George hate in his entire soccer career. If you want to be a good friend to Weah on the soccer pitch, don’t be the first to score. I can’t guarantee your safety because that gets him angry, and you’ll regret why you were born before venturing in football. Don’t believe what I say? Ask some of the world greatest defenders: Paulo Madini, Fabio Cannavaro, Taribo West, Laurent Blanc etcetera. They all have their side of the story.

George is always listening to his fans on and off the playing pitch. He becomes dangerous when he hears that time is up and there is no goal. In this mood, don’t meet him on a one-on-one basis. Only the spectators or the Commentators will explain what happened next, because the defenders or goalkeeper will be too drunk to remember anything.  Yes, that’s George Weah the man with the legendary skills.  

He sweeps across the pitch like hurricane with no opponent to stop him. Who can ever stop a hurricane? It comes and goes at will, but it leaves behind memories. Such is the case will George Weah. He has come to the end of the Road, leaving mark on all of us, and his memories will remain with us forever until the end of time.

Hail to the King, Hail to King George true son of the Land.