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Failure to Register in Caf/Wafu
Competitions:
Liscr Fc, Oilers, Breweries Disappoint Players
-As Deadline Expires
December 19, 2002
Monrovia
The essence of winning a championship,
knockout title or a slot in any league championship is to represent your
country in international competitions.
In Liberia, the 2002 National Football League
came and ended with LPRC Oilers clinching the LFA Barclay Championship
Shield and the Super Cup respectively, Mighty Blue Angels winning the FA
Knockout Cup, while LISCR FC clinched a CAF Cup slot as runners-up in the
league. Mark Professionals and Monrovia Breweries clinched slots for the
West Africa Football Union (WAFU) competition as knockout runners-up and
third place team in the national league.
According to CAF regulations, a team that qualifies for
any of its competitions should have its registration completed in November
of that year. But November came and gone with only teams registering with
CAF and WAFU for their participation.
LFA General Secretary Yanqueh S. Borsay told our Sports
Desk that second division giants Mighty Blue Angels have registered for the
CAF Cup-Winners-Cup, while Mark Professionals did likewise for the WAFU
Competition.
What is disappointing to note is that the LFA 2002
league champions, LPRC Oilers, a team owned by Liberia's only petroleum
refining company, failed to register for the CAF Champions' League, a
competition that is very lucrative. The last time Oilers participated in the
CAF competition was during the tenure of Lewis Brown as Managing Director of
LPRC. In fact both basketball and football teams participated in
international competitions under Hon. Brown leadership.
As for LISCR FC, during the honoring program of
its players for becoming runners-up in the league and automatically
qualifying for the CAF Cup, its management promised the players that the
team would participate in international competition. Just like Oilers, LISCR
FC, is a team owned by Liberia International Ship & Corporate Registry, a
company that oversees Liberia's maritime funds.
The players of LISCR FC are disappointed over the
fact that management has failed to live up to its promise by sitting and
allowing the deadline to expire for registration.
Another company team, Monrovia Breweries, a team once
supported by the Monrovia Breweries Inc. has also failed to register for the
WAFU competition. Reports gathered by our Sports Desk have it that Breweries
informed the LFA that it was not in the position due to a tight financial
situation it faces.
With Mighty Blue Angels and Mark Professionals registering
for the CAF Cup-Winners-Cup and WAFU Cup, some fans see it as a redemption
for Liberia teams on the club level.
 "The essence of participating
in a national league and winning it is to test your test outside."According
to former Lone Star coach, Josiah N. Johnson, when a team participates in
international competition, it brings about improvement and development of
players. "The players are also exposed and ready for national team duty," he
noted.
But as it is now, LPRC Oilers, LISCR FC and Monrovia Breweries have missed
the boat to the next CAF and WAFU Competitions, something which has brought
disappointment to their players. "We would have love to play in these
competitions to improve and expose our talents, here we are waiting only for
the national league. So then, why should we fight to kill ourselves for the
national league when we will not test our skills outside?" a player
disappointedly remarked over the weekend.
Former Lone Star coach, Josiah N.
Johnson |
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