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For Liberia Vs. Niger
Match:
Lone Star Yet to Start Training
- As Mobilization Committee Comes Under
Criticism
September 26, 2002
Siebo D. Williams
Monrovia
With exactly 18 days to the crucial African Cup of
Nations qualifiers between Liberia and Niger, the National Football Team,
the Lone Star is yet to start training.
Reports reaching our Sport Desk say the team needs a
minimum of L$4,000.00 to train once a day. But this money cannot be
generated by the Ministry of Youth and Sports that seeks funding for the
team.
It has also been learned that a training budget
prepared by the technical staff has been forwarded to the Sports Ministry
through the Liberia Football Association (LFA).
Up to press time it still could be not determined when the
Lone Star will commence training. Football fans who spoke to this paper
expressed disappointment over the delay of the national team to commence
training.
"We Liberians are only concerned about results and don't want
to know whether the team have had adequate training before a match. We
should begin querying the Government to see reason and provide funds for the
national team to begin training on time so that we can achieve the desired
results," a fan said yesterday.
Another fan who preferred anonymity also warned that if
we are not prepared to provide funds for the team to train, we should be
prepared to accept whatever results comes from the Niger match. "We should
by now know that modern football is preparation and not just luck. If we
don't put in much, we will not get a good result," he added.
Meanwhile, the Lone Star Mobilization Committee under the
chairmanship of Immigration Commissioner John H. Smythe has come under
criticism for not be able to mobilize the necessary resources to help the
Sports Ministry and LFA prepare the team.
According to Moses Jones of Carey Street, the
Mobilization Committee collected funds when the Lone Star was on its way to
Guinea. He said nothing was heard about the funds, except that Chairman
Smythe flew to Guinea to watch the Lone Star play.
This paper also learned early this week that Chairman Smythe
called on the technical staff and players to assemble a whole day on grounds
that he had arranged for some funds to begin trainnig. But the players and
coaches stayed at the LFA the whole day without Chairman Smythe getting back
to them as was announced.
With this development, football pundits are doubtful
whether the Lone Star can make the necessary impact in the match against
Niger come October 13 at the SKD Sports Complex. If the team does adequately
prepare, Liberians should not expect a favorable result.
This paper hopes to contact Chairman Smythe on the latest as far as the Lone
Star Mobilization Committee work is concerned relative to the Niger match. |
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