Injured Zizi Robert Accuses
LFA of Neglect
 

 

 

 

 

By Bruce Wiah
May 31, 2002

In the last few months the Liberia Football Association (LFA) has been accused of various allegations ranging from insensitivity to neglect, in relation to the handling of the Liberia National team, the Lone Star. Zizi Roberts is the latest personality who has come down harsh on the LFA, accusing the football house of neglect.

The Lone Star's acclaimed utility player told Lonestarsoccer.com recently that the Liberia Football Association neglected him following the twitching of his left foot during the last African Cup of Nations held in Mali early this year.

“Since I sustained the injury against Algeria in Mali, not one FA official including President Snowe has talked to me about that. It is very unfortunate that I have been neglected because we didn’t play well. I never thought I would had been abandoned by the LFA”, the soft-spoken Roberts lamented.

The burly striker-cum-midfielder-cum-defender further revealed that if it wasn’t for his club, Olympiakos Piraeus of Greece, he would had been lying in hospital by now. Zizi disclosed that he missed a lot of matches nursing the pricking injury. He was however quick to add that despite the injury, he helped his club retain the Greek Championship.

Zizi Roberts, currently vacationing in Accra, Ghana, described the attitude of the FA as “very disappointing”. He maintained that Liberian professional players have sacrificed too much to be repaid with disrespect and neglect, adding. "It is out of unrequited commitment to Liberia that we continue to give our tireless efforts”. He said no one could repay them for their sacrifices; after all, they earn more by playing for their respective clubs.

He, however, advised that the FA should prioritize the welfare of the national team players at all times for the growth of football in Liberia. Zizi Roberts has meanwhile promised his unflinching support to the Lone Star.

During the Mali 2002 African Nations Cup, Zizi sustained a spasmodic contraction of his left foot muscles in Lone Star's 1-1 draw against Algeria, and had to miss the remaining minutes of the game.