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Lone Star in
High Gear for Crucial
Guinea Encounter
By M.V. Paasewe
September 6, 2002
As the restructured Liberia national team prepares to take on its Guinean
counterpart in the qualifying round of the 2002 African Nations Cup finals
Sunday September 8 in Conakry, morale among the technical staff and players
is exceptionally high.
Briefing journalists yesterday at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium concerning
the positive psychological buildup, Lone Star technical director and coach,
Kadala Kromah said despite the team being faced with financial constraints,
his technical staff has managed to instill a high degree of discipline and
oneness among the players during their one week intensive training.
He said no one has complained because he and his staff encouraged the
players, especially the locals, to concentrate on the match ahead.
Further, Coach Kromah called on Liberians to exercise patience with the new
team. The fact that the bulk of the players on the restructured national
team are local based, he urged Lone Star fans and supporters to be patient
because the reorganization of any national team requires time and finance.
Professional players who honored invitations of the Liberia Football
Association include Qatar-based Frank Seator, Louis Crayton, Jimmy Dixon,
Bill Newray and George Gebro.
According to our LFA sources, Victor Konwlo, Dulee Johnson and Prince Daye
are expected in town anytime today, while Josiah Seton, alias “Africa Dust”,
was reportedly left out because his club failed to receive invitation fax
from the LFA.
The pros who attended yesterday’s training sessions blended well with the
local players, to the delight of thousand spectators who thronged the ATS to
watch their darling Lone Star embark on a journey of rebirth.
But as Liberia leaves the country tomorrow for Guinea, Coach Kadala Kromah
is yet to disclose the names of the 25-man delegation comprising local and
foreign-based players.
Pundits believe the unwillingness of Coach Kromah to reveal the names of his
players slated for Guinea is a tactical decision to keep his opponents in a
state of confusion.
The euphoria of optimism that abounds in the national team notwithstanding,
fans and critics of the Lone Star contend that Liberians should not expect
much from the Guinea match.
Many believe that the late preparation and the failure of the Lone Star to
engage in at least one test match augers disaster.
Others contend that the bulk of the professional players that will be going
to Guinea are either playing in substandard leagues or not playing at all.
In any case, the Sunday match will definitely determine whether Coach Kromah
will reassert himself once more as a household name in Liberian soccer and
as result set a record for being the first local coach to lead a relatively
unprepared side into a major continental derby and come out with flying
colors. |
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