Key Liberian Striker Dropped

by Duport Road Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:57 pm

Key Liberian Strikers Dropped

Dioh Williams playing in the Last Nations Cup Qulifiers

By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.

Francis Grandpa Doe and Dioh Williams, two key strikers of the Liberian national football team, Lone Star have been dropped for failing to make the trip to Algeria on Monday.

Following the 1-1 draw between Liberia and The Gambia in a 2010 World qualifier on Sunday, June 1, 2008 in Monrovia, the Lone Star immediately departed Liberia for the next match with Algeria without the two young strikers on Monday morning.

While it was being anticipated that the two players would rejoin their colleagues, it was made known on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 by the Secretary-General of the Liberia Football Association (LFA), Mr. George Williams that the Lone Star head coach Antoine Tony Hey has told the LFA to have the duo dropped.

According to Mr. Williams, the decision by the Lone Star head coach stemmed from the fact that tickets were already bought for the two players for the trip only for them to not be available during departure time.

Mr. Williams added more woes for the players by saying that he has been told by the coach for the two young strikers to return to their respective clubs. Grandpa Doe plays in the United States Major League Soccer (MLS) for DC United, while Dioh Williams plies his trade in Denmark for Aarhus.

The LFA Secretary-General stated that the two have appealed for pardon, claiming that their car had broken down at the time of the trip. But their pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

Dulee Johnson of Swedish side AIK Solna is also missing form the trip, but Mr. Williams blamed it on an ‘understanding’ the midfielder had with the Lone Star coach. He (Williams) did not explain further.

Kelvin Sebwe is quoted by the LFA official to have apologized after being left out of the team against The Gambia for indiscipline.

Yet, Mr. Williams declared that Sebwe, based in Greece, is now part of the Lone Star squad after apologizing and has assumed his duties as leader of the team but not as captain. This could mean that Murphy Nagbe will continue as captain against the Desert Foxes of Algeria this weekend.

Sebwe fell in trouble with the Lone Star technical staff when a female visited him at the Lone Star camp on the eve of the match.

Although Sebwe met the female visitor outside of the team’s camp, goalkeeper trainer Kasimu Sillah asked the veteran player to return to his room. But, the move later prompted exchange of words between the two, thus leading to Sebwe’s exclusion from the team.

by Motee Enterprise Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:12 pm

AS it has been done in the past, Liberian players and officials do not take their jobs seriously, evidence by the fact that the three players did not show up for the trip on monday, a female visiting kelvin Sebwe on camp, and the formal team manager Walter Anderson not doing his job on time E.t.c.

these things are coming to light now because in the past nobody cared, it was you chop I chop situation, but now that we have a man with system, (on time, punctuallity, e.t.c they will find it very difficult if not impossible to cope.

all I can say to the coach, do not relent in taking those dicisions that will uphold deciplain, love, respect, e.c.t amonst not only the players, but the entire sporting body in this Country.

may God continue to bless the works of our hands.

Key Liberian Striker Dropped

Key Liberian Striker Dropped

It will be difficult to cope with the system.