“I will place football firmly back on the national map!”
When the then SLPP presidential candidate, the Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, made that bold promise as an integral part of his party’s election manifesto, to many a word-wary Sierra Leonean, it sounded just like the normal pronouncements from yet another ambitious politician. Who was going to believe that football would ever be kicked back into exciting existence so soon, after decades icing on the long lifeless benches of complete incompetence and frightful decadence? Who wo
No wonder the dwindling band of implacable critics are still heavily stunned and reeling!
While some remain frozen in that stoned state of vexing disbelief, the president’s vision keeps spreading and rising as Sierra Leoneans, all over the world and from every walk of life, are boldly stepping forward to take advantage of the possibilities contained in this new dawn and to contribute their quota to the collective national effort.
Friday 11/03/2022 was yet another encouraging example of this forward marching effort. Three patriots representing three different generations of the Sierra Leonean soccer evolution were warmly welcomed into the Sierra Leone High Commission in London to deliberate on ways that we could all work together to sustain the momentum ignited by recent strides in our national footballing growth. All three men work and talk and breath football and all three are deeply passionate about the prospects of pushing Sierra Leone into the forefront of the international soccer arena.
A legend in his own right, Abdul Cole, remains one of the highest goal scorers for Leone Stars. For seven gruelling years he was on the pitch with the best of his generation, commendably representing Sierra leone. After his active playing days, Abdul Cole relocated to London where he established a soccer club in the heart of Peckham. He called it (you guessed it) “the Leone Stars”. This community football club which has contributed to the making of stars like our present Leone Stars Coach, John Keister and continues to nurture talents from amongst the huge pool of potentials present among the Sierra Leonean diaspora living in the UK.
Carlton Cole is a well-known name in football circles in England where he has played at every level including for top premier league clubs. He is now a manager and a coach, and he continues to show active interest in all things Sierra Leonean including, of course, soccer. Also, in attendance was one of our current Leone Stars heroes who worked really hard at the recently concluded AFCON tournament in Cameroon to make our country so hugely proud. A member of the roaring lions from the lion mountains David Deen Sesay is young, talented, and bursting with passion and ideas.
The frank fruitful discussions moderated by the acting Head of Chancery Mr. Christopher Bockarie, revolved around building sustainable systems and structures; establishing short- and long-term goals; encouraging the youths; scouting for and spotting talents that could be threaded around a solid team philosophy and crafted into a particular style of play that is adequately funded and extensively supported. It was generally established that the good work of the national FA can only succeed if everyone, from top to bottom, continue to work together to grow our team. “That is the essence of progressive nationhood”, underlined the Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs. Yvonne King-Odigboh.
In the words of HE Dr. Morie Manyeh, Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, “football can be a potent magnet for uniting people and it is also a key instrument for stimulating growth”.
The High Commissioner added
that the national enthusiasm which is a barometric “indicator of the level of fervour displayed by president Bio, is something that needs a concerted push from well-meaning Sierra Leoneans from all over the world”. The High Commissioner thanked the guests for their presence, and for their contributions to and continuous interest in Sierra Leone football. Dr. Manyeh expressed great optimism in the prospects of the country not just on the football pitch but in all the different areas of our national development ventures.
Sierra Leone Football is firmly back on the map; let’s keep the ball rolling! Let’s keep our goals rising in the best direction on the scoring board- the New Direction.
Abdulai Braima
information.attache@uk.slhc.gov.sl
