The appointment of Coach Ansu Keita as interim manager of the senior national soccer team by the Liberia Football Association has continued to spark huge criticism from the public. The latest outcry is from the country’s most celebrated soccer star, James Salinsa Debbah.
Debbah, a former player of the famous George Weah Eleven era, in an open letter to the Liberia Football Association President, Mustapha Raji indicated that the LFA failed to consult former professional footballers whom he believes are the primary authorities on issues relating to football, is nothing but pure egotism.
The former national team coach said Keita should remain with the youth teams where he has been very effective in the past time instead of taking over the senior national team.
According to him, the presence of Coach Keita at the youth level will pay a lot in the future but giving him the bigger tasks which is the senior team will hammer the foundation he has started building.
He however advised the LFA to conduct proper consultations that will solicit valuable recommendations in acquiring a well-seasoned and experienced coach for the national team job.
He acknowledged that it took the George Weah eleven team a decade to become a competitive winning team, adding that, it is almost impossible at the moment to attain the level of success the George Weah Eleven accomplished.
“We don’t build from the top, it is only from the foundation that we can construct and sustain for the future. Please, leave Keita alone and lets him remain where he is with the youth team,” Debbah alarmed.
It can be recalled in early July of this month, the LFA confirmed the appointment of Coach Keita as stand-in coach for the Liberia and Senegal match on 24 July in the 2022 African Nations Championship qualifiers at the refurbished SKD Sports Complex before traveling to Darkar for the second leg.
The aggregate winner will take on Guinea in the next round of the qualifiers. Liberia lost to Senegal 3-1 on aggregate during the qualifiers of the 6th edition of the competition. They defeated Senegal 1-0 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia in the first leg but lost the return fixture 3-0 in Darkar.
