By Alpha Abu
The former skipper of the Sierra Leone’s male national football team Leone Stars who was dropped from the side after the AfCON in Cameroon this year, has openly expressed his anger at the way he was treated.
Umaru Bangura commonly called Zaingaylay seen in a video being interviewed, clearly criticised the way he felt being stripped of the captaincy and dropped from the squad that is presently competing for a place in AfCON 2023 to be held in Ivory Coast.
Zaingaylay one of the longest serving captains of the national team said he was not even consulted when the captainship was taken away, or about his omission from the team.
He even stated there’s never been his real replacement in central defence since then. The former national player came across as a displeased person when he said he should have been shown the respect he deserves for serving the country.
If indeed he was never notified about the decision for a new captain or to drop him from the side, then it is for Coach John Keister to do the needful by apologising to him. Some people though, are finding it hard to believe what he said was true, claiming he could have been notified.
From what followers of the game have been saying, Steven Caulker who has taken over Zaingaylay’s playing position and captainship has not done badly. Caulker demonstrated great leadership attributes during the AfCON matches in Cameroon and was very solid in pairing with Zaingaylay.
And in all honesty, Zaingaylay showed a bit of slow pace in tracking or defending in Cameroon. Caulker did a lot of covering in those matches. It is quite true that very few footballers show the same flair, grit and stamina going into their mid –thirties, the gruelling nature of the game during their prime, obviously taking a toll on them. And it should be said Zaingaylay served Sierra Leone the very best at his peak and should be remembered for all he did during his time with the national side.
On the present Leone Stars setup, it must be said that the problem lies with Keister’s team selection. Cauker’s experience and well-timed tackles and confident play continue to show but Alie Sesay alongside him is not proving to be a wise pairing at all.
There are home based players that could have partnered with Caulker and looked solid. We have been seeing good performances from defenders in the Salone Premier League, and a few should be given the opportunity to play alongside Caulker who has proven a worthy inclusion since he opted to play for the country of his grandparents.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (27/06/22)
