By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
In October this year, the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) announced Allieu Vandy Koroma as the new Chairman of the Sierra Leone Premier League Board (SLPLB).
His appointment on the 17th of October this year didn’t come without controversy, after mooted talks about the possibility of extending his predecessors term.
Football in Sierra Leone is polarized and split into God knows how many parts. So leading the PLB is not an easy task. There are times when there is temptation to really weigh in on one of the million controversies. Navigating through football politics in Sierra Leone is at the very least tricky.
But Koroma has resisted that temptation and has remained focus on his job - to run a successful premier league.
So how did a renowned prosecutor get involved with football?
To some he is new, but Koroma looks new only because he has always avoided the limelight. These days he can’t. His new position just won’t let him.
His career as a player and administrator in football has spanned close to 25 years. From his days as a prolific player in Bo school and the entire district, to his footballing brilliance at Fourah Bay College and his capacity in the administration of Bo Rangers football club.
Koroma is very passionate about empowering football clubs in the Premier League. In an interview with Politico in November, he announced a very ambitious budget, most of which would be given to clubs.
“Over half of the Le 8 billion is for subsidy because we really want to build the clubs,” he said.
The new PLB has somehow raised money to give Le75 million to each of the 14 clubs in the league on the eve of the start of the league.
Koroma also believes in marketing to raise more money for what he describes as “sustainable future” for clubs. With support from the Telco, Orange, he has led the most sophisticated branding campaign ever undertaken by any PLB.
The SLPLB as we know it is now different. The ball stand, the customized ball, the customized referee jerseys and the man of the match award are all part of the upgrade this league has seen.
Koroma is stern, disciplined and principled. For all the little gains the PLB has made under his leadership, he still refuses to take individual credit. “I don’t want to be immortalized,” he said in a conversation with me at one time.
He shares credit and responsibility with his team members. He has also given a lot of autonomy alongside those responsibilities.
On his watch, the Premier league champions and the runners up could return to continental competitions.
The league is barely two weeks old, but it promises to be exciting. Title favorites East End Lions and FC Kallon have both fumbled so far. Provincial teams Kamboi Eagles and Bo rangers have shown a lot of promises.
Allieu Vandy Koroma is setting a very high bar for future administrators of this league. With much more support from government and other stakeholders, the league can only get better.
Premier League gets first female coach
On Thursday East End Tigers announced Victoria Conteh as their new manager. Conteh commonly known as D’Cox becomes the first female coach to take over a top tier side in Sierra Leone.
Club officials say they are confident in her abilities to move the club forward. D’Cox is currently the only female CAF Instructor in Sierra Leone.
Her first assignment in the job will be to prepare her team to face last year’s runner up, FC Kallon on Saturday. East End Tigers won their first game against RSLAF FC 1-0.
Copyright © 2019 Politico Online
