By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The controversial East End Lions forward, Musa Noah Kamara aka Musa Tombo has been dropped from the Sierra Leone national team, Leone Stars. This means he will not be part of the squad that faces Lesotho on Thursday and Benin next week.
Head Coach Sellas Tetteh suspended Tombo for allegedly lying to the national team staff. Tombo reportedly excused himself from travelling to Kono District for a friendly, saying he was bereaved. He was however later seen at the Approved School the following day playing for a community team in a mini league.
Tombo reportedly showed up for training on Friday to apologize. With the help of the team’s second captain, Kei Kamara, the coaches accepted Tombo’s apology, but they insisted that he would not be part of the team.
On Saturday, the General Secretary of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Chris Kamara, said in a pre-match press conference that Musa Tombo was not part of the national team.
“He apologized to the coach for his misbehavior, his apology was accepted. But the coaches said he wouldn’t be part of the squad anyway,” Head of Media at the FA, Ibrahim Kamara later added.
Tombo is not the only striker that has been dropped so far. Baimba Sesay, another promising striker, was not even called up as part of the 24 home-based players.
The reason to leave Sesay out is not too clear but sources say it cannot be unconnected to the ongoing transfer saga that surrounds the striker.
Sesay has refused to join FC Johansen against the wishes of his current club East End Tigers. His heart has been set on a move to FC Kallon instead.
FC Johansen is owned by the FA President, Isha Johansen, whiles FC Kallon is owned by football legend, Mohamed Kallon.
With the dropping of Tombo and Sesay, Leone Stars will be short of options for goals. Between the two of them, they scored 27 goals in the Sierra Leone Premier league last season.
Neither player has scored for Leone Stars though.
Tetteh’s attacking options now rest with Mohamed Buya Turay from Djugarden, who just won the league title and the golden boot in Sweden’s top tier league, and Kai Kamara from Colorado Rapids in the United States.
© 2019 Politico Online
