ZAPPA KOROMA HAS BECOME AN UNRELIABLE GAFFER
What began as a cruel rumor has now been confirmed by those who have suffered a big loss – Coach FRANCIS ZAPPA KOROMA has left Kamboi Eagles of Kenema. He is now definitely on his way to East End Lions, a team he played for all those years ago. When sports journalists on a very authoritative sport reporting group broke the story just a few weeks ago, his friends denied it. Even Kamboi Eagles refused to directly confirm the report. They were content with saying he was still their manager. So there’s no hiding place any more, Zappa has left Kenema and all fingers now point towards the east end of Freetown as his destination. Not the final one, it has to be said.
Zappa is currently in charge of the home-based Leone Stars squad, taking part in the CHAN. He has made a reasonably good start – struggling past Cape Verde to set up a fight with Mali at the end of August. So on the whole Zappa has done well. But he is showing signs of being an unreliable gaffer and that’s not a good thing. Here’s why we say that:
1. We are not going too far back. We just want to call his attention to what he said when he joined Freetown City Football Club. He should remember every bit of his own words. Why do people say things that they have no intention of doing?
2. We woke up a few weeks later to news that Zappa was on his way to Kenema to work with a team that was in deep financial and organizational trouble midway through the last league. City Council players and officials put up no fight.
3. Zappa is on the move again just as Kamboi Eagles are putting their financial house and playing structure in place. Why is this gaffer so restless? He is reported as saying he is moving for family reasons. We appreciate that but when did these family issues come up? Is this about money or what?
4. With this travel history East End Lions should have a plan B. Apart from that, all contracts with people like Zappa should be tight to make him think twice about moving clubs every six months. What stops Zappa from moving to Liberia after CHAN. We have heard something along that line so watch this space.
MAURITANIA WITHDRAWS QUESTIONING OUR UNDER – 15 SQUAD
The Mauritania team has withdrawn from a CAF junior tournament in neighboring Liberia. They left after our “UNDER – 15” squad whipped them 6 – 0. Since that day they’ve been complaining all over the world saying there were just too many over aged players in the tournament, particularly our boys. The media in Mauritania have had a feast on Sierra Leone, branding us as cheats. On a personal level, the few Mauritanian colleagues we know have been trying to get specific information from us on some of our players. We have done a professional job dealing with those requests. Let’s just hang things there.
Here’s what we have to say about the whole affair:
1. We are not sure any MRI scan was done to determine the ages of all the players. There should be no such tournament on a continent like this where record keeping is problematic without the MRI. Nations hungry for success would always take advantage of any such gap.
2. Sierra Leone has since suffered two defeats at the hands of Senegal and Liberia respectively. Their boys look like second year university students. We have not taken to social media to insult the people of those countries. We have also not written a line to CAF.
3. Honestly, we saw a clear difference in age between our boys and those from Mauritania. Why Mauritania risked the future career of such lads is something they should explain to CAF. Their players looked like TWELVE YEAR old children.
4. Mauritanians are quick to withdraw from continental organizations. Only God knows why they didn’t immediately withdraw from CAF. They withdrew from ECOWAS for no reason years ago. Let’s give them a few weeks. CAF is likely to lose a member soon.
NATIONAL CONVERSATION CONTINUES AT STATE HOUSE
We’ve been watching TV throughout last week as different groups came to State House in central Freetown to talk to Principal about what we now know as the EVENTS OF AUGUST 10. It was on that day that the world saw SIX POLICE OFFICERS killed in a horrific manner on our streets. We are told that they were not part of those sent to stop a violent protest in which several civilians were also killed. Principal has promised to be very tough with those who organized and financed what they have described as an insurrection aimed at toppling Principal.
So, at the start of another week we are waiting to see the next people going to the big house. We were told the political parties are getting ready for the engagement. The visiting president of Guinea Bissau told us King Messi has promised to meet Principal on his return to Freetown from that organized chaos called the presidential election in Kenya. King Messi was Chief Observer. He will do well to talk to us about what happened in Kenya. He was appointed in his capacity as our former KING so he should talk to us.
All that we have seen so far looks the same and the same. At the end of all the consultations the rest of the country will be looking forward to the follow up actions by which the message of DEMOCRACY WITHOUT VIOLENCE will reach the ears of all Sierra Leoneans.
We are dealing with a group of Sierra Leoneans who are claiming their democratic right to protest while they are ready to use unimaginable violence against other Sierra Leoneans who prefer to go about their normal business at the same time inside the same country. How can anybody explain this?
Those who want to enjoy democratic rights have a democratic responsibility not to interfere with the decision of their compatriots to do their own thing quietly.
AMERICA COMPELS WEAH TO FIGHT CORRUPTION
The Americans have forced George Manneh Weah to suspend three senior officials of his government on allegations of corruption. Liberia’s main ally used the Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to strike the three guys, accusing them of a string of corruption offences that would leave ordinary Liberians thinking about the future of their children. Of course these are allegations for now and the Liberian politicians have a right to be heard but when the Super Power speaks, Liberia of all countries should take notice. With elections looming next year, this is the last thing Weah wants to have to deal with. The longer this drags on, the more the opposition will enjoy their red meat. The three accused now have no choice but to fight to the death. Weah will be very worried that they don’t drag him along. These three guys have nothing to lose.
So, where are the Americans going next with this Magnitsky thing?
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