By S. Siapha Mulbah
Ahead of the Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations double header between Liberian and South Africa, the senior Lonestar Men’s National team head coach Ansumane Keita has dismissed argument raising questions about the selection of player for the encounter.
In his pre-departure press conference on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia, Keita defended his selection and called on the public to trust the players called for the task.
According to him, the selections were based on options to have the best results making sure that the mandate given to him by the Liberia Football Association as a head coach be implemented changing the football era of the country.
“I think I have to detail this to the Liberian people on how I selected my players. It is based on option; I didn’t just select people because you played left back or right back nor whatever. I had to look at their previous games to know where you can help us,” Keita disclosed.
The coach indicated that there have been series of comments and arguments since the final selection was released to the public at the weekend, and told sports journalists that in no way he as coach had seen it prudent to go against a player for any reason that will single out disrespect to their professionalism.
“I respect all players and everyone’s opinion; so, let trust and respect our choice. I don’t look at MVP or best award won but I look at the work rate of the players at the time,” he added.
He then explained his best interest in having the squad of 23 men for the two encounters with the motivation that there are only three results from a single match.
The Lonestar coach intimated that there are talents in Liberia that have been worked on to ensure that the country’s qualification to the 2023 African Cup of Nations becomes a reality.
He said current national team has no fear of meeting South Africa back-to-back in less than a period of one, which clearly shows that Lonestar is no longer an underdog to the football arena.
“We are going as a team to play professional good football to make sure we get the needed result to the best of our ability. We can assure Liberians that we are going to do our best to make the country proud. We are not going as an underdog,” Coach Keita asserted.
