A veteran Liberian footballer is calling on athletes of the Lone Star of Liberia to be self-confident on and off the ball in their training process as they prepare for the 2024 African Cup of Nations qualifying round against South Africa and Morocco.
Mr. Jonathan Armah Baxter, who once played for Bomi County and former Liberia Football Association (LFA) first division side NPA Pythons heightened that if Lone Star players can now focus their attention on their training both on and off the ball which he added would help to give them the spirit of self-confident against their opponents if they wish to score the necessary result for the country against their opponents in their home and away encounters.
Mr. Baxter further stated, “I want Lone Star players to know that the game of soccer does not come through silver plate but through physical and self-confidence followed by mental or psychological preparation on and of the ball and they should also be self-determined in every aspect of their struggle to make the difference for the Lone Star against their opponents.”
He voiced that Lone Star’s qualification for CAF 2024 African Cup of nations might be difficult, not, very impossible if, and only if the players continue to carry on their self-training before and after the team’s training process because such self-training would help to better increase physical strength and mental skills against their opponents.
He added, “Lone Star’s qualification for CAF 2024 African Cup of nations might be difficult but not very impossible but our players need to be self-confident and focus on and off the ball and should never assume inferiority complex to their opponents, but that they must rather continue to remain more resolute and be more self-determined for the games ahead of them.”
The football veteran acknowledged that he is emphasizing on and off-the-ball training because that is one of the key areas today’s football athletes lack and narrated that during their days in the field of play, they carried on the majority of their training process both on and off the ball which he added, helped them to better engage their opponents and scored the necessary result for their respective teams so he wants for Coach Ansu Keita and members of his technical staff to work hand in hand with their players for the challenges ahead.
Baxter then called on Lone Star head Coach Keita to carry on his player’s selection based on merit and not based on friendship if he wishes his players to deliver the necessary result for the Lone Star of Liberia against her opponents from South Africa and Morocco respectively.
