The President of the LFA, Musa Bility, said further enquiries should be channeled through the Communications Director, Henry Flomo.
With the news of Landi’s dismissal, ex-international player, Thomas Kojo, is serving as care taker coach, as the Lone Star prepares for its Nations Cup qualifier on February 29, 2012 against the Brave Warriors of Namibia.
Coach Landi’s dismissal stemmed from the Lone Star of Liberia’s luckless performances in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and quite recently with the homegrown Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Unconfirmed reports gathered say the Chief Patron of Sports, President Sirleaf, recommended the termination of 56-year-old coach’s contract, owing to the murky display of the red-white-and-blue boys in her presence, while other reports say it is owing to his long absences from the country, which have contributed to the national football team’s hapless performance.
Meanwhile, surveys conducted in Monrovia by our reporter indicate that about 55% Liberians are calling on the LFA to use local coaches to build a homegrown team as Nigeria did, while 45% say Swedish Coaches Bjorn Peters and Sven Sjunnesson are best suited for the top job where they could work with ex- international Thomas Kojo and probably Kelvin Sebwe.
The pair, who visited Liberia last year at the invitation of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sports to Develop Under Privileged (SDU) Emmanuel Geeza Williams, put forth constructive programs intended to move the country’s football forward.
Among other things, they stressed grassroots youth football where players from the U-13 to U-23 will be developed and promoted. They also suggested that the Gothia Cup program, which brought to limelight the likes of Dulee Johnson, Dioh Williams, George Boe, Zah Krangar, be brought to the fore once more as far as taking Liberian players or teams to such highly organized youth competitions.
The pair also promised to live in Liberia where they would regularly tour the country to work with and train local coaches in scouting younger talents as well as linking Liberian players to some of the biggest leagues of Europe where the country's players’ profiles will be raised.
Besides, they pledged that when given the job, they hope to make the Lone Star winsome, attractive and plan to bring sponsorship packages to the national team and the national league.
With the Lone Star’s pending game with Namibia looming and the 2014 world cup qualifier also in the fore, the LFA has being urged to appoint the Swedish coaches of Bjorn and Sven, while others are arguing that local coaches are preferable.
Roberto Landi is Liberia’s third foreign coach in less than seven years.
German Coach Antoine Hey was the first international coach to be sent through the back door owing to appalling performances over five years. In 2010, Hungarian coach Bertalan Bicskei was employed but had to leave owing to illness. Italian coach, Roberto Landi, was brought in as a care taker coach and later employed. But, owing to luckless performances, he too, has been asked to leave through the back door.
