The U-20 Lone Star team of Liberia, under the tactical guidance of Coach Hazel Gray, needs to convincingly whack the U-20 Menas of Niger at least 4-0 on Sunday to qualify for the next group stage of the 18th African Youth Championship.

Two of Nimba United’s most dependable players, Elijah Clark and Anthony Bergber, as well as Monrovia Breweries’ player Ganayee Clinton have been called to boost the ‘attacking force’ of the Lone Star U-20 team against the Menas of Niger on Sunday, May 6,  at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) in Monrovia.

The compelling bow of the U-20 Lone Star to the Niger’s U-20 Mena team (3-0) on Sunday, April 22, at the Seyni Kountche Stadium has been characterized by many faults, which Technical Director Henry Browne says stage-managed their defeat.

Niger's climate is mainly hot and dry, with much desert area. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Niger River Basin. The terrain consists of predominantly desert plains and sand dunes, with flat to rolling plains in the south and hills in the north. Lake Chad is at the south-east corner of the country and is shared between Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon.

In spite of the recurring droughts, which are a hazard in Niger, the country has formulated a 'Football Program’, which is relatively better than Liberia.

Currently, the Niger Football Federation in collaboration with the government, with minute support from FIFA, is constructing a Niamey Technical Center. Out of the seven football pitches, two are complete: one with an artificial turf, while the other has natural green grass. The field with the natural grass contains four giant-size lights for practices at night. The dormitories (housing) for the players are completed, while a five-star hotel is under construction, as well as the swimming pools and washing (bathing) house.

The mosque, administrative and technical offices are also completed.

"Hopefully by December, we will complete the remaining pitches, and by June-2013, the entire Technical Center is expected to be complete," Mustapha, an official of NTC said.

Now that the Technical Center is available, it has been discovered that the national football teams begin practice a year to an international competition; evidently, the U-17 Niger was seen practicing for her pending match against Senegal in September.

It has also been learnt that national teams have three buses, which are strictly used by the national teams.

"We need this kind of infrastructure in Liberia to enable us to be fully prepared in any competition. The ATS is not enough to be used for all the national teams," Technical Director Henry Browne stressed.

"Apart from the technical center, we have additional two fields around the General Seyni Kountche Stadium, which can be used for national teams practices," Mustapha noted. We also have a martial arts center which is housing wrestling, karate, Wushu, taekwondo and boxing. We love football and martial arts.

"Additionally, we have mini stadiums in the various regions of Niger and all the players of our national teams are selected from regional tournaments by a panel of technical experts appointed by the federation," Mustapha added.

As for the Niger's national league, there are only two divisions: 1st and 2nd. The 1st division is comprised of the top 14 teams, while the 2nd division is more than 20.

"We decided to have these two divisions to show that only the determined and strong teams can play in the leagues. Once you constrain entry into the league and make the package attractive, teams will be serious to play good football," Mustapha said.

Will these scenarios in Niger, where the national leagues are restricted to two divisions to fetch the determined and strong teams, followed by good packages to maintain the teams, be good for Liberia?  Will the erection of infrastructure, such as the NTC, also be good for Liberia?

If so it means that the Musa Bility's leadership needs to redirect their plan by investing in infrastructure for the good of the game. Granted, the LFA is about to launch the construction of a Technical Center in Careysburg and Representative Ballah Zayzay has proposed a bill for the establishment of three Sports Academy Centers in the country, but how soon will this dream come to reality?