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Rising Star:
Bill “Sekou Bamba” Neewray
–Aiming For The Sky
 April
30, 2003
Over the years, Liberia has built a reputation for churning out gifted
midfielders. From Josiah N. Johnson, down to Frank Jerico Nagbe,
Santos “Maria” Brown, Anthony “Teacher” Gray, Mark Gibson, Alexander
Freeman, Kelvin Sebwe, to name a few, the country’s football has been
enriched by generations of star midfielders who illuminated the
country with their artistry and skill.
It now almost a year and a half since the Lone Star, prompted by the
sublime skills of the incomparable George Weah participated in its 2nd
Nations Cup appearance. During the campaign for the 2002 Mali
qualifiers, the Lone Star midfield was marshaled by the hard-working
Oliver “Machine Man” Makor and creative-man Kelvin “Keegan” Sebwe.
Prior to Weah propelling Liberia to two Nations’ Cup finals in 1996
and 2002, Liberia’s lot has been a sad tale of underachievement,
near-misses and incredible dearth of quality players. The situation
has been helped by the retirement, in 2002, of George Weah,
indisputably the true leader of Liberia’s last generation of gifted
players.
The subjects of George Weah successor inevitably comes up for debate
since players such as Prince Daye, Zizi Roberts, Mass Sarr, Jr. and
others failed to fill the void.
While Liberians are still searching for a new George Weah, there are
other positions that needs to be filled.
With the arrival on the scene of FC Bex’s gangling
midfield-cum-striker Bill “Sekou” Neewray, who appears to be adding a
glow to the seemingly colorless Lone Star’s midfield since Kelvin
Sebwe and Oliver Makor no longer play.
When Kadalak Kromah first mentioned Bill Neewray to officials of the
football association few months ago, he made no sense. Their ignorance
could be forgiven, though, since Neewray never played for any of
Liberia’s biggest club, but only played in Ivory Coast and Nigeria at
the height of the Liberian civil war.
Big players rarely fail to produce the goals when required. Half an
hour was all it took this player of rare quality to seduce Ethiopian
football fans and the few Liberians in that country at the Haile
Sallassie Stadium on March 28, 2003 when the Lone Star played guests
to Ethiopia.
Brought in to replace Kelvin Sebwe (who was on trial with a new club
in the UAE), Neewray lit up the midfield with is silky skills,
exquisite passing, vision, explosive speed, strength and hard
work-rate. He crowned that day with his ability to shoot powerful
shots against his opponents.
A midfield star was born as the Ethiopians and few Liberians trooped
out of the stadium talking about a new midfield maestro Anthony
“Teacher” Gray. But comparisons with the former mercurial play maker
are invidious in the sense that while the former commanded huge
popularity and assumed leadership with ease, the young FC Bex’s player
is bashful, unassuming and uncomfortable with any thought of leading
the Lone Star.
At the team’s training ground in Addis Ababa as they prepared to face
the Ethiopians in a 2004 Nations’ Cup qualifiers, which the Lone Star
lost 0-1, Neewray was asked if he could be compared with the likes
midfield maestros Josiah Johnson, Anthony Gray, Mark Gibson among
others. “I know I have the talent to become a great player but I don’t
want to be compared with these past midfielders. They played their
respective roles and now it is our time.”
Maybe not, but these former midfielders and Neewray have similarities
as players. Even coach Kadalah Kromah, never quick to praise,
highlighted Neewray’s potential. “He is influential in midfield and
has a remarkable ability to read games. He will be a great player if
he keeps his head and work very hard,” the coach says.
According to Liberia’s foremost sports journalist, commentator,
columnist and promoter, Siebo Williams, “Bill Neewray is a good guy.
He has class, personality and gives a variety of options in a game. He
is one minute in midfield spraying passes and in the next up front
complementing the attack. His qualities are inspiring and he gets on
pretty well with the rest of the group.”
“There is no point allowing the pressure to get to me. I believe in
taking one step at a time. We have the potential to achieve our dream
of qualifying for the 2004 Nations’ Cup finals. Personally, I know a
lot is expected of me, but at the appropriate time, I will be up there
where I am expected to be,” he says with a disarming smile before
drifting away, to shake hands with more Ethiopian and the few Liberian
fans in Addis.
For the first time since Kelvin and Makor left the scene for a while ,
Lone Star have found a new midfield genius in Bill “Sekou” Neewray.
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