Brown Pushes Close Friend For Lone Star Job

            LFA Technical director Henry Brown

By Wleh Bedell
bedellblessing@yahoo.com

It is an open secret that the issue of playing or coaching on the Lone Star is largely due to favoritism order than merit as such has being the situation for decades. Though there have being times where there were some issue of merits, the idea of favoritism has no doubt overshadowed the latter with the national team continuously being in the doldrums.

And, It seems such has no sign of ending with the news that the questionably appointed technical director of the Liberia Football Association (LFA), Henry Brown, making way or pushing for his close friend Kaytu Smith to take over the senior national team of Liberia the Lone Star.

Since the termination of the lethargic Italian tactician Roberto Landi some two months ago, the nation’s pride and joy have not had a permanent coach with ex-international Thomas Kojo, alias the Black Spider, serving as caretaker coach as he is assisted by fellow ex-internationals Kelvin Sebwe, Janjay Jacobs and Lucretius Togba.

But, with Brown recently appointed by the FA as technical director, he has reportedly encouraged his close propinquity Kaytu Smith to return home just as he did from the United States with sources at the local football house saying he has already forwarded the name of the ‘critical coach’ to take over the Lone Star on grounds that he is experienced, a professional and that the likes of Kojo and co are not up to the task but should serve as technical staffers in learning more.

While the coming of Kaytu should not be seen as an affront since he has returned to his native land just as Brown did under the pretext of forming an academy in becoming independent but has astonishingly surfaced at the FA, the idea of pushing Kaytu raises eyebrows, something many term as being ludicrous.

Firstly, does Brown believe there is no need to advertise the job for a vetting process to take place, but has instead brought the name of his colleague Kaytu Smith to get at the helm of the team? Is this the kind of program he is bringing to the fore?

Historically, Kaytu like Brown as far as achievement is concerned is not a big time coach in the Liberian football folklore, though the coaches and their admirers erroneously believe they are, on grounds that they guided the Monrovia FC U-13, 14 and 15 teams to silverware in the Gothia and Dana Cups in the Scandinavia. In fairness however, they paraded over aged players for such competitions between 1997 and 1999 as there were horrible score lines of 17-0, 21-0, 31-1, etc.

Kaytu was Coach of middle of the table club Baccus Marines that was admired for their physical style order than a technical one, but he gained some respect when he moved to LPRC Oilers. Though he did not end the season in 1999 after moving to Sweden with the U-15 when Oilers won the title, the work was quite an easy one as the Oil boys had a plethora of stars who were mainstays on the senior national team.

The likes of Fallah Johnson, Fofee kamara, Joseph Amoah, Sunday Seah, etc. could however win title under any coach just like the U-13, 14 and 15 under co-coaches Henry Brown and kaytu Smith.

However, their tactical prowess did not come to fruition when they were given the national U-17 as they were steamrolled by Nigeria on a 6-1 goal aggregate. With both sides notably parading over aged players, the duo could not repeat the Scandinavian magic.

Albeit it, if Brown wants his close friend Kaytu to handle the team, one key thing connoisseurs are keen to know is what really did he do in the States? Or what clubs or league did he coach in while in the land Christopher Columbus discovered. Did the former Bushrod Island based coach worked with clubs in the Major League Soccer (MLS)? The A league or Colleges? Or did he coach is the neighborhood where kids between the ages of 5-15 were his focus?

What has the man with the glasses brought back home? One may surmise that he attended some seminars or coaching courses which anybody could attend when afforded the opportunity, but what did he win or where did he coach is something Brown and Kaytu must respond to as one way forward for the country’s football development.

Nothing personal against the duo, but as a means of setting things right or clearing the many doubts lingering in the air, there is a serious need to address these salient matters in taking the Lone Star to nobler heights.

Finally, one way forward is for the FA to start the advertisement for the Lone Star job where Kaytu and others can apply and be vetted in an intrepid manner with achievement, experience, and package or something to offer in terms of developing the team put forth or brought on the table order than someone passing paper under the carpet in a sinister fashion to promote or give a friend job which from all indication is purely based on favoritism that have always done more harm than good to the country’s football.