Indonesia: Domain of Liberian players

                               Stephen ‘Goalking’ Weah in action
 

By Wleh Bedell
bedellblessing@yahoo.com
 +2316106293

In 1994, a certain ‘bomber’ Stephen ‘Goalking’ Weah landed in Indonesia after stints in Senegal and Cameroon to face a new challenge. The Left footed Liberian sharp shooter who surprisingly never featured for country despite his virtuoso form in his career found life at Barito Putra Galatama FC where he made scoring goals one of his own. His pace, strong left foot and artillery shots won him rave reviews as he lighted up the football stage in that part of the world prompting many of his countrymen to have the opportunity to showcase their talents there.

Having styled for the now disbanded Great Bame and then NPA Anchors, Weah was the father of many Liberian players in Indonesia as his electrifying form caused clubs to scramble for Liberians. The likes of Anthony Joemah Ballah, Sam Dee Garmonjay, Sam Chebli and other Liberian players would be amongst the first batch of players to move to Indonesia during the exploits of ‘Goalking’ with a huge chunk year after year moving there.

More than 300 Liberian players attached or unattached have in the last 18 years went to that country in enhancing their career. There had being some torrid time though with several players being arrested and thrown behind bars for the lack of proper documents, at least a problem for the many unattached players there and two deaths from a Liberian side was recorded in previous years with defender Tubman Johnson who last featured on the local scene for Mighty Barrolle and ex-NPA-Anchors midfielder Augustine Kettor giving the ghost under dubious circumstances.

There were times almost every player here had a dream of playing in Indonesia as they saw their colleagues plying their trade there coming to town mainly during holidays in the best of forms relative to them improving their livelihood and other issues.

Critics however criticize the entire league over there claiming it is not attractive and why these guys some of whom are amongst the best players the country can boast of having lost interest in competing in Europe, but just the modest stage of Indonesia.

But, former Lone Star captain Murphy Nagbe who now plays in Thailand during his days in Indonesia with Persikapbas and PSMS Medan once noted “going to Europe is not the thing, but how am I going? “Under what arrangement as I cannot go to a league where the salary will not be attractive. “Over here in Indonesia at least the salary is very attractive and why Europe is the biggest stage the kind of leagues we will go to play in will not be the England, Germany, France, Italy, etc. Which pay well we cannot play there because we don’t have the contact to go there, and taking into consideration places like Sweden, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary, etc, where I have an idea of the kind of salaries offered, I prefer remaining in Asia”.

Another argument of the Europe, Asia issue is the visa problem in getting or traveling to the former. Unlike Asia where it is much easy to travel as there is not much visa problem and there are other parts of that region that encourages visa upon arrival, traveling to Europe can be very frustrating not only to players but others engaged in other businesses or programs.

Also, the idea of those plying their trade in Asia being very kind to their colleagues in terms of providing invitations for them and even ensure they house them and link them with clubs, as an example of Fallah Johnson who during his long stay in Indonesia was known as “football goodwill ambassador” as he took to that part of the world more than 15 players most of whom in turn reportedly did not give back or show gratitude according to sources. “The guys playing in Europe cannot even afford invitation. “There are lot of us players who have money to purchase our tickets, but we need invitations, but the guys from Europe when asked to send us invitations and maybe stop with them until we settle will show no interest as they will either tell you wait, or I will send you the invitation very soon”, one of the country’s players giving his reason while he continues to play in Indonesia and not in Europe. “If these guys in Europe were doing like the guys in Indonesia in terms of helping their fellow countrymen travel overseas, Liberia would have had so many players playing in Europe”, one local star hinted recently.

Indonesia has certainly harbored Liberian players, but they are however not the only foreign players there with the likes of Brazilians, Uruguayans, Argentineans, Cameroonians, Nigerians, etc. all in that part of the world competing.

Football in Indonesia may not be as attractive as many parts of Europe but it is by far better than the football on the local scene and the attraction there continues to woo the likes of the clever Zah Rahan Krangar, the sublimely gifted James Koko Lomell, all-rounder Boikai Foday, speedy Abel Quioh, crafty Eric Weeks, gangling Edward Junior Wilson, long ranger John Tarkpoh Sonkailey, nimble Alex Robertson, industrious Stephen Mennoh, hardworking Morris ‘Power’ Bayor, lively Ezeah Pello Benson, technically gifted Francis Razak Carr, scampering Varney Boikai and a host of other gifted players from Africa’s oldest republic who are no doubt amongst the best cream of players the country can boast of.

All may not be due to complacency as it relates to the players inability to compete in Europe, the attraction from Asia football nowadays that is spreading in various parts of the continent especially in the likes of China, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, these players might be divided on where to go now as they will be keen to get the right offer in terms of attraction and other factors.

They may be in a not too fancy league but are at least main bread winners for their families and are pursuing their career. And, with the Indonesian league the 45th best league in the world by evidence of the list of the world best leagues done in July, each year, since 1991, by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), such league is not all poor and is in fact not so low as many especially in Liberia think as it is above big spending Qatar (46), Denmark (47), Cyprus (48), Didier Drogba’s new destination, China and Anthony Laffor and Dulee Johnson’s league South Africa at joint (51) as well as Sekou Jabateh Oliseh’s Russian league (53).

The Indonesia league is also above the Major League Soccer (MLS) of the United States, Northern Ireland (61), Israel (68), Poland (73), Belarus (74), Bulgaria (76), Bosnia Herzigovina (115), Jamaica (120) etc.