Kojo: Victim of Conspiracy


By Wleh Bedell

At long last, football wise, the undermining quartet in LFA president Musa Bility, technical director Henry Brown, deputy coach Kelvin Sebwe and newly handpicked coach Kaytu Smith have all conspired to oust care taker coach Thomas Kojo from the helm of the Lone Star after starting on a brighter note where his early tactical prowess with the local based Lone Star at the WAFU competition in Nigeria and the solitary goal win against the Brave Warriors of Namibia caused the country to make strides in the monthly FIFA Coca cola ranking as well as gave some hope for the future. Kojo who is part of the technical crew of South African second tier club FC AK has being dumped as a result of a conspiracy from four desperate men.

It became evidently clear that once Brown was handpicked after arriving in the country from the States, Kojo’s tactical demise was soon to come as Brown led the plot to ensure that the name Kojo soon went in oblivion as far as handling the Lone Star is concerned. Even the ‘special one’ Jose Mourinho or the ‘philosopher’ Pep Gaurdiola cannot be preferred to Kaytu once Brown is on the jury. That’s an undutiful truth as the duo ties goes back for decades.

Also, with Kelvin Sebwe being reportedly irritated in being second to Kojo who he reportedly wanted to be over as head, on grounds that he played at the higher level than his cousin, the days of Kojo were numbered. Besides, Brown came under the disguise of having the Midas touch of youth football by evidence of the youth team he and his propinquity Smith guided to the Gothia Cup, something pundits say was quite an unserious tournament judging from the score line in matches as well as the relatively over aged players they paraded, also, the seriousness of a tournament from a FIFA perspective runs from the U-17, U-20 and U-23 and not children tournament like the U-13, U-14 and U15. And, a Bility whose knowledge of the game is quite scanty was soon carried away and allowed Brown to persuade him in bringing Kaytu on grounds that he has an A certificate, there would certainly be no Kojo as far as the Lone Star is concerned in the soonest time possible.

Bility could not refuse any call from Brown as he feels the former Black Star tactician has come as a ‘messiah’ and that one with an A certificate, his best friend can deliver the goods. But, is Musa aware that having a certificate, be it A, B or C is one thing and implementing what one acquired in terms of translating such into winning titles or competitive matches is another? As for Kelvin, it was “anybody can get it but Kojo who I played more than”, and Brown is the happiest man in the world that he and his long time friend have now made their break after many years perambulating the United States from a tactical standpoint. Kaytu did not care whether it was his former player Kojo on the job who needed to be guided or encouraged; he has taken the job however.

Let it be noted that all top notched coaches in Europe have UEFA pro license, the highest credential required of a coach but not all of them can get the yielded results, that’s why the likes of Mourinho, Heyckens, Fergusson, Wenger, Gaurdiola, ect are highly respected as they are achievers. Laughably, the FA says Kojo is out of touch as he is in South Africa as the plot has being completed. Is the FA saying there is no way to contact Kojo? There was quite a plot and they did not care where Kojo was or what he was doing anyway.

Kaytu might need all the congratulation for acquiring an A certificate, but does that serve as a guarantee for success? Why in fact the LFA did not carry out the vetting process and if they were keen on having on the job one with an A certificate they should have indicated such and those with such credentials would have applied. Now, though this is a hypothetical issue, why if about ten coaches with A certificate would have applied for the job if it was opened to all and not just allowing Brown to recommend his closest friend? In all fairness, the next option was to look at achievement which would have brought to the fore the number of titles that have being won by each.

The job of coaching the Lone Star should not be exclusively for a Liberian as the new technical director Brown and his employers have made it to look like. The eyebrow raising decision to appoint Kaytu Smith shows we are still not yet organized and a whole lot needs to be done if we are to ever make strides in the beautiful game. “Their trap have caught, and there is no turning back. “This is arguably their biggest job, Brown and Smith no argument”, noted a pundit after the coach was unveiled. But only time will tell how well they will perform or bring forth the yielded results.