LAFFOR: WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED…


Story by: Pawala Janyan
Contact: +231886400217

As the national team prepares for this weekend tough encounter against the Teranga Lions of Senegal in Dakar, senior Captain Anthony Snoti Laffor urges his colleagues to be focused.

Speaking to journalists yesterday at a press conference hosted at the Camp of Lonestar in Monrovia, the Mamelodi Sundowns player stated that “Though the match against Senegal is going to be difficult, but that doesn’t erase the possibility that we can get a better result against them. All we need is to concentrate on what we have here and be focused on what we are doing.”

Speaking of the Coach when asked, El Capitan stated the constant changing of coaches is not something that is straight to them and that they are used to it. “We are used to such happenings. Though the other guys were good, but the decision weren’t ours to make but the FA. And I do believe that their decision to bring in a new coach is for the good of the team. All we need to do is to work with the new coach fully, take in all of his instructions both on and off the pitch. To admit, when I arrived in Monrovia on Monday of this week and made my way to the practice ground on the ATS, I was impressed with the levels of professionalism, sanity and cordial environment I saw. That simply signified to me that the coach is good and that with our combined efforts, we can make history again for our Country.”

When asked about their opponent, Laffor said, “The Senegalese team that won us before has gone and like us, they have a new team, a new coach and have been struggling in recent times. We too are rebuilding our side, and with the team we have now we can go to Senegal and get a good result. The players should know that we need to work hard, stand up to the pressure and do better than people expect. We must be determined to again put our country on the map.”

It can be recall in an exclusive interview with Fifa.com in last November, the Liberian captain also made such motivational comment stated that “We really need to do something in the first game at Senegal and get a win or a draw. That would motivate everybody in our country. We really need to get all the people behind us,” he said. “We have good skills, but what has let us down in the past is the lack of concentration.”

Laffor also urges every Liberian to get involve as June 2012 is a very tough month for all Liberians. “We won Namibia at home and that was great. Our people need to continuously support us in this,” he said. “The players are the technicians on the field, but it is an affair for everyone to be involved in.”


Liberia, who came through November’s first phase of qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup completely unscathed without kicking a ball after their opponents Mauritius withdrew, allowing the Lone Stars passage into the group stage of the preliminaries, is placed in Group J; a tough group which consists of Angola, Senegal and Uganda. In 2012 qualifier fixture, Liberia will travel to Dakar to face the Terengee Lions of Senegal on June 2 and will host Angola, exactly after a week on the June 10. Afterward, she will travel to Windhoek a week later to face Namibia in the 2nd leg of the South Africa 2013 qualifier. A win or draw will surely do well for the nation’s pride and joy.