An adage has it that “stars come and go; others are born and others are made,” and that they become role models and heroes for emulation by many youngsters and succeeding generations. And so Liberia, a country known for having the reputation of football fanaticism, is no exception.

  Many football stars have come and gone through the years, yet this exciting game slumbers on in this war-ravaged nation.

  Vis-à-vis the yearning of youngsters for stardom, Wleh Bedell intrepidly analyzes the impact of the contribution of well-sung Liberian stars to the game after they have left the scene.

  Pundits say Liberia has a huge reservoir of talents and that these talents emerge with the passage of every sporting season.

  George Manneh Weah, James Salinsa Debbah, Jonathan “Boye Charles” Sogbie, Joe Nagbe, Alexander Cheneken Freeman, Chris “Wonder Boy” Wreh, Pewou Bestman, Donasius Sebwe, Kelvin Sebwe, Simon Mattor, Francis Manyongar Jallah, Amadou Sarnor and Benedict “Mama-Musa” Wisseh are just a cross-sectional representation of the many stars the country has produced.

   Africa’s one time greatest footballer George Manneh Weah rocked the world with his dazzling skills, superb ball artistry and Midas touches.

  The towering center forward came to the fore when he was tried for these characteristics on the Invincible Eleven (IE) team. He then featured in national assignments before moving on for a modest contract to Cameroon-based Tonerre Kalara Club.

  Zeal for superb artistry on the field propelled by the urge to have balls penetrating opponents’ goal posts won him local accolades and later international scouting that later landed him with the European club AS Monaco based in France.

  The Monaco’s coach at the time that saw in him great potentials, was the current English premiership side Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger.

   Weah’s consistent successful performances with Monaco as a goal merchant against other teams of the French league won him considerable admiration with fellow French clubs the chiefest of which was Paris Saint-Germain, whose coach at the time Luiz Fernandez, signed him on.

   The wizard dribbler, black diamond and young Liberian of humble origin proved his prowess for several top European defenders including Dutch defense ace Ronald Koeman, then at Barcelona; Brazilian Jorginho Arromi of Bayern Munich; Paulo Maldini of AC Milan and a host of other rugged defenders.

   At the Parisian club, Weah made speedy headways and fell in the nest of AC Milan then under Coach Fabio Capello.  The 1995 World Best Footballer made his debut for the Lone Star on July 26, 1986, against the Syli Nationale of Guinea in the six-nation tournament at the SKD Sports Stadium which was won by the Elephants of Ivory Coast.

  He also featured for other reputable clubs including Chelsea, Olympique Marseille and Manchester City.

   He ended his illustrious career as footballer at the United Arab Emirates-based club, Al-Jazeera. But in a formal fashion, he turned over his golden soccer boots to his son, Champ Weah, at a star-studded event in Marseille, France, where he started his professional European engagement over a decade earlier. 

  He declared then that he was entering politics to introduce the governance of caring for ordinary citizens, especially after decades of persistent armed conflicts in his homeland, Liberia.

   The 39-year-old ex-super star launched a political movement under the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), to become a front runner in the national elections of 2005.

   Internal and external observers opined that he played a very salient role in the development of the game in Liberia and the continent.

  Mr. Weah formed a club named Junior Professionals, which was arguably the best club in the immediate post war Liberia. The club, which served as a springboard for many Liberian players attaining stardom, was first under the tutelage of the late Guinea born Coach Mohammed Fernando Sithole before turning over the mantle of tactics to his deputy Frank Jericho Nagbe, a former international player.

  Junior Pros thrilled fans with their flair style of football, and were rewarded by their chief patron Weah when the team cruised to the first division. Each player of that history-making contingent received a car as the first gesture of its kind in Liberia�s sporting history.

   Many Liberian professionals today owe their emergence to the influential role of this classic act of kindness of George Weah.

  For example, Kelvin Sebwe, Mass Sarr Jr, George Gebro and Prince Daye are just few of the dozens of players he promoted.  Weah also former Lone Star captain and technical director guided the team to two African Cup of Nations finals in 1996 and 2002 in South Africa and Mali respectively.

  And, for the first time in FIFA’s ranking, Liberia was amongst the top eleven on the African Continent.

  A winner of so many prestigious awards, Weah is certainly a role model on the African continent and the world at large. He matched his success on the pitch to that of his philanthropic duties as he served as UNCEF goodwill ambassador as well as FIFA SOS ambassador.

  His quest to become president of the Liberia Football Association was stunted because of a clause requiring that such position holder must have headed a local club for two years. The criteria enforcers did not have consideration for both his local contributions and other efforts in the international arena.

  George Weah has indubitably registered Liberia’s football on the world stage and left its image with an eternal impact.

   Another star, James Salinsa Debbah, who is known as the nations most celebrated star, has also thrilled soccer fans. The Mighty Barrolle’s icon began his sojourn in Cameroon with Union Sportif du Douala and landed at Monaco where he was loaned to division three outfit Vallarus.

  He made headways at French club Olympique Lyon and Greek club Iraklis.  He also had a brief stint at Belgian club Anderlecht and Paris Saint-Germain. Like his cousin Weah, he too played in Asia with Al- Jazzeera, and is currently at home without clear cut indication whether he has now resigned from the round leather or not.

   Jonathan Sogbie was the striker whose mammoth size and bullish runs impeded opponents. After success with Invincible Eleven, the burly striker joined ranks with Ivorian club Asec Mimosa and then later with Swiss club Severtte.

   He also had stints with some other lowly ranked clubs before bidding farewell to the beautiful game. During his heydays, he was the principal architect of the Mario International Incorporated (MII), a local sports promotion firm which provided contract opportunities for many Liberian players.

  He used as his motto adapted from a Chinese proverb that says, “Give a man fish and he will ask you for more, but teach a man how to fish and he will ask you no more.” .

   Frank Jean Seator, now at Malaysian club Perak, and goalkeeper Louis Crayton, at Swiss club Basle, are just two of the many who benefited from MII. Although Joe Nagbe is still kicking the leather at an Indonesian top flight club Persema, he has however left the national team. The curl legged midfielder Kelvin Sebwe is still actively involved in the game but with a second division Greek club.

   However, the major question is, “With these enviable records, what efforts have they made to promote the local game?”

   Alex Cummings, a popular sports commentator says  it is generally agreed that in other parts of Africa, retired stars have built academies, paved the way for their countrymen to get bigger contracts with high profiled European clubs and gotten at the helm of the countries’ football to make sure things are improved.

   Notes Samuel Quiah, a follower of the local game: “Tottenham’s striker Hossam Hussein Abadelamid Ahmedmido has a football academy in his native land Egypt. Abedi Pele Ayew is an Executive member of the Ghanaian Football Association (GFA); Kalusha Bwalya is the Technical Director of Zambian football; Kanu Nwankwo, Tijani Babangida and a host of other Nigerian stars are promoting their countrymen for contractual outing with European clubs.”

   Edmond Sullie, an observer says there is no way that one can match the contribution of former stars to that of their counterparts in other countries.  And Jacob Tulay, another keen follower of the game and the players agrees, arguing that there are a lot of factors to be looked at before making conclusions.

  “For example, the fratricidal war is one major factor; also the lackadaisical attitude on the part of sporting authorities as well as the inconsistent form of younger players is another,” he said.

   Whatever the case is, the local game is at low ebb, and the national team has now turned a minnow. There is virtually no players’ union and if there is a presidents’ association, it only exists on paper.

   Followers of the local game say there is a need for the former Liberian football stars to bring back their wealth of experience from outside their various clubs in order to improve the game.

   In many parts of the world, it is mainly former stars that are running clubs, FAs, national teams, and academies besides creating opportunities for younger players to showcase their talents overseas and engage in many other worthwhile endeavors.

   Jeremiah Samboh says former stars should stop sitting on the fence and get actively involved in the development and improvement of the game at home. Many sport lovers are of the opinion that the ex-stars have not done much in making the game to be like that of  other countries’ game; it is high time they see reason and get actively involved in the process.

  Currently the nation’s traditional arch-rivals, Mighty Barrolle and Invincible Eleven (IE) are in ruins despite the avalanche of stars they have produced.

  There are running arguments that there is a need for the requisite football authorities to create the condition for these stars to get actively involved in the local game by placing them on some committees like youth football, women football, etc. 

   “They must be able to reciprocate. They must give back to the clubs and institutions that nurtured their talents,” says Frances Moore, a female football lover.