Solomon Grimes apologizes for misconduct in Senegal


A leading member of the Liberia senior national team has apologized to the nation for chucking to the ground the national team jersey as he left the field for a second bookable offense in the match Senegal versus Liberia in Dakar on June 2, 2012.

Grimes had received a caution (yellow card) in the first half of proceedings for a foul. Second card came midway in the second half, in which the Ivorian referee gave Solomon the marching order.

But Grimes said he felt angry and frustrated that he was not just being sent off, but that he would miss the next match in Monrovia to Angola. “I was so disappointed seen myself helping my country and suddenly I am not just leaving the game but out of the next one, I am so sorry to the fans and the entire country for my action” Solomon said.

Liberia had gone up 1-0 in the first few minutes of the match before the Senegalese could level. The sending off of Grimes drilled a wedge in Liberia’s effort to surge for additional away goals thus losing the 2014 world cup debut qualifying match 3-1. The Cyprus based international Grimes eventually missed the match at home to Angola on June 10, 2012, which folded 0-0.

His apology comes following the team’s cruising to the next and last stage of the 2013 Nations cup qualifiers haven eliminated Namibia on a 1-0 aggregate. Grimes returned in that match and performed extremely well in securing the away draw in Namibia as a right back.

Solomon Grimes is a long serving member of the senior team dating back to 2004 when he was recruited by head coach Kadala Kromah following the age of the “George Weah Eleven”. Playing for Mighty Barrolle, he had dominated local defenders in the national league.

Grimes did not just expressed regrets over his ugly actions in Dakar while speaking to LFA’s Communication Department on Monday July 2, 2012 but admitted that the major factor to the qualification over Namibia was principally on the basis of discipline and adherence to the sayings of the coaches. “We followed the orders of the coach; we were disciplined on and off the pitch. If we continue like this, it doesn’t matter who we meet we will qualify for the nations cup in South Africa”, Grimes assured.

He praised coach Kaetu Smith and co for the level of disciplinary style introduced to the team (not commenting on the dropping of three of his colleagues from the national team).

The Cyprus based defender for Nea Salamis urged his colleagues on the national team to surge hard in qualifying for the country’s third Nations cup berth, which will be their first. “With this, Liberia’s Fifa ranking would improve, meaning we as players could get better contracts out there. Because we ply Liberian passports, it is difficult to sign better deals, we need to approve our country’s ranking” he averred.