Zizi– A Reflection of the Award Winner
By Bruce Wiah – Liberiansoccer.com
One eminent
football devotee - Vince Lombardi describes that “Football is like
life, it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work sacrifice,
dedication and respect for authority”.
The game of
life is a lot like football. You have to tackle your problems, block
your fears, and score your points when you get the opportunity. And
though the tides sometimes become uneven, retaining the grips is all
that counts.
One of such
football player who has seen himself through trying times is
Liberia’s forward Zizi Roberts, and will this weekend receive the
2003 Liberiansoccer.com
" Tebelleh King " Award as
Liberian Soccer Player of the year. The presentation of the
award is slated for tomorrow Sat may 22,2004 in Colorado, USA
at the MLS game between Washington and Colorado.
Second
recipient
Zizi, who
plays for the Colorado Rapid in the MLS, was adjudged the best
Liberian footballer for 2003 in an online poll on
Liberiansoccer.com raking over 75% of the total tally.
This award,
which began a year ago, was first received by Liberia’s football
legend George Weah in 2002.
Zizi, a
distinctive prototype of Weah, becomes the second Liberian football
player to win this tiara.
The
broad-shouldered utility forward had previously played for Greek
club Piraeus Olympiakos, before moving into the MLS after a
startling season that almost wreck his career.
After
the storm
His
resurgence into international football has sparkled lot of comments,
and his new coach gives this testimonial.
"Zizi is a
strong forward that brings speed and presence to our front line."
Rapids head coach Tim Hankinson said. "His versatility adds a new
dimension to our attack."
Zizi’s
career journey
Born and
reared in Liberia, Zizi’s career began at the patent stage with club
Jr. Professional FC in 1993, a club owned by George Weah.
He followed
former FIFA World Player of the Year George Weah's tracks to Italian
giant AC Milan in 1997, two years after ramming into the Lone Star
at the age of 17.
After
playing in exhibition matches for the current Italian League
Champions, he was loaned to Serie B side Monza, where he played 27
games scoring five goals.
In 1998, he
transferred to Ravenna, where he scored one goal in 18 games playing
as a defender.
Subsequently, he had a brief stretch with Swiss club Bellinzona, and
then moved to Ionikos of the Greek first division in 1999, scoring
eight goals in 16 games. He sustained his time in Greece with
Panionios in 2000 featuring in 20 games.
The 24-year
old has also featured in more than 35 international matches for his
country Liberia with almost 14 goals to his name.
In 1996, he
went to the African Nations Cup as a guest player, but became a
regular six years after in Mali.
Playing for the
Liberian People
The 2003 Liberian Soccer Player of the Year Award Presented to ZIZI
Roberts for is Patriotism and Love for His country.
This Award is a result of ZIZI Roberts commitment the Liberian
People . An example of this commitment is the ZIZI Roberts Liberian
Fund . This Fund was established by Colorado Rapids and ZIZI Roberts
to help the plight of his people back Home.
Further commitment came when he return home to captain the Liberian
national Soccer Team against Gambia in the African pre-preliminary
qualifying round . Liberia was in a hole with a shocking 2-0
defeat in Bakau.
In the return leg in Monrovia, Zizi Roberts opened the scoring for
the home side early in the match before Isaac Tondo added two late
goals (the match-winning one five minutes from time assisted by ZIZI
Roberts) to send the home fans into jubilation mode and the Lone
Stars into the next round.
