by FSL News | 28 Oct, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Old Edwardians FC has confirmed the appointment of former Sierra Leone international Francis Zappa Koroma as their new head coach.Â
Coach Koroma will start work immediately in readiness for the expected Premier League slated to commence in December 2018.Â
He was recently the assistant to Coach Tito Cole during the Under-17 Total Africa Cup of Nations zonal qualifying tournament in Dakar, Senegal.Â
Announcing the appointment, Edward’s Chairman, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, said, “I am happy to have added him to lead the coaching staff of this great Club.”Â
Reacting to the news, “Coach Zappa said he is happy and ready to serve the club in such a capacity. This is what I like doing, I have played football, and now, it’s time to coach.Â
I am happy and honoured that Old Edwardians FC has entrusted me with this huge responsibility,” he told Newswatch Newspaper.Â
He added, “I hope to live up to their expectations and trust in me.”Â
Coach Koroma is a CAF trained A License coach. He recently served as Head Coach of the Lumley Community team. He also holds a License B and C qualifications. He is highly regarded for his contribution to football across the country.Â
Zappa Koroma played right wing for the national team Leone Stars for nearly ten years, where he excelled impressively. Locally, he played for Diamond Stars in Kono and East End Lions.
During his International career, he played for Walidan in the Gambia before moving to Europe, where he served three different clubs – Vasalund, Topkapi and Syrianska in the Swedish League before he moved back to Africa after signing a lucrative deal with club Santos in South Africa.Â
In 2010, Zappa suddenly ended his playing career after he sustained a serious injury in the Vietnamese League, where he was playing for Dongtan.
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by FSL News | 27 Oct, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
East End Lions newly appointed Coach John Keister says he is looking forward to working with an ambitious club, ahead of the anticipated Sierra Leone Premier League.
The club’s new Chairman Ambassador Anthony Navo confirmed the 47-year-old appointment, on Friday.
The former Sierra Leone international was an assistant coach under Ghanaian technician Sellas Tetteh before been named as the national team head coach in 2017.
Read…Sierra Leone to unveil new head coach John Keister
“I am Looking forward to the challenge, and working with an executive that is very ambitious towards the development of football,” he said. “Not only for Lions but Sierra Leone as a nation… hence why I have decided to work for the club,” Keister told Football Sierra Leone.
“The Leone Stars Coach sealed the club contract for an undisclosed amount in the afternoon hours of October 26 2018,” Ambassador Anthony Navo posted on his Facebook account.
Keister guided Sierra Leone to their opening 2-1 win over Kenya in Freetown June 2017 in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations first qualifier.
However, lost to Ethiopia 1-0 at the Hawassa Stadium in matchday two of the Afcon qualifying campaign.
The former FC Johansen coach was still in charge of Sierra Leone until Fifa suspended the country ahead of the Ghana doubleheader this month.
According to the new Lions executive led by Ambassador Anthony Navo, Keister’s appointment is the first step in his executive’s ‘strategic plan to return the club to its past glory.’
The executive committee has further announced that the team will resume training soonest under the leadership of the new coach.
The former Dover Athletic captain had previously served as head coach of the Leone Stars home-based team as well as the Sierra Leone under-17 and under-23 national teams.
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by FSL News | 25 Oct, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone at #115 in FIFA/Coca-Cola World latest ranking
Sierra Leone have moved further down to 115th position from 114th in the latest FIFA World Rankings released on Thursday 25 October.
The national men’s soccer side suffered a 1-0 defeat in Ethiopia on September 9 at the Hawassa Stadium in the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifier.
Their African Nations Cup qualifiers against Ghana was called off after the country’s FA failed to get a FIFA suspension lifted.
Following a suspension from the world governing body Fifa, the country’s hope of reaching Cameroon AFCON 2019 is dimming.
FIFA confirmed last week that Sierra Leone will remain suspended until the alleged corruption trial against Isha Johansen and Chris Kamara concluded.
Meanwhile, Madagascar, who earlier this month qualified for their first African Nations Cup finals, climbed into the top 100 for the first time since 2002. They were ranked 100th.
Tunisia, 22nd, ranked the highest in Africa and Iran, 30th, the top Asian side.
Sierra Leone now ranked the 29th best team on the continent.
Africa’s Top 10 on October’s Fifa rankings (global position and movement in brackets):
- Tunisia (22, +1) 2. Senegal (25, 0) 3. Nigeria (44, +4) 4. DR Congo (46, -6) 5. Morocco (47, -2) 6. Cameroon (51, -1) 7. Ghana (52, -1) 8. Burkina Faso (57, -1) 9. Egypt (58, +6) 10. Ivory Coast (64, +2)
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by FSL News | 19 Oct, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
FIFA has confirmed that Sierra Leone will remain suspended until the alleged corruption trial against Isha Johansen and Chris Kamara concludes.
Following Wednesday’s talks, FIFA and the Sierra Leone Government discussed the situation surrounding the country’s football body.
In the communiqué released, Fifa maintained that the discussions were cordial in paving the way forward after the country’s suspension. FIFA suspends Sierra Leone soccer Association
“FIFA will wait for the completion of the trial before further measures can be considered, including the lifting of the suspension by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, if deemed appropriate,” Fifa said after talks with top government officials.
The investigation into the alleged match-fixing also took centre stage following confirmation that a delegation will visit Sierra Leone in early November to look into the matter.
“FIFA, CAF and the SLFA, and to ensure all the necessary support for the deployment of the Sierra Leone Inquiry Group to conduct the match-fixing investigation from 4 to 9 November 2018.”
Read full statement…FIFA and the Sierra Leone Government discuss the situation of the Sierra Leone FA
Photo: SLFA President, Isha Johansen, FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, Sierra Leone Vice-President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Sierra Leone Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Priscilla Schwartz and FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura, at the Home of FIFA in Zurich.
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by FSL News | 18 Oct, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
World’s football governing body FIFA, and the Sierra Leone government are to redesign and release a new joint roadmap in a bid to resolve the ongoing impasse surrounding the country’s football.
Following a productive meeting in Zurich on Wednesday between Fifa and a high-powered Sierra Leone delegation led by the Vice President, a communiqué on the way forward is expected to be out today.
A source who attended the meeting in Zurich has confirmed to FootballSierraLeone.net that the expected communiqué will be the only legal document in resolving the football impasse in the country.
It’s still unclear whether the SLFA boss Isha Johnsen and Sec-gen Chris Kamara will be reinstated as stipulated by Fifa.
“The suspension will be lifted once the SLFA and its recognised leadership have confirmed to Fifa that the SLFA administration, premises, accounts and communication channels are under their control once again,” Fifa reiterated.
Fifa suspended Sierra Leone from international football two weeks ago because of alleged government interference in the running of the country’s football association.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) cancelled Sierra Leone 2019 Africa Cup of Nations doubleheader against Ghana due to the FIFA ban on the West African nation.
However, CAF did not state whether Ghana would be awarded a win for the suspended Kumasi qualifier that was slated for October 11 or if Sierra Leone will be allowed to continue in the qualifiers when they are reinstated by FIFA.
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by FSL News | 9 Oct, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
FIFA have rebuffed the Sierra Leone Football Association’s request to lift the suspension of it soccer Association.
Following a meeting on Monday, Sierra Leone FA petitioned Fifa to lift the suspension that will allow it national team honour their Afcon qualifier against the Black Stars this week.
It could be recalled that the Anti-Corruption Commission of Sierra Leone barred SLFA boss Isha Johansen and general secretary Christopher Kamara from office following investigated on corruption-related charges.
“The suspension will be lifted once the SLFA and its recognised leadership have confirmed to Fifa that the SLFA administration, premises, accounts and communication channels are under their control once again,” Fifa reiterated.
Fifa suspended Sierra Leone from international football last week because of alleged government interference in the running of the country’s football association.
If the ban is not lifted before 11 October, Sierra Leone’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Ghana will be cancelled. The return fixture is scheduled for 15 October.
Read related news…Fifa suspends Sierra Leone soccer Association
See Fifa’s letterÂ
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