Liberians slam FA for defeat to Eagles

Musa Bility

Kaetu Smith

Liberian soccer fans have blamed the country’s football association, LFA for the scandalous 6-1 defeat to the Super Eagles of Nigeria on Saturday.

In reactions that poured in after the match, Liberian stakeholders accused the LFA of poor planning which they argued, left the team incapable of delivering on its promises to the citizens of the West African country.

According to a top-rated analyst in the country, Wleh Bedell, the LFA did not plan properly for the all-important tie. Bedell also tackled Coach Kaetu Smith, noting that he was disrespectful to the Nigerian team by adopting a formation (4-4-2) that his team was not traditionally known for. He noted that Smith tactical sloppiness was responsible for the team being torn apart by what he called a ‘star-saturated’ Nigerian side.

“It was quite disheartening to note that despite huge support from the likes of the team sponsor, GSM company, Cellcom, the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company, National Oil Company, National Port Authority, Central Bank of Liberia and other institutions that raised more than US$250,00.00 for the Lone Star through the mobilization committee, things were not put in place adequately as the entire team waited for days in Ghana for the contingent from Liberia to move to Nigeria, something that took two days due to the authorities inability to get a plane in time for the trip.

“However, from a tactical standpoint, Coach Keatu Smith showed no respect to the Nigerians as he opted for a 4-4-2 formation where he threw men forward as if he had the better of the two sides,” Bedell said.

He concluded that “October 13, will go down as another hate to remember date from a Liberian football perspective, football-wise as a disjointed Lone Star under tactically maladroit Coach Joseph Kaetu Smith were hammered, walloped and humiliated by a disgraceful 6-1margin at the UJ Eseune stadium in Calabar, Nigeria.”

Agreeing with Bedell, Liberiansoccer.com, posted criticism of the LFA by Football Mirror, a Liberian publication on its website. The publication also attacked the LFA and its president, Musa Bility over what it called poor planning, especially over the issue of landing permits for the chartered flight and the camping of the team.

But Coach Kaetu Smith disagrees. He believes that the Eagles were just tougher than he and his boys had expected.

"We struggled much in the game, lost the battle in the middle, our attacks could not combine well and those early goals caused us damage,” said Smith.
"Many things went wrong for us, but I don't think the travel plans were the reasons why we played badly. Our preparation was good but we play against a better and stronger side than us. They (Nigeria) prepared well for the game and got quality in their squad,” he added.