Mohamed M. Sesay
There has been a lull in football in Sierra Leone for various reasons that this article cannot to delve into. What is central to the article is how the country picked up to bounce back in the African football arena thus stirring an electrifying mood of nationalistic impulse that reverberated across the country. In a politically divided country on ethnic lines; the country’s exploit of Leone stars, united the citizenry in frenzied mood of celebration for days.
In their determinism in ensuring that they did not only perform better in the tournament, but to win the 2021 AFCON Tournament; Sierra Leone Senior Male National Team Leone Stars, immediately resumed official training after their incredible qualifier to the 2021 Nations Cup against Benin in Guinea Conakry. The resumption of effective trainings before they departed for Cameroon gives the assurance that our darling Leone Stars will not settle for less in the tournament.
Reaffirming their preparedness for the tournament, the National Team engaged in exhaustive trainings on every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the morning hours, from 7am to 10am, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays 4pm to 6pm in the afternoon hours, at the Siaka Steven Stadium main bowl and also at the Football Academy in Kingtom respectively.
At the start of July 2021, the Head Coach of the team, John Keister invited thirty- four players from various Premier league Clubs in the Country to train with the National Team. The National Team has also played friendly matches with some Africa Teams. This was part of the preparedness for the Cameroon showdown.
A commendable scouting of both home based and foreign based players was done by the Head Coach. It was geared towards having a very formidable team at the 2021 AFCON.
As part of government strong commitment in ensuring that material and logistical boost is at the disposal of the team, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio launched the Leone Stars African Cup of Nations Supporters Tour to Cameroon project and urged private sector investment into the national team ahead of AFCON 2021. This praiseworthy Supporters Tour Project to AFCON 2021 was staged at the Freetown International Conference Centre, Aberdeen, on Tuesday 14th September 2021.
Coupled with Leone Stars preparedness to the Africa Cup of Nations, a windfall of colossal financial support has been visible exclusively coming from the Bio led Government. The government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance, announced disbursement of twelve billion Leones (Le 12,000,000,000) to cover monthly training allowances, six international friendly matches, oversea camping and for the AFCON 2022 competition.
Weeks later, the Bio Government also made another astronomical disbursement of over forty-eight billion Leones in addendum to the initial twelve billion Leones disbursed all in support of Leone Stars preparedness for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. This fund is equally meant to take care of monthly training allowances, international friendly matches, overseas camping and for the AFCON competition itself.
Wide ranging supports towards Leone Stars historic journey to the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations have been spectacular across every facets of the private sector. Joining the bandwagon donations to the national team, one of Serra Leone’s leading mobile telecommunications companies in the country which is Africell, was announced by the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) as the official Sponsor for Leone Stars in the AFCON Competition and Premier League in a signing sponsorship agreement ceremony between the company and the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA). This glad tidings was made at the Africell Headquarters at Wilberforce Village in Freetown on the 1st October 2021.
This partnership agreement gives the patent right to Africell as the official sponsor for the Leone Stars AFCON finals with a total sponsorship package of 700 Million Leones, coupled with yearly sponsorship package of 1.2 Billion Leones for the Sierra Leone Premier League for a period of four years.
The arch rival in the world of Mobile Network Operation in Sierra Leone Orange Mobile Network also announced huge Africa Cup of Nations package for fans to support Leone Stars in the ongoing AFCON Tournament in Cameroon. A total of three packages were announced which are: a Cheer Song Competition, Supporters Group Competition and Orange Juniors Challenge.
The Cheer Song Competition encouraged fans to compose songs to support the national team. It was organized such that one person or a group can write their song and perform it. The cheer song must be exciting and uplifting. The Supporters Group Challenge encouraged fans to get different ways to support Leone Stars. How crazy or how excited can they be as fans? How can they drown out the noise of opposition fans and draw everyone’s attention? And most importantly how can they uplift the national team? The third package is for kids wherein, the Orange Juniors Challenge is a 7 A-Side U-12 football tournament that will feature twelve of the best teams from communities in the Western Area.
A face value assessment of the Leone Stars Squad in the 2022 AFCON tournament, reassures supporters and Sierra Leone in general, that the team in spite of the fact is placed in a presumed group of death will spring surprises. This is based on the fabulous material and moral support the team has been exposed to, and the intense expectation of the fans back home.
Selecting the team was a hard decision. But in the end the list was released. Goal Keepers in the tournament are Mohamed N Kamara (Fabianski), Ibrahim Sesay and Isaac Caulker. Defenders are Yeami Dunia, Saidu Mansaray ( Malian), Umaru Bangura, David J D Sesay, Osman Kakay, Kelvin Wright, Steven Caulker and Daniel J.T Sesay. Midfielders are Prince Barrie, Saidu Bah Kamara, Saidu Fofanah, John Bankole Kamara, Issa Kallon, Kwame Quee, Alhassan Koroma, Mohamed Kamara, Idris S. Kanu, and Abu Dumbuya. For those who have been tasked to score goals for Darlin Leone Stars are Kei Kamara, Mohamed Buya Turay, Alhaji Kamara, Mustapha Bundu, Sullay Kaikai, Musa N Kamara ( Musa Tombo) and Augustine Williams. Of course John Keister is heading the team as the Head Coach.
The country is expectant, especially about the first game with Africa’s best team Algeria which outcome will serve as spur or otherwise for Leone Stars AFCON 2021 appearance.
True to that expectation, at the group stages, Leone Stars put up a fascinating performance, holding Algeria to a goalless draw that has astounded the rest of the world. It even; inspired the team the more. The subsequent game with one of Africa’s finest, the Elephant of Ivory Coast that ended 2-2 is a further testament in the increasing local and international confidence in the team to habor hope of even winning the cop.