MONROVIA, Montserrado – Liberia’s darling club, the Invincible Eleven, has begun preparations for a new league season that will be spent in the second tier of Liberian football, the Liberia Football Association Second Division League.

Unlike many clubs that are prioritizing signing of new players, the Sunshine Yellow Boys began their restructuring process from the technical bench. I.E. has acquired the services of experienced Liberian tactician, Thomas Kojo, as a technical director.

The club broke the news via their official Facebook page where they described him as a valuable addition to the team.

“As we continue to restructure I.E., we are glad to announce the hiring of Thomas Kojo, a former player and coach of Liberia’s Lone Star as our technical director,” the post read. “Kojo comes with a very rich history as a player and a coach. He is a former mentor of our current interim president, Sekou Keita. Kojo is undoubtedly a valuable addition to the team and I.E. family.”

Kojo departed three-times league champions Barrack Young Controller Football Club as director of football in September. With the Go Blue Boys, he played a key role in helping the club win the first division league, and the junior side to win the second division league and the FA Cup.

Before his appointment as director of football at BYC, Kojo had worked in South Africa, where he served as interim coach for then-South Africa ABSA Premiership club, Football Club Azziz Kara in 2008.

He returned to Liberia in 2011 and was appointed as head coach of the under-23 Liberia national team. As coach of the U-23 team, he guided Liberia to a third-place finish at the 2011 West African Football Union Nations Cup hosted in Nigeria. Upon the team’s return from Nigeria, he was appointed as interim coach of the senior Lone Star team, where he won 1-0 in his first game against Namibia.

With his experience as a former player and a high-profile coach, it’s no doubt that he can help I.E. return to the first division. I.E. was relegated from the first division after finishing bottom of the 2016-17 First Division league table with 14 points from 22 games.

Featured photo courtesy of BYC