MONROVIA, Montserrado – The national football team has departed the country for a crucial Gabon 2018 African Nations Cup qualification task against Tunisia scheduled for September 3.
A win in Tunisia will see Liberia returning to the African Nations Cup after a 14-year absence.
The Lone Star departed on Saturday, August 27 and has arrived in Morocco, where players are expected to attend a five-day training camp and play a friendly match against a local Moroccan club.
For the two matches, Head Coach James Debbah has released a list of players that includes seven local players, two unattached players, and 16 foreign-based players.
The listing has seen the recall of Lithuanian-based midfielder, Murphy Oscar Dorley; Serbian-based defender, Omega Roberts; Senegalese-based forward, Van Dave Harmon; and the unsigned Dominic Tarpeh. Meanwhile, striker William Jebor, midfielder Theo Weeks, South African-based forward Anthony Laffor are among the notable players invited.
Preparation for the games has not been without controversy.
Francis Forkey Doe, the leading goal scorer in the Malaysian Super League with 15 goals, was not included in the first list of players that was released. However, after pressure from the media and fans, the Liberia Football Association in a press conference held on Monday, August 29, 2016, announced that the 31-year-old striker had been sent a last minute invitation for the match.
However, Doe turned the down the invitation. In a conversation with UNMIL Radio’s Martina Brooks, he said because he was initially left out, he would not answer any last minute call as his club has not been made aware.
In another controversy, prior to the team’s departure, several weeks of training sessions were held without the assistant coach, Kelvin Sebwe, who later stated he was not informed about those sessions.
The former AS Monaco and AEK Athens midfielder refused to show up for remaining sessions and refused to travel with the team to Morocco.
See the full list of invited players below.
GOALKEEPERS
Tommy Songo-LISCR FC, Liberia
James Gallay- Watanga FC, Liberia
DEFENDERS
Hilton Varney- BYC, Liberia
Trokon Zeon-LPRC Oilers, Liberia
Solomon Grimes-Unattached
Dominic Tarpeh Doe-Unattached
Dikir Glay- Persiba Balikpapan, Indonesia
Omega Roberts- FK Donji Srem, Serbia
Joel Johnson- Charlotte Independence, USA
Gizzie Dorbor- Hapoel Afula, Israel
MIDFIELDERS
Theo Weeks Lewis- Gabala FK, Azerbaijan
Murphy Oscar Dorley-FK Trakai, Lithuania
Van Dave Harmon- Dembairs SC, Senegal
Saah Nyumah- LISCR, Liberia
Dioh Williams- Gefle IF, Sweden
Anthony Laffor- Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa
FORWARDS
William Jebor- Wydad Athletic Club, Morocco
Francis Forkey Doe- Felda United, Malaysia
Mark Paye- BYC, Liberia
Seku Conneh- Bethlehem Steel, USA
Dauda Bortu- SK Baerum, Norway
Emile Damey- Nunawading City, Australia
Sam Johnson- Wuhan Zall, China
Edward Junior Wilson- Persipura Jayapura, Indonesia
Featured photo by T. Kla Wesley Jr.
