Liberia is expected to face Togo in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Lome on September 6, 2024.
But with bearly five days to the away fixture, the Liberia Football Association is yet to release the names of oversea based players called up by Coach Mario Marinica.
LFA president Mustapha Raji said, he doesn’t know the Liberian national team is departing the country for Lome to honor the first leg with the Hawks, as the 25 home based players called up last month continue intensive at the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville,
According to Raji, the government of Liberia has not made available funding for the doubleheader with Togo and Algeria this month.
LFA boss also revealed that the Lone Star may be compelled to make the trip on the eve of the match with Togo, and get on the plane back to Monrovia after the game to take on Algeria four days later on September 10th.
In June of this year, the LFA submitted a budget of US$150,000 to the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the national team to train in Saudi Arabia.
However, the Romanian-British technician advice the LFA to cancel the month-long training camp – on ground that most players local players available for selection were busy preparing with their respective clubs for the CAF’s club competitions.
Despite the cancelation of the Saudi Arabia trip intended to prepare the Lone Star for the qualifiers with Togo and Algeria, the government of Liberia still went ahead with the payment of US$150,000, as requested by the LFA.
Raji said, the LFA received portion of the money intended for Lone Star training in the Middle-East, but the undisclosed amount was used to pay salary arrear owed coach Mario Marinica.
Youth and Sports Minister Cllr. Cole Bangalu also confirmed that the Ministry of Finance and Development Planing paid US$150,000 to the LFA through the sports ministry for Lone Star to train in Saudi Arabia.
The Sports Minister however narrated that the money was paid instead to an airline company, and the Liberia Football Association.
“The total amount was disbursed both to the FA and Airline,” Minister Bangalu responded through a WhatsApp message.
