FINALLY ONBOARD

LFA gives Kelvin Sebwe, an ex-international midfielder, a duo coaching capacity. 

Danesius Marteh, danesius.matten@frontpageafricaonline.com

Kelvin Sebwe has been handed a dual coaching role by the Liberia Football Association (LFA).

According to LFA president Musa Bility, Kelvin will serve as deputy head coach of the national team and head coach of the under-23 squad.

He may have prepared himself for the dugout after his international retirement at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports (SKD) Complex in Paynesville in June 2009.

And his plan took an inch forward when President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf appointed Kelvin as the Ministry of Youth & Sports’ technical director for football development on January 5, 2010.

When a technical committee selected Hungarian Bertalan Bicskei as head coach, Kelvin was poised to become deputy but talks broke down over his wages.

The LFA had a US$1,500 monthly salary but Kelvin wanted 35-percent of Bicskei’s salary---US$5,250.

Kelvin, a member of the famous George Weah-eleven, will have his first competitive match in the dugout with head coach Roberto Landi when Liberia take on Cape Verde in continuation of the 2012 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers on June 5 in Monrovia.
Thomas Kojo, who was previously the head coach of the u-23 squad and is with the national team at the Wafu Nations Cup in Abeokuta in Nigeria, will become deputy to Kelvin.  

At his monthly press briefing on May 6 at the LFA new headquarters on Benson & Newport Streets, Bility also named Joe Nagbe as assistant coach of the national team.

Joe was appointed as trainer of the team in June 2010 and resigned in March to guide his son Darlington Nagbe, who signed for the Portland Timbers in February. 
Bility also named former internationals Danesius Sebwe, Jonathan Sogbie and Josiah N. Johnson as his technical advisors.

Kelvin and Joe replaced Gabriel Johns and Raymond Morton, who were sacked in April.
Johns and Morton served as deputy and goalkeeper coaches respectively to Bicskei and Landi.

Their last national team assignment was the 0-0 draw with the Ivory Coast in the return leg of the London 2012 Olympic Games qualifier on April 20 in Monrovia.
Janjay Jacobs, who is also in Nigeria with the team, will now serve as the new trainer.