By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)
As things unfold, the head coach of Leone Stars, Amidu Karim, has expressed his displeasure at Sudan and Botswana’s withdrawal from honouring the scheduled friendlies last month, stressing how these matches would have assisted in the selection process for Sierra Leone’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Djibouti in June this year.
The withdrawal of these friendlies has forced Coach Karim to shift his focus towards closely monitoring the performances of foreign-based players on a week-to-week basis.
“The focus is to see how Sierra Leone can have more points in our next two encounters in the World Cup Qualifiers,” he stated.
Speaking about the setback, Coach Karim is also directing his attention towards the yet-to-be-released CAF Group stage fixtures, anticipating the countries Sierra Leone will be grouped with.
“We are keeping our eyes on which country we will share a group with. And again I am following the local league with my backroom staff to see which home-based players along with the professionals will make my squad,” he highlighted.
Despite the challenges, Karim remains optimistic about the future of Leone Stars. He cited scouting professional players who align with his tactical approach, aiming to uplift Sierra Leone’s presence in major continental and global tournaments.
2024 has presented Coach Karim with various engagements. Alongside his football responsibilities,
Meanwhile, Leone Stars’ preparations for their upcoming fixtures is still unclear, but Coach Amidu Karim remains steadfast in his commitment to steering the team towards success, despite setbacks encountered along the way.
Some football pundits are in doubt regarding Coach Karim’s experience and his backroom staff.