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Monrovia – Former goalkeeper of the senior national football male team, the Lone Star, Morris Dino Brown, has slammed President George Manneh Oppong Weah, among others, stating that the Liberian leader lacks leadership ability.
Brown says he’s worried about Liberia, lamenting that under the administration of the former World Best Player and ex-captain of Lone Star, Liberia is falling apart.
“I’m critical about national issues and developments in Liberia because I’m worried about my country falling apart under this government. George Weah has no clue or leadership ability,” Brown wrote on Facebook Wednesday.
Under Weah, Brown avers that Liberia has lost its glory, suggesting that Weah lacks the ability of what he referred to as a sound leader.
He expressed the hope that one day, other than the retired footballer turned politician, the country would be blessed with a better leader, who will be progressive and charismatic, aimed at bringing Liberia and Liberians together in peace, unity and economic development.
Known for being an easygoing and reposeful individual, Brown, the former agile goal tender, who has become critical of Weah and his administration of late, noted that living and going to school in the U.S. has not changed him into being any different from the person he used to be, but inferred that he would not be coward into submission just to gain favor or beg for jobs.
“As a true Democrat, I do not censor people comments or posts on Facebook; as weird, crazy or insulting they may sound. I do not like for people, friends, or even family members to attempt to censor my comments or posts either. We are all grown ups and I’m definitely aware that my comments and posts are not popular with many people I know; especially past or present footballers and some friends on fb. I haven’t changed; and please don’t think going to school and living in America have changed me. I’m the same quiet person or former goalkeeper you know who won’t suck up to you to remain your friend or to ask you for favors or jobs.”
“I do not have any past beef or personal issues with any one serving in this government; including Weah, the President. I worked hard to achieve the level I stopped in football and in life,” added Brown, the former acrobatic goalie who featured for many clubs both at home abroad, including Fulani, IE, Mighty Barrolle, LPRC Oilers of Liberia, and East End Lions, and Union Douala of Sierra Leone and Cameroon respectively.
He said he was handpicked and sought after by the coaches of soccer teams he played for during his heydays as a goalkeeper, stating, “My many inclusions on the Liberian National Football Team, the Lone Star were merited. I was hand picked many times and invited to the National Team by coaches; including some invites from Weah himself. I didn’t lobby or use others’ connections and influences to be part of the National Team. My talents took me there. The same talents landed me a scholarship that I had to abandon playing professional football in my prime in other to attend college in the USA in 2001.”
Brown, who is apparently coming under fire from supporters of Weah, some of whom are ex-footballers and friends, regarding his (Brown) recent vocal stance against the President’s leadership style and his administration’s pitfalls, vowed not to discontinue his criticisms of the Weah-led government.
“So I will continue doing what I do on Facebook. Your concerns about my posts or friendship on Facebook or in life are the least on my mind.”
On last Sunday, in apparent reference to President Weah, who won World Best Player, Europe Best Player and Africa Best Player titles in 1995, Brown, suggesting that Weah is a misfit for the presidential job, wrote on his (Brown) official Facebook page: “There are good reasons for liking someone as a footballer but not supporting the same as a politician. Because politics is much more serious than playing football. With politics, the stakes are high and the fate of a whole population or nation hangs in the balance if the footballer-turned-politician is wrong for the job.”
Two days earlier, Brown had also posted on Facebook, a photo capturing some players of Lone Star following a practice session in 1998, which the former goalie of the national team captioned: “A very boring Lone Star after practice session at SKD with Weah having nothing to say but to complain as usual; Liberia/Sierra Leone after match joint picture at SKD 1998.”
