Four Sierra Leonean youngsters to head for Manchester United Football School

The main driving force of the Airtel Rising Stars tournament had always been the burning desire of over 2,000 youth players across Sierra Leone to have an opportunity to train at Manchester United football clinics in Tanzania, last night was just that moment of calculation when out of over 2,000 participants only four were going to be named as the best of the best in the Airtel rising star Sierra Leone tournament.

Many are called but few chosen – that was exactly how it ended. Five players each from both boys and girls categories were selected for the two places each. And even as the opening speeches were made, you can sense the deep sense of anxiety that swirl through the nominated youngsters who anxiously waited for what could be their moment of reckoning in their lifetime. 

In the end, Patrick Gbinda (Makidi Stars), Hamza L. Kamara (13th Legion) were named as the best boys players of the tournament and Mariatu Conteh (Suba United), Rashidatu Kamara (Red Eaglets) scooped the girls category.

Patrick Gbinda said he is lost of words and still finds it hard to believe that he will be heading to Tanzania. “There are very few opportunity from where I come from in Pujehun, my people will be so happy to hear this. I will surely be grateful for this thing that has happened to me – I feel special and I promise that I won’t disappoint,” he stated.

Mariatu Conteh from Makeni thanked her fellow team mates, “Without my fellow team mates, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this great success. I always wanted to go to Tanzania and have a chance to prove myself there.”  (Photo:  Mariatu Conteh for Subu Utd will be heading to Tanzania)

Teddy Bullah, Airtel Sierra Leone Managing Director said the Airtel Awards Night was a chance for rising football stars to prove themselves and have an opportunity to make it in football.

Aiah Dickson Brima, representing the Sierra Leone Football Association hailed Airtel for bringing what he referred to as the best football idea ever in Sierra Leone.  “Airtel brought youth football nationwide and we should commend them for that.  Airtel have done what the premier league board should have done, but failed to do.  They have importantly given a podium to kids in the four corners of Sierra Leone who would have been very hard to spot,” he said.

Muctaru Wurie, Freetown

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