Keeping her eye on the ball – Project Next Generation

Whether she wants to admit it or not, Isha Johansen (in photo) can pride herself as being one of the very few women to have contributed, and continues to score successes, in football in Sierra Leone. On an international level however, it goes without saying that her contribution as a woman is second to none, and arguably very few men can muster the courage to boast of matching Madam Johansen’s determination and success in terms of youth football development and international acclaim and exposure for a Sierra Leonean youth football team.

The tireless and relentless pursuit of this woman has earned her the nickname ‘ Iron Lady’ of football, and she is equally renowned for her zero tolerance towards indiscipline, lack of patriotism, and lack of integrity; these issues seem to be a never ending war between her and some football stakeholders.

This firm and determined attitude of Isha Johansen has in many ways contributed to her falling victim of the character assassination trap set for her by her adversaries who in many cases labeled her as being arrogant, dictatorial, and even ignorant of everything to do with football. She will however tell you that she is totally oblivious and unaffected by what her detractors think or say about her for as far as Isha Johansen is concerned, “FC Johansen is on a mission” and that mission is “to see that our youth, the next generation, get the best possible chance in life that we can give them even if it is only through sports.”

The youth, like women, she says, are very often vulnerable and ultimately the victims.  ‘’It is incredible to see how many so called international scouts and bogus football enthusiasts have in the past and currently are taking advantage of our young players.  On the one hand the plight of our children is understandable, but the greed and treachery of some of these international football sharks in collaboration with unpatriotic and greedy Sierra Leoneans is unacceptable and this is going to have to stop.”

History shows that she is the only woman that has taken the bull by its horn to contest the presidency of the Sierra Leone Football Association, which is the highest body that manages football in the country.  Even though elections are yet to be held, there is a growing confidence amongst football stakeholders that her successes scored over the years in managing one of the most outstanding youthful football teams in the world; could be replicated in the Football Association.

Quite recently, Isha saw the need to take up an addition positive venture, which has attracted hundreds of children to the SLFA Football Academy.

The youngsters, some as young as seven or eight, are being recruited and scouted by FC Johansen to form a very junior team.

This, Madam Johansen considers to be her ‘real baby project’, PROJECT NEXT GENERATION.  This is a youth development project whereby the club will assertively go all out to combine education, social skills and football as a means of improving and breeding a healthy crop of young footballers in this country.  This project is currently attracting an overwhelming number of young children some of whom are travelling to the academy far as Kissy, and Waterloo.  Some of these kids, according to Madam Johansen are far too young for F.C. Johansen to absorb at this present time.  “I do not have the heart to turn them away so I think I will stop going to watch the kids train.  Whilst some say that traditionally, this is a sign of very good luck and better things to come, Madam Johansen is more concerned as to the magnitude of young kids flocking the academy and how it can be controlled.   She added that this was exactly the reason for them not advertising their search but somehow word spread like wild fire.

Isha informed this press that one of the club’s projects and activities last year was to launch the FC Johansen youth development programme, which is titled, “THE NEXT GENERATION”.  But this did not succeed due to her campaign for the SLFA Presidency. This led to the cancellation of two major international tournaments and a friendly match with Real Madrid’s U19/20 all of which had to be cancelled.

This year, she is hopeful that she will not allow the SLFA elections and its campaign to be her priority for a second year running.  “The developmental programme will kick start and the club and its plans for this year will be fully operational regardless,” says Madam Johansen.

The project ‘Next Generation’ will soon round up recruitment in Freetown.  She informed this press that her coach will do a bit of scouting in some provincial areas but it will not be as exhaustive as what they have done in Freetown.  “I believe that with time we will be drawn to the odd talent somewhere around the country,” she said, and noted that there are organizations both locally and internationally interested and waiting to get involved and sooner they will be embarking on the next level.

She is of a strong conviction that by tapping into these young talents at a very early age, will give a good chance of breeding and nurturing a generation to be proud of Sierra Leoneans that can no longer afford to continue to hide behind the shadows and pretext of the war.

Spending much time and resources in developing FC Johansen as a means of raising the profile of Sierra Leone internationally, she can proudly boast that there is hardly an international football club of repute, especially the youth coaches who have not heard of her football club.

Madam Johansen spent her personal resources to take her team to participate in international youth tournaments and excelling in these tournaments created a positive awareness for the country.

This has led her to have personally forged some strong relationships with clubs and high profile football personalities around the world.  One which she says can only strengthen her role as one day being hailed as being one of the most powerful African Woman in Football in the World. But for the time being she says, “Sierra Leone Football remains to be serious work in progress”

by Abu Bakarr Kargbo

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