Returning from The Gunners with broad smile
2 Grassroots Coaches Set for Arsenal Academy
Returning from North London, where she had a very successful tour in Arsenal Football Club community, the President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Mrs Isha Johansen came home with several goodies including an invitation for two grassroots coaches to travel to the North London Club for a Level One Coaching Course.
The marriage between the SLFA and Arsenal Football Club started sometimes last year in Switzerland when an organization called ‘Football is more’ invited the FA President as Guest Speaker to talk on football development in Sierra Leone. In her presentation in front of club directors from Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City among others, Mrs Johansen made an appeal to bigger clubs and associations to come to the aid of her country’s football. Arsenal was the first to adhere to this call and in January 2014, sent two Grassroots coaches (Matthew and Abdul) for almost three months in Sierra Leone to work with deprived children in several communities in the country.
They were opportune to meet the President of Sierra Leone, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, who is also a keen follower of Arsenal; and donated to him a signed Arsenal jersey on behalf of the club. The club hierarchy was pleased that the President of Sierra Leone recognised the presence of the Arsenal emissary and also happy to have a very youthful fan club base in the country.
Apart from the academic work, the two lucky coaches will be replicating the activities of the Arsenal community coaches in London as well as visiting schools and junior academies among others.
Isha Johansen
During a press conference in Arsenal few days back, Mrs Johansen was asked to comment on how the Arsenal coaches fared in Sierra Leone and what this trend meant for football in the country.
“The coaches were able to acclimatise quickly because the climate at that time favoured them. They did well and left behind a legacy in grassroots football, which we are building on for the future of our national teams. The coming of the Arsenal coaches to Sierra Leone is the beginning of a healthy relationship that could build a legacy in the country,” the SLFA President said.
Arsenal Football Club has the highest and most structured fan club base in Sierra Leone and the FA President, though a Chelsea fan was happy to relate with The Gunners due to the fact that they are youth and kids oriented.
“The Arsenal community relates well with Sierra Leone football because both of us deal with youths and kids. We have a lot of similarities and that’s why Arsenal FC have a very strong presence in Sierra Leone and I would like to see visible pointers of Arsenal Football club in my country,” she told pressmen in London.
On arrival in Freetown, the FA President described Arsenal as a family club dealing with young disadvantaged kids and youths. She noted that her objective is to see that “Arsenal plant a seed in Sierra Leone”.
Sierra Leone is the first country in West Africa that Arsenal have dealt with directly especially in the grassroots sector. According to the Arsenal Community, a larger contingent of four senior coaches that would be staying longer and might be working with premier clubs in Sierra Leone.
By Abubakarr Kamara, SLFA
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