Monrovia – The Liberia Football Coaches Association (LIFOCA) has issued a stinging condemnation of remarks made by the newly appointed Deputy Technical Director of the Liberia Football Association (LFA), Coach Nathaniel S. Sherman, describing his rhetoric as “reckless, unprofessional, and disrespectful.”
By Christopher C. Walker 0777898224/0886723075 [email protected]
The controversy erupted following comments Sherman posted on social media on January 25, in which he openly questioned the competence of Liberian coaches holding CAF License A and B certifications.
In a statement released Wednesday, January 28, 2026, LIFOCA announced it would officially sever ties with Sherman, effectively barring him from all association-led activities.
The Genesis of the Row
The friction began in the comment section of a Facebook post by sports journalist Thomas Kojo Roulhac.
Roulhac had publicly questioned the LFA’s decision to appoint Sherman, who currently holds a CAF License C, to a high-ranking supervisory role over coaches with superior License A and B qualifications.
Rather than de-escalating the inquiry, Sherman reportedly asserted that no License A or B coach in the country had attained his level of competence.
He went as far as daring colleagues to disprove his technical superiority, vowing to resign if any coach could “cross” him in football-related knowledge.
LIFOCA described the outburst as a “gross degradation” of the profession that undermines the integrity of both the LFA Technical Department and the coaching fraternity at large.
Apology Rejected
Following a wave of public and professional backlash, Sherman issued a public apology on Facebook, claiming he did not intend to offend his peers. However, the coaching body was not moved.
“The Liberia Football Coaches Association categorically rejects Coach Nathaniel S. Sherman’s Facebook apology,” the statement read. “The apology falls short and cannot undo the damage caused to the image of certified Liberian coaches.”
Decisive Sanctions
Following an emergency Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday, the Association announced three major resolutions, which include that LIFOCA will not work with Sherman in his capacity as Deputy Technical Director and that the Association will not participate in any technical programs or activities involving Sherman.
Meanwhile, Sherman has been suspended indefinitely from LIFOCA membership with immediate effect.
The release, signed by Secretary General Thery D. Cole and approved by President Barent K. Karr, Sr., signals a deepening rift within the LFA’s technical leadership just as the football season intensifies.
The LFA has yet to issue a formal response regarding the suspension of its deputy director from the national coaches’ body or the growing concerns over the qualification standards within the Technical Department.
