MONROVIA — Former Secretary-General of the Sports Writers Association of Liberia (SWAL), D. Webster Cassell, has strongly condemned remarks attributed to Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA) Chief of Finance Desire Satia, who reportedly described Liberia’s senior national football team, the Lone Star, as a “Useless Bunch.”
By: Christopher C. Walker, [email protected]
In a statement issued following the national team’s recent outings, Cassell described the comments as “reckless, contemptuous, and profoundly disparaging,” noting that such rhetoric is especially unacceptable coming from a senior public official.
According to Cassell, public frustration over the Lone Star’s performance does not validate language that strips away the dignity of players and technical staff flying the Liberian flag internationally.
“A national team can lose a match without losing its dignity. A player can have a poor performance without becoming worthless. A football team can suffer defeats without becoming a ‘Useless Bunch,’” Cassell asserted.
The former SWAL executive emphasized that the Lone Star embodies the collective identity of the nation, reflecting the unseen sacrifices of local footballers, coaches, and administrators working behind the scenes.
Drawing regional comparisons, Cassell questioned whether public officials in football powerhouses like Ghana, Nigeria, or Côte d’Ivoire would publicly use identical derogatory terms against their respective national squads following a setback.
Contradicting Institutional Support
Cassell specifically drew attention to LiMA’s recent US$250,000 financial contribution to the Liberia Football Association (LFA) aimed at bolstering domestic football development.
He argued that Satia’s reported comments directly conflict with the progressive investments being made by his own institution.
“For someone serving at an institution that has demonstrated such substantial support for Liberian football to simultaneously characterize the national team as a ‘Useless Bunch’ is deeply concerning and warrants serious reflection,” Cassell stated.
While conceding that the team’s ongoing form leaves room for objective, performance-based evaluation, Cassell maintained that public discourse must never cross the line into outright humiliation.
Calls for Retraction and Apology
Calling for immediate accountability, Cassell urged Satia to issue an unequivocal retraction and a formal apology to both the players and the Liberian sporting public.
“We can demand better performances without degrading our own. We can criticize without humiliating, and we can remain patriotic even when the scoreboard does not favor us,” he noted.
Cassell concluded his statement by reaffirming his unflinching loyalty to the country’s flagbearers, declaring“I STAND WITH THE LONE STAR.”
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