MONROVIA – Monrovia Club Breweries’ head coach Francis Sarploh has blamed poor officiating for his side’s current position in the Liberia Football Association First Division League.
Report By Christopher C. Walker 00231777898224 / 00231886723075 [email protected]
The “Beer Boys” were hammered 3-1 by LISCR FC on Friday. But Sarploh said his players were intimidated by the constant calls of central referee George Rogers.
The “Shipping Boys” took the lead in the 20th minute with an Amadiah Kawah header but Prince Kennedy equalized for Breweries a minute to half time.
Edward Ledlum made it 2-1 to LISCR with 10 minutes to the end before Christopher Jackson sealed the win with a last minute effort.
Sarpoh told reporters after the game that he was unhappy with way the match was officiated by Rogers, who is a FIFA-badged referee by not cautioning LISCR players for reckless tickles on his players.
“The referees compromised the game by keeping the cards. In the first five minutes, LISCR players should have had at least three to four yellow cards; he compromised it.”
“Even a red card was compromised at the end of the game. Another red card was not given, though we were down but you don’t do this,” Sarploh said.
“He gave the LISCR players the chance to play all out and our players were afraid to come out because every move was a foul and the LISCR players played the same foul he will just look down on them. I don’t think like this players want to play out and we were greatly affected by that,” the former best coach in Liberia said in a strong tone.
When asked if we will send an official complain to the Referee Committee at the LFA, he did not say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’
According to him, all of their games played in the league this season poor refereeing decisions always go against his team something he wants the president of the Liberia Football Association Mustapha Raji to look at because it is not good for the development of Football, something Raji has said he is committed to.
“I will not agree with people that there is a plot against us because we try to tell people the rules. Maybe I don’t have evidence but my evidence is that our games have been interfered by referees. We have recording to that all of our games are recorded,” he told reporters in an angry mood.
Breweries, which is a formidable team for the past six seasons is currently at sixth place with 8 points from seven matches.
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