Monrovia – Shaita Angels FC has blinked in its standoff with football authorities, confirming the release of its star players to the Liberia Women’s U-20 National Team ahead of the upcoming WAFU-A U-20 Cup.
By: Christopher C. Walker, [email protected]
The decision marks a significant breakthrough following a week of heightened tensions between the club and the Liberia Football Association (LFA).
In a formal statement released Friday, the club indicated that the reversal followed “engagements with relevant stakeholders” regarding player availability.
“Throughout this process, Shaita Angels maintained a clear and consistent position that the welfare and health of its players remain non-negotiable priorities,” the club stated, defending its initial hardline stance.
The controversy erupted just days ago when the club abruptly withdrew three players. Esther Massalay, Blessing Kerkulah, and Christine D. Kouadio from the national camp.
At the time, the club cited grave concerns over player safety and medical management, a move that ignited a firestorm of debate within the Liberian football community.
While the club has now softened its position, it maintained a cautionary tone, insisting that it has a mandate to ensure players are physically and medically “match-ready” before international assignments.
“The club strongly upholds its responsibility to protect its players from undue risk,” the statement added, signaling that future cooperation would still be contingent on management standards.
The initial withdrawal had sent shockwaves through the national team camp in Monrovia.
The trio is considered central to Liberia’s tactical framework for the regional tournament in Guinea-Bissau; their absence was previously described by insiders as a “catastrophic setback” for the squad’s preparations.
With the players now set to rejoin their teammates, the atmosphere surrounding the U-20 camp is expected to stabilize as the delegation prepares for departure.
However, football analysts suggest the Shaita Angels saga has exposed a deepening rift between local clubs and the LFA.
The club’s concluding remarks served as a pointed reminder to football house: “Player welfare must always be placed at the center of cooperation.”
The resolution of this standoff provides a temporary reprieve for the national team, but it highlights the ongoing friction between club priorities and the demands of national duty in the Liberian game.
