Liberia have fired their Italian coach Roberto Landi just one week before they begin their quest to qualify for next year’s Africa Nations Cup finals. It is believed that the under fire Italian hit the last straw after his team fell 2-0 to a wholly home-based Nigerian professionals coach Stephen Keshi took to Monrovia last week.
Landi had been in charge for less than a year but was dismissed at the weekend, Liberia Football Association president Musa Bility said in a statement on Tuesday. No reason was given for the sack but a Reuterssource suggested the loss to Nigeria triggered their FA decision.
“No reason was given for the sacking but Liberia won just twice in eight matches under Landi and their defeat to an under-strength Nigeria in a friendly last week was the side’s first home loss in almost six years,” the report stated.
So much had been expected by Liberians from the Lone Star given the fact that no Europe-based player made the trip with the Nigerian side. Liberia president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was one of the spectators at the stadium.
Thomas Kojo has been appointed as caretaker manager for the first round, first leg qualifying match at home to Namibia next Wednesday.
The news from Monrovia could fire up the Eagles in their camp in Abuja as they continue preparations for the 2013 Nations Cup qualifying match against Rwanda in Kigali on February 29. Keshi is expected to pick 11 of the players to join the 11 foreign-based players already listed for the trip to Kigali. The full squad will combine by the weekend and fly out on Monday.
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