It is apparently clear that Cassell Anthony Kuoh is back in football for good.
Kuoh’s FC Fassell are on a pre-season training camp at the Jewel SportsCity & Aqua Resort in Cairo, Egypt.
Danesius Marteh, [email protected], Contributing Writer
The Soccer Missionaries are preparing for the 2024/2025 Orange national league in Liberia.
Pre-season is a common practice in football, especially among European teams, given that Europe is the nucleus of world’s football.
In Liberia, some clubs hardly engage in pre-season while very few play in tournaments.
So the Egyptian tour has put Fassell under the spotlight and in the news for all the right reasons.
Fassell had several training sessions at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) sports complex in Paynesville before the first batch of players, technical staff and a journalist left Monrovia for Cairo on 16 August.
A second delegation, made-up of officials, journalists and two fans, left on 18 August.
A third batch will arrive in Cairo on 22 August and chief executive officer Cassell Kuoh will lead an array of officials next week, totaling 62 persons.
Kuoh and his wife, Charslyn, attended an interaction with the fans at Twisters on 24th Street Sinkor on 16 August.
“There were lots of comments when Watanga beat us in a friendly match at the SKD [on 1 August]. Some said we were bringing old-timers to the league. Others said friendlies can be deceptive sometimes,” said Kuoh.
“But I want to inform you that we are going for pre-season in Egypt where the players and technical staff will train, eat, gym, relax and think about football all day.
“This is the beginning of many new heights we envisage. FC Fassell is noted for raising the bar. Clubs were buying players for peanuts until we paid US$6,000 for Nuzohn Kulala.
“Fassell was the first team to give a car to their coach before BYC and others followed. So we have been setting the stage for good things in Liberian football and we are back to make a name for ourselves.”
And it surely began when Kuoh unveiled Belgium’s Ivan Minnaert as head coach on a three-year deal on 11 June.
Kuoh was over the moon when he unveiled 15 new players, including Liberia internationals Zah Kranger, Solomon Grimes and Daoda Bortu and eight local players on 18 July.
Others unveiled were physical trainer Diffaa Hassani Al Jadidi of Morocco, Gambian goalie Ahmed Tijani Savage and Morocco’s Mustafa Zarzif and Nawfal Chbada.
The reboot was technically necessary given Fassell, then FC Kallon-Liberia, survived relegation on the final day of the season.
Liberia international Tonia Tisdell joined the team, which has been tasked by Kuoh to win the title, on 29 July.
It is a team being built by Minnaert, who is pleased to have a squad full of youths and veterans.
Striker Mark Yallah captained the team when it escaped relegation on the final day of last season.
Kranger has taken over the armband and Yallah is happy to learn from his experience.
“I have no issue with Zah being the captain. He played many years for the national team and abroad. I am happy to learn from and play with him. Infact, the coach spoke to me about his decision to appoint Zah,” revealed Yallah.
The striker was named in a 32-man local squad by Liberia coach Mario Marinica on 16 August for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers away to Togo and at home to Algeria in September.
And Yallah, who had a brief spell in Mozambique, is happy to be called-up.
“It is an honor to play for your national team but I am in Egypt. This pre-season reminds me about the national team. You know it is very hard to hear about Liberian teams going on a pre-season, talking about the kinds of food, the training and feedback, time to sleep or rest, going to the gym and all of that. We will be on another level when the season starts,” added Yallah.
Fassell are organizing a few friendlies in between their training before heading to Monrovia in September.
All eyes will be on Minnaert and his squad when the season kicks-off in October.
Full squad in Egypt
Goalkeepers: Morris Kromah, Armah Moore, John Weah, Jr. and Ahmed Tijan Savage
Defenders: Solomon Grimes, Emmanuel Reyah, Moton Seyon, Peter Sorbor, Sekou Kamara, Peter Tokpahzee and Edwin Gbangan
Midfielders: Zah Kranger, Theo Nimely, Musa Jabateh, Emmanuel Bunipele, Junior Judugbor, Edward Weeks, Vitalis Sie, Jr., Amos Diamagyie and Mustafa Zarzif
Forwards: Mark Yallah, Dauda Bortu and Nawfal Chbada
Technical staff: head coach Ivan Minnaert, deputy coach Matthew Julutweh, goalkeeping coach Edwin Kai, physical trainer Diffaa Hassani Al Jadidi, administrative manager Victoria G. Geeplay, medic Daniel Wright and equipment manager Samuel Rambo
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