By: Abdul Razack Gbla
Former Sierra Leonean international and football legend Mohamed Kallon has expressed his thoughts following Bo Rangers’ 1-1 draw against Ivorian champions San Pedro in their recent CAF Champions League encounter. Kallon, who was in Bo City to support both Bo Rangers and East End Lions, the two Sierra Leonean representatives in this year’s CAF competitions, shared his perspective on the match, the state of Sierra Leonean football, and the potential of Bo Rangers.
Kallon, a man who is deeply entrenched in Sierra Leone’s football history, did not hold back his admiration for Bo Rangers, recognizing them as the current best team in the country. Reflecting on their performance and journey to becoming league champions, Kallon acknowledged that there was a time he believed the team benefited from the favoritism of match officials and the Premier League Board due to the connection of former PLB chairman, Mr. Vandy, with Bo City and Bo Rangers. However, after closely following their games during the 2020 season, Kallon had a change of heart.
“The easiest thing I could do was to follow Bo Rangers games closely. To be honest, I was in shock to see the energy and determination they put in every game,” Kallon stated. “After five games, I called a meeting with our players and confessed that Bo Rangers deserved every success they’ve achieved in the past few years.”
Despite this praise, Kallon did not shy away from critiquing certain aspects of Bo Rangers’ play, particularly their ball mastery and team cohesion, which he believes need improvement. He pointed out that while the team possesses the right mentality, physical strength, and resilience to face any team on the continent, they still require refinement in maintaining possession and creating clear goal-scoring opportunities.
“Bo Rangers has the right mentality and the physical strength and resistance to face any team in Africa. They just need to humbly work on their ball mastery technique and team cohesion to maintain possession and create clear goal-scoring opportunities. Individual brilliance from brave players like Musa Tombo will also be crucial,” he emphasised.
Kallon highlighted the importance of pressing and capitalising on the technical weaknesses of opponents, specifically referencing San Pedro’s center-backs, who he observed were not entirely comfortable under high pressing situations. He suggested that Bo Rangers could have exploited these weaknesses more effectively to control the outcome of the game.
In addition to his analysis of the match, Kallon also reflected on the broader state of football in Sierra Leone. He stressed the need for an improved football education system for players, which he believes is currently lacking. According to him, Sierra Leonean players are not tactically knowledgeable and often struggle with basic football principles, such as understanding what to do when in possession of the ball and when the team is dispossessed.
“Our major problem is football education for our players. They are not tactically knowledgeable. They still have to work on understanding the game,” Kallon remarked. “We need to create our own football manuals and methodology. I was in Nigeria recently, and they’ve completely revamped their method of training and playing. Everything has gone digital, with systems built around high-intensity pressing and transitions.”
Despite these challenges, Kallon remains optimistic about the future of Sierra Leonean football. He believes that if the country continues to participate in international competitions and addresses the gaps in football education, Sierra Leonean teams like Bo Rangers could become formidable forces in African football within the next five years.
The football legends, Bo Rangers, are set to continue their journey in the CAF Champions League; however, the insights and observations from one of Sierra Leone’s most celebrated football figures serve as both encouragement and a call to action for the nation’s football stakeholders to invest in the future of the sport.
