He alleged that police personnel have been refusing them access to use the pool, which according to him, has hindered their chances of making it to the next level in international competitions as they have not been training for weeks past now.
According to him, the police have refused them access to the pool on the allegation that they found death body at the pool sometime back and that until their investigations are over they will not open the pools to use.
The secretary general pointed out that they have engaged the Ministry of Sports to intervene on the matter but that unfortunately the ministry officials told them the matter is beyond their reach.
He informed that they have a fixture to honour in Nigeria and the Association’s has been accredited to participant but yet they are not training.
“As it is now, we are constraint to a point that we are now using the sea for training. Swimming in the ocean is quite different from swimming in a pool, especially when it comes to doing techniques like butterfly, backstroke and freestyle. These techniques cannot be done on sea.
Mohamed Kallon set for 2019 UEFA License
Culled: Sierra Leone’s former Monaco striker Mohamed Kallon said he is aiming to earn his UEFA Professional Coaching License in 2019. Former Leone Stars captain, Mohamed Kallon, is aiming to improve coaching back home in Sierra Leone after he acquired his UEFA A License coaching qualification.
It is the second highest coaching qualification given by European football’s governing body.
The 37-year-old aims to earn his UEFA Professional License in 2019 and ultimately return home to share his experience and knowledge.
The ex-Inter Milan and Monaco striker is currently working with the academy teams at Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo in the USA.
“I intend going back to my country and continent and impart the knowledge acquired over the years to the young coaches as well as the young athletes whose sole aim is to succeed in their careers,” Kallon told BBC Sport.
Kallon, who only officially retired from international football last year, already has experience of working in Sierra Leone having acted as the coach of the national under-17 team and at his own club, Kallon FC.
“It has always been my dream to make a landmark in football after active service on the pitch because everything about me is centered around football.
“I would love to take up the challenge to coach in and out of Sierra Leone particularly the national team Leone Stars if given the opportunity.”
Kallon has been working on his coaching qualifications since 2013 and has earned them from the Confederation of African Football, the US Soccer Federation and UEFA. He completed his UEFA A License earlier in September after a three-month course in Florence, Italy. His former Inter Milan team-mates Francesco Toldo and Javier Zanetti, who is now the club’s vice-president, urged Kallon to complete the course. Kallon says he wants to use his time with the under-17 and under-19 teams at Houston Dynamo to continue his education. “For now, I’m focusing on empowering myself with lots of knowledge and experience to prepare myself for UEFA’s highest coaching course,” he explained.
“I have played football top level football and I have gained a lot of exposure but I still need to acquire the requisite qualifications.
“With my qualifications, I know I’ll have a brighter future to proceed with my coaching career. “I played against the likes of (Zinedine) Zidane, (Pep) Guardiola, [Roberto] Mancini and (Diego) Simone and they all went through the same coaching courses and today they’re great coaches.” Mohamed Kallon wants to gain more experience coaching youngsters at Houston Dynamo in the USA.
Former Super Eagles skipper and Juventus midfielder Sunday Oliseh is currently the only African working as the head coach at a European club. Kallon, an Asian Champions League winner, would like to follow in Oliseh’s footsteps and coach in Europe if given the opportunity.
He believes that African coaches should be given more chances to prove themselves, especially in Europe. “I’d like to coach in Europe if given the opportunity,” he said. “I think there are lots of African coaches out there who can perform better if given such a golden opportunity.
“The fact that Sunday Oliseh is presently the only African coach in Europe is a great cause for concern. We must take up the bold step of breaking this barrier as Africa is endowed with lots of talents. “There is hardly any league in the world now where African footballers aren’t playing. I think a level platform needs to be created for African coaches to take their careers to another level.
