The Sierra Leone Sports Ministry says it does not recognize Ghanaian Sellas Tetteh as head coach of the country’s senior national team, the Leone Stars.
Tetteh, 62, was appointed for a second stint Tuesday by the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA).
“After a thorough interview process by the Sierra Leone FA (SLFA,) head coach Recruitment Committee and based on scores earned by the various candidates, the executive committee of the Football Association wishes to announce to the general public and the football family the appointment of Mr. Sellas Tetteh Teivi as the head coach of the national senior team Leone Stars,” the SLFA had stated.
Unhappy with the turn of events, the Sports Ministry which pays the national tea coaches, has in a statement questioned the fairness in the selection saying “the process was incomplete” and that the SLFA bloc “on the interview panel came with a premeditated mind of appointing” Tetteh.
“The attention of the Ministry of Sports has been drawn to the recent appointment of coach Sellas Tetteh as the head coach of the National Team Football A by the Sierra Leone Football Association.
“The Ministry of Sports was represented by the Director of Sports and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry on the interview panel of the shortlisted coaches. The Ministry is in receipt of reports from both the Director of Sports and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry expressing their dissatisfaction on the process which did not come to a logical conclusion.
“The report of the Ministry’s representatives also observed that representatives from the Sierra Leone Football Association on the interview panel came with a premeditated mind of appointing the said coach.
“Therefore, the Ministry does not recognise Sellas Tetteh as the Head Coach of the Sierra Leone National A Team because the process was incomplete.
“The Ministry of Sports wants to assure all Sierra Leonans that the Government is committed to supporting sports in the country and the process of appointing the National Team A coach will soon come to a conclusion,” reads a statement co-signed by Dr. Kenneth Brima (Director of Sports) and Adikali Samura (Permanent Secretary) for the Sierra Leone Ministry of Sports.
Sellas Tetteh beat off competition from former Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic, Tahseen Jabbary, Peter Butler and local man John Keister.
