Sellas Tetteh returns for the second time as Leone Stars coach

Seye Omidiora

Correspondent

The Ghanaian coach’s return to the Leone Stars has been called into question by the government

The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) confirmed the appointment of Sellas Tetteh as national team head coach, filling the unoccupied role previously held by John Keister.

The 62-year-old Ghanaian, who won the 2009 U20 World Cup with Ghana, got the job after beating other shortlisted competitors including Goran Stevanovic, Peter Butler, Tahseen Jabbary and Keister.

“After a thorough interview process by the Sierra Leone Football Association (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 said in a statement [via BBC Sport].

However, the Sierra Leone sports ministry have, on Wednesday, rejected the nomination of the Ghanaian boss. They claim the selection process “did not come to a logical conclusion” and was “incomplete”.

Therefore, the ministry is failing to recognize the Ghana-born trainer as national team boss.

Tetteh is returning for a second spell with the Leone Stars, after a temporary appointment in 2014, and is expected to resume on Thursday.

His first match at the helm will be in a 2022 World Cup preliminary first round tie against Liberia in September. The first leg will take place in Monrovia before both sides face off in the reverse fixture. The games are expected to be held on September 2 and 10.

The encounters will indicate Sierra Leone’s return to international football after their ban for government interference was lifted by Fifa in June.

From BBC Sport (Below)

Sellas Tetteh,confirmed as Sierra Leone’s new head coach by the FA last week, has named his assistant coaches – despite his appointment not being recognised by the country’s sports ministry.

He will be assisted by two former Sierra Leone internationals, Musa Kallon and Amidu Karim.

Musa is the eldest brother of the Sierra Leone legend Mohamed Kallon and Amidu Karim is the head coach of Kallon FC.

Both played for Sierra Leone at the 1996 Nations Cup in South Africa.

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