The Liberia national team head coach, Thomas Kojo, has stood by his choice to keep Justin Salmon on the sidelines during the recent World Cup qualifying matches against Tunisia and São Tomé, despite increasing criticism.
Salmon, an important member of the Norwegian second-tier team Egersund, remained the sole foreign-based player who did not participate in either game from their roster. Despite demonstrating strong performance with five goals in 26 matches for his club, he was overlooked.
The scarcity of game opportunities for him has led to criticism from supporters, ex-athletes, and investors alike, who are challenging the logic behind his recruitment followed by complete absence of playtime during matches.
After the 1-0 loss to Tunisia, during which Salmon was not used from the bench, and the following game against São Tomé, where Salmon did not get to play either, choosing domestic players like Jayhbah Konneh, Sabastine Teclar, and William Gibson over the overseas-based Salmon has sparked varied responses among observers.
The former Liberian forward Sam Johnson voiced his discontent on social media about the expenses involved in transporting salmon from Norway for both qualifiers, putting the price tag at approximately $6,000.
Johnson wondered about the reason behind leaving Salmon on the sidelines even though he is a seasoned player competing in a top-tier league. He pointed out, “We spent approximately $6,000 to transfer him here from a strong Norwegian league all the way to Liberia for both matches, yet we kept him as a substitute throughout without letting him step onto the field,” Johnson noted in his statement.
The former national team player and coach James Debbah similarly expressed his dissatisfaction, highlighting that Salmon, who accumulated 1,802 minutes during his tenure at Egersund, deserved to see some game action.
Debbah wondered how they could leave out a player who has so much potential, while also voicing worry over the restricted minutes afforded to Divine Teah, another talented athlete.
Following the match against São Tomé, Coach Thomas Kojo spoke to the press and commented that it’s common for a player to get called up but not end up playing. “We’re talking about the national squad here,” he clarified. “It includes athletes from European clubs as well as those who compete locally, and being based abroad does not make one better than others.” He further noted that the choice to keep Justin out of the lineup was determined by the coaching staff with the team’s overall benefit in mind.
Kojo emphasized that, in his view, once a player joins the national squad—regardless of being based locally or abroad—they deserve an equal opportunity. He also mentioned that the reduced playtime for Salmon was due to strategic choices made within the game plan, not because of any individual assessment of the player’s abilities.
This is the fifth occasion where Justin Salmon has remained an unused substitute for the Lone Star, even though he has participated in 12 games since making his debut.
Questions have been sparked regarding his continued involvement with the national team, particularly since he keeps excelling in matches for his club.
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).