June 20, 2016 By Sahr Morris Jr.
Sierra Leone national team, Leone Stars, care-taker coach Sellas Tetteh has been linked with a bumper coaching move to Tanzania national team, the Taifa Stars, instead of local Premier League club, Simba SC.
Earlier, Ghana based Ghanasoccernet.com reported that the former Black Satellites trainer could possible take up the coaching job of the Tanzanian based club and that he and his representatives were expected in Dares Salam last weekend to complete talks.
But different accounts from the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), who confirmed that the former Liberty Professionals gaffer has already traveled to Ghana, said coach Tetteh could be in line for the Taifa Stars job.
SLFA director of competition, Sorie Ibrahim Sesay said: “The fact is Simba FC recently ran into bankruptcy and was about to be relegated to Tanzania second tier league until the President of Tanzania intervened to save the situation.
“They could not even honour a CAF Champions League tie in neighbouring Namibia this year because of their financial status. So how can they afford to hire a first class coach like Teteh when the club’s financial status is in a mess?,” he quizzed
SLFA media officer, Abu Bakarr Kamara, who also confirmed Teteh’s departure to Ghana, said the former Black Stars of Ghana and Amavubi of Rwanda coach also informed them of the Tanzania offer before his departure for vacation.
“From what we gathered, it was the Tanzania national team that asked for his consent to a very lucrative contract which might be over US$50,000 dollars a year plus many other allowances, including a well furnished apartment with 24 hours electricity plus internet facility,” Kamara said.
The SLFA media officer was however confident that Sierra Leone will still have the service of Coach Teteh for the final 2017 African Cup of Nations group I qualifiers against holders Ivory Coast in Abidjan in September.
He said: “All I can assure you is that he (Teteh) will be in charge for the Ivory Coast match in September. He will definitely be in charge of the game.”
Teteh was first loaned to Sierra Leone for three months by the Ghanaian Football Federation, but his contract, which expired last October, was extended on an interim basis with an option of granting him a permanent job just after Leone Stars were eliminated in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers by Chad.