The Turkey-based striker did not make his Lone Star debut against the Super Eagles having left the camp a few hours before kick-off
Coach Peter Butler has disclosed why Mohammed Kamara left Liberia camp before Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Nigeria.
Thanks to his impressive displays at Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor, the 23-year-old earned his maiden Lone Star call-up for the fixtures against the Super Eagles and the Central African Republic.
However, the striker absconded from the team’s base in Victoria Island and subsequently did not play any role in his team’s 2-0 defeat at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Giving an account of why Kamara left without permission, the Englishman claimed the player must have been upset by his decision to exclude him from the starting XI.
“Mohamed Kamara is a player I really like. I called him and chased him to join the Lone Star squad on many occasions and we managed to get him,” Butler said during a live chat on the Liberia Football Association Facebook page.
“When he joined the team; I had a chat with him, and everything seemed okay.
“We had training sessions and a few members of staff and I felt he wasn’t ready to be focused, but I was ready to give him the benefit of a doubt.
“And unfortunately, after I did the team talk prior to the game [against Nigeria], the player in question absconded from the camp because he wasn’t in the starting line-up.”
The former West Ham United midfielder also defended his decision to keep him on the bench, while praising his team’s resolve against the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner.
“I have not heard from him, I have not seen him and unfortunately,” he continued.
“He wasn’t selected to start because he was going to play against a right-back who I felt was going to give him a lot of problems.
“I didn’t think he also had the defensive qualities.
“Nigeria are a wonderful football team with great quality players playing in the English Premier League, Bundesliga etc.
“I was delighted by the attitude of my players; they were stronger as the game wore on. There were some very good performances.
“We are disappointed we lost 2-0 nil but were not disgraced. I would have loved to win the game.”
Source: Goal
