African Sports Monthly Mar, 2015 | Page 69

But it simply wasn’t to be. If our task was a difficult one at the outset, it was made near impossible following the Ebola outbreak and the requirement to play all of our games away from home. In football across the globe, the home team wins 50% of the time. Because of the logistics of playing in Africa, that rises to 65% when you look at results over the last decade. When you give up home advantage it becomes very difficult. And it was made even more difficult by the decision to play our games at the venues of our opponents…. no neutral ground, but 6 away games. Guinea should be rightly praised for their achievements for how well they have done in qualifying whilst playing their ‘home’ games at a neutral venue. But playing at a neutral venue and playing in a hostile away stadium are quite different. ASM: You were hurriedly removed as head coach for the Sierra Leone National Team. What happened? Johnny: The reason that was listed in the letter was the ‘poor results in our opening two games against Ivory Coast and DR Congo’. So from a footballing angle, that was the reason. And if we had won those games, despite all of the obstacles, despite some players only arriving the night before our game in Abidjan due to their tickets not being sent on time, despite a 48 hour transit from Ivory Coast to Lubumbashi in DR Congo (when it should have taken 6 if arrangements had been made in a timely fashion), then it probably wouldn’t have been possible to make a change. But, with losing the games, I think it presented an opportunity for people who maybe didn’t have football as their primary motivator to have an influence on decisions. I think from a footballing standpoint it is very hard to understand, and you can see how the team has done since then unfortunately. It was actually interesting to read in a recent FourFourTwo article comments from my successor, Coach Sesay, who is quoted as saying he thought my staff and I were doing a great job, and he didn’t know why we were replaced. Interesting comments from the person who comes in after you. ASM: What is your take away from your first head coaching experience? Coach McKinstry in action Johnny: Overall a better understanding of what is required to succeed at the top level in African football. I am eager to take up a new role as Head Coach and use the experience with Sierra Leone to ultimately take my next team to the African Nations Cup finals, and also push for World Cup qualification. 18 months with the Leone Stars has allowed me to see the many potholes that need to be swerved if you are to be successful at international level here . 6