27/05/2026
The WRONG TURN - Sam Johnson
Liberian footballers who represented the national team should stop rewriting history simply because politics or personal frustration now clouds their judgment.
Before George Weah, Liberia had little visibility on Africa’s biggest football stage. Whatever anyone’s political opinion may be today, facts remain facts: Weah personally sacrificed, financed, and carried Liberian football on his shoulders, helping Liberia qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 and 2002. These are historical facts, not propaganda.
So, Sam Johnson attacking George Weah for celebrating his son’s achievements while claiming he “couldn’t help Liberia qualify for the World Cup” is not only unfair - it is deeply ignorant and intellectually dishonest.
Sam Johnson should first explain why he and his teammates failed Liberia in crucial moments on the pitch. Why did Lone Star surrender a 2–0 lead against Togo at the ATS when qualification was within reach? Did George Weah miss those chances? Did Weah concede those goals? Should we pretend that Sam Johnson and his colleagues bear no responsibility for their own performances?
What exactly was George Weah supposed to do — remove their heads and place his on their shoulders? Replace their legs with his own so they could perform better? Hate Weah and his politics all you want, but football success is earned through discipline, sacrifice, commitment, professionalism, and hard work and not blame-shifting after the fact.
And since Sam Johnson wants to lecture others about accountability, Liberians should also remember that in 2020, his time with Real Salt Lake ended after he was suspended amid investigations tied to reported large house parties that violated COVID-era protocols, before both sides mutually agreed to terminate his contract. Should Liberians hold George Weah accountable for the termination of your contract too?
My advice to the younger generation: let George Weah’s journey inspire you. Study his discipline, sacrifice, and relentless work ethic. Nobody, not George Weah, money, status, or connections can run for you on the pitch, train for you, or score goals for you.
Do not let failed narratives convince you that one man is responsible for every disappointment in Liberian football. The truth is simple: football rewards discipline, consistency, and hard work — not excuses.
