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Former Sierra Leone Football Association President Isha Johansen has reflected on the opportunities once available to Sierra Leonean youth players, recalling how FC Johansen talents attracted interest from major European clubs.
Speaking in an interview at the prestigious PFA 2026 Awards, Johansen revisited the period when players from FC Johansen were highly sought after, particularly by Manchester City.
She recalled the progress of George Kweku Davies, who emerged from FC Johansen and went on to be associated with Manchester City. Contemporary football records list Davies as a Manchester City player and identify FC Johansen as his former club.
Johansen said the experience remains significant to her and recalled returning to Manchester to see her player.
She also spoke about encounters with emerging football stars, saying, “meeting and chatting with upcoming sensations like Declan Rice, Antoine Semenyo, and Nico O’Reilly filled me with such great pride and admiration for these Dream Chasers.”
Her reflections centred on the possibilities that existed for Sierra Leonean youth footballers when FC Johansen players were attracting international attention.
Johansen founded FC Johansen as a youth-focused football initiative in Sierra Leone, with the club later providing opportunities for young players to compete internationally.
Her career has also taken her into senior football administration. She served as SLFA president from 2013 to 2021 and became the first West African woman elected to the FIFA Council in 2021.
Johansen ultimately used her PFA Awards appearance to reflect on a period when Sierra Leonean youth players had access to opportunities that could open doors to elite football.
“There was a time when Sierra Leone youth players had this Golden opportunity; let’s hope it’s an opportunity that comes knocking twice,” she said.
