As Leone Stars head coach, John Keister’s contract with the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) officially ended,  speculation has risen suggesting that the Manchester-born coach will not be offered a new contract but will be replaced by former Leone Stars Captain Mohamed Kallon.

Meanwhile, SLFA is yet to make an official announcement on the recent development but reliable sources have revealed to Sierraloaded that negotiations are happening behind the scene. Responding to concerns about the specific procedures for the appointment of a coach,  SLFA head of Media and   Marketing, Ibrahim Kamara pointed out that their is no specific  procedure laid down for the recruitment of a coach. He added that as long as it pleases the SLFA President and his Executive Committee or recommendation from the technical team, a coach can be appointed.

If Mohamed Kalllon accepts the new Job, selecting the right players to prosecute games for the senior national team would be one of his biggest challenges as a coach for Leone Stars.

A majority of Sierra Leone’s professional footballers are not playing top-flight football in Europe, North America, and other continents and this has led to the low quality of performance in the national male football team.

Despite this challenge, most Sierra Leonean football lovers are clamoring for an experienced gaffer that would right the wrongs of  Keister’s era.

John Keister is yet to make a statement about his contractual situation following Leone Stars’ recent exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers.

Before the end of his contract, on Monday 10th August 2020, Keister was appointed as Sierra Leone’s football coach. He was named coach of Leone Stars for a second time on a deal until 2023. The tactician replaced former Ghanian coach Sellas Tetteh, who resigned due to personal reasons.