Football Administrators Urge Patience With New Leone Stars Coach Da Rosa After Defeats
Alex Fefegula Harding Football administrators Sirajin Munirr Rollings Kamara and Rodney Michael have called for patience with Leone Stars coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa, arguing that frequent coaching changes could undermine Sierra Leone’s efforts to build a competitive national team.
The two made the remarks during an interview with AYV on Sunday, Oct. 11, following Sierra Leone’s opening defeats in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Michael defended Da Rosa, saying it would be premature to judge his performance after limited time with the squad and only two competitive matches in charge.
Sierra Leone opened its qualifying campaign with a 3-2 defeat to Zimbabwe on Sept. 24 after surrendering a two-goal advantage. The team subsequently lost 1-0 to Equatorial Guinea on Sept. 28, leaving it without a point from its opening two Group E matches.
Michael attributed the Zimbabwe result partly to injuries, fatigue and substitutions, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the match should be considered before assigning responsibility to the coach.
He also questioned the practice of repeatedly replacing national team managers, saying frequent changes make it difficult for players to adapt to different coaching philosophies and for coaches to build consistent teams.
He cited former coaches John Keister, Amidu Karim and Mohamed Kallon as examples of the succession of managers Sierra Leone has experienced.
The SLFA appointed Da Rosa on June 5, 2026, following the termination of Kallon’s appointment in April. Da Rosa subsequently named a 25-man squad for the opening AFCON qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea.
Michael also pointed to former Sierra Leone coach Jonathan McKinstry, who later took charge of Gambia, as an example of a coach he believed should have received greater institutional support. He argued that patience with coaches can provide opportunities for longer-term development.
While acknowledging that supporters have a right to demand victories, Michael said the football association must balance immediate expectations with the need for stability and sustained team development.
He argued that the SLFA should look for coaches with African football experience, strong communication skills and the ability to develop younger players while maintaining competition for places within the squad.
Michael also stressed the importance of building sufficient depth so that substitutes can maintain the team’s performance and influence matches when introduced.