By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The Head Coach of Bombali Shebora Football Club, David Paul is said to have died on the night of Sunday 28th August 2022 hours after his team had lost 2-1 to Edmond Michael Foundation (EMF) in the opening match of the ongoing Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) National playoffs.
Coach Paul was said to have guided the team to the Leocem FA Cup quarter-final stage in 2014.
The cause of death is yet to be determined after Paul was pronounced deceased by doctors at the Kenema Government Hospital.
In the early hours of Tuesday 30th August 2022, the Edmond Michael Foundation delegation in Kenema paid a visit to the Bombali Shebora camp at Luawa Resort Hotel. The visit was led by the Foundation’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hassan Bangura, in order to extend condolences and show solidarity over the loss of the coach.
The Technical Director of EMF FC, Alimamy ‘K-Foot’ Turay noted that no one expected Paul’s shocking demise.
“He stood with me at the City field when players were warming up before the match commenced. We conversed, shared ideas, and had some very friendly chat; he seemed very optimistic about the competition and seemed very okay,” he recalled.
He went on to say that EMF FC family felt very sad about the unfortunate situation.
“We want you to know that we are with you in these trying times and will continue to be with you until we lay to rest our brother and footballing colleague,” he said.
Ali Umaru Conteh, Organizing Secretary and Technical Director 2 of Bombali Shebora, said they were pleased with the Foundation’s visit to their camp, noting that such is what is expected in the game of football. “Coach Paul was a good and friendly man. He was a renowned coach in Liberia and even here in Sierra Leone and we will surely miss him,” he moaned.
He revealed how Paul had been sick before the team went to Kenema for the playoffs but decided to be with the team even as it rained.
“After we had lost the match, we came back to the hotel and decided to hold an executive and technical meeting. It was in the meeting that he stated ‘we have lost our first match but we will qualify,” he narrated.
Conteh noted that, after the coach’s statement, he excused himself from the meeting and went outside; where they saw him going down. He said, they immediately rushed him to a clinic around town where they ran a test on him and later decided to take him to the Kenema government hospital but died on the way.
He informed the EMF delegation that the family of Paul had been contacted.
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