VBL Voetbal
Van strafschop tot schwalbe. Hier vind je Voetbal en alles wat daarmee te maken heeft. VBL - United in Voetbal.
Hij is al gekozen tot de beste Afrikaanse voetballer ooit. Zal ie ook gekozen worden tot de eerste ex-profesionele voetballer die president wordt van zijn land ? Een land geruïneerd door een burgeroorlog waar honderdduizenden stierven. Hij gaf de Liberianen afleiding met zijn voetbal voor o.a. AC Milan. Zal dat genoeg zijn om de kiezers te overtuigen ?
George Weah has been on the campaign trail for weeks, and the retired footballer who would be president of war-ravaged Liberia looks exhausted.
The convoy of four-wheel-drive cars tells the story of the journey. After setting out from the capital Monrovia last Friday with 32 vehicles, his campaign team bumped back towards the city yesterday in just five mud-spattered cars.
At a rest stop in the town of Ganta, Weah clambered down from his car and walked wearily to a wooden bench in the shade. "I'm very optimistic," he said. "I want to bring the basic necessities. Light, water and education. And I can see there's a need for roads."
With a small population -- 3,3-million -- and an abundance of resources, Liberia ought to be an African gem. But decades of bad government and a protracted civil war have left it one of the poorest countries in the world.
After sunset, the heart of Liberia's capital is shrouded in darkness. In the dazzle of car headlights, prostitutes dance on street corners to lure customers and United Nations armoured cars gleam ghostly white.
The man who promises to bring light to this darkness, Weah (39) is a former world footballer of the year who grew up in a hut on reclaimed swampland in Monrovia. He is favourite to win Tuesday's presidential vote.
"Liberians are ready to move the country forward," Weah told The Guardian, flanked by security men in camouflage gear. "We need stability, to reassure the world that we are ready to move forward.
"My career does not make much difference. I'm a human being that has contributed to my society."
The super-rich sports star had witnessed extreme poverty on his journey through Liberia's rainforest-clad interior. He had seen first hand the dirt roads where treacherous orange mud sucks at car tyres. On Thursday night, he slept in his car because the convoy had been unable to reach the nearest town.
"We live in Monrovia and think everything is OK, but our people in the hinterland are catching a hard time. I experienced that myself in the 1970s. Our people are still living in huts, in a country that has the resources. At least, we can get low-cost housing for our people."
Football was the springboard out of poverty for Weah, who was brought up by his grandmother. He started with local teams like Young Survivor and Invincible XI, then moved to Cameroon where the national squad's coach recommended him to Arsène Wenger, then coach of Monaco.
Weah became a star, playing for a string of Europe's most prestigious clubs, including AC Milan and Chelsea.
But he was more than just a sportsman. He personally funded the Liberia team through an African Nations Cup campaign and became a goodwill ambassador for Unicef, returning to Liberia to encourage child soldiers to lay down their arms.
Two former presidents of Liberia have been murdered and a third lives in exile. Weah is conscious of the danger he faces. "When it comes to African politics, everyone that runs for the highest office faces danger," he said. "Life is a risk, and I'm taking a risk for my people. Anybody would be afraid. I have a beautiful life, and I'm putting it on the line for my people."
The retired footballer lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his American wife and three children. He also has a four-bedroom house in Monrovia, where he keeps a silver Porsche Boxster.
His wealth provokes admiration rather than jealousy. Dayton Sei Boe (32) an official with his Congress for Democratic Change party, said fondly: "The young man is a star, and stars love big cars."
Some believe his wealth and celebrity make him immune from the corruption which was rampant under Liberia's past leaders. In Ganta's marketplace, Madison Morpue (21) a trader, said: "I will vote for George Weah because he has money of his own, and our money will be safe."
Liberia's election is a contest of the Yanna-boys and the book-men. The Yanna-boys are street traders, who overwhelmingly back Weah. The book-men, the educated class, prefer Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (66) a former World Bank economist. If elected, she will be Africa's first female head of state.
The contrast between the two candidates points to the divide in Liberian society, between a distrusted elite and the hungry, largely illiterate masses.
Liberia was founded in 1847 by freed slaves from America's cotton plantations, It was Africa's first independent republic, but the settler elite denied civil rights to the indigenous people, creating a system of forced labour.
The turning point came in 1980, when President William Tolbert was killed in a coup led by Samuel Doe, an army sergeant who claimed to represent the frustrations of the indigenous people.
A 1989 revolt against Doe turned into a vicious civil war which lasted until 1996. Fighting broke out again after rebel leader Charles Taylor won a dubious election, and he was forced into exile in Nigeria two years ago.
Now 15 000 UN troops keep the peace, and Liberia's hopes of resurrection turn on the outcome of this vote.
The country's decline is most evident in the interior. At Yekepa, once the country's biggest iron ore mine, the 192km railway line that carried minerals to the sea is overgrown by creepers. The only way to ship out the ore is by a grinding journey along a dirt track where the orange mud has the consistency of sponge cake. At the mine, which once extracted some of the world's highest quality ore, the machinery has been looted.
Many of the former workers still live nearby, in neat company-built bungalows around a marketplace, shopping arcade and derelict basketball court. A former mechanical supervisor, James Jallah (60) said: "Life was beautiful here. When the mine closed, it was a disaster for Yekepa. I'm just surviving by the grace of God."
Jallah will vote for "the lady", Ms Johnson-Sirleaf. Weah's supporters are "irresponsible children".
"I don't want for my children to suffer," he said. "But the young men just want women, and want the drink."
There are 22 candidates in the presidential race, which is running alongside a general election for the two-chamber legislature. The winning presidential candidate must gain 51% of the vote. Without that mandate, there will be a run-off between the two closest contenders.
The three front-runners
George Weah
Weah (39) (Congress for Democratic Change) is a former world footballer of the year. He has strong grassroots support among a football-crazy electorate, more than half of whom are under 32, but opponents criticise his lack of experience and qualifications
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Harvard-educated Johnson-Sirleaf (66) (Unity party) is a former World Bank economist. She was imprisoned twice for criticising former president Samuel Doe. She supported rebel-turned-president Charles Taylor, though later became a staunch opponent
rles Walker Brumskine
Brumskine (54) (Liberty party) a former law professor at the University of Liberia, served as a senator during the Charles Taylor regime. He left for the US, but returned in 2003 to challenge Taylor in an election. It was not held and Taylor was forced into exile - Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
[ Bericht 0% gewijzigd door tong80 op 11-10-2005 19:28:09 ]
George Weah has been on the campaign trail for weeks, and the retired footballer who would be president of war-ravaged Liberia looks exhausted.
The convoy of four-wheel-drive cars tells the story of the journey. After setting out from the capital Monrovia last Friday with 32 vehicles, his campaign team bumped back towards the city yesterday in just five mud-spattered cars.
At a rest stop in the town of Ganta, Weah clambered down from his car and walked wearily to a wooden bench in the shade. "I'm very optimistic," he said. "I want to bring the basic necessities. Light, water and education. And I can see there's a need for roads."
With a small population -- 3,3-million -- and an abundance of resources, Liberia ought to be an African gem. But decades of bad government and a protracted civil war have left it one of the poorest countries in the world.
After sunset, the heart of Liberia's capital is shrouded in darkness. In the dazzle of car headlights, prostitutes dance on street corners to lure customers and United Nations armoured cars gleam ghostly white.
The man who promises to bring light to this darkness, Weah (39) is a former world footballer of the year who grew up in a hut on reclaimed swampland in Monrovia. He is favourite to win Tuesday's presidential vote.
"Liberians are ready to move the country forward," Weah told The Guardian, flanked by security men in camouflage gear. "We need stability, to reassure the world that we are ready to move forward.
"My career does not make much difference. I'm a human being that has contributed to my society."
The super-rich sports star had witnessed extreme poverty on his journey through Liberia's rainforest-clad interior. He had seen first hand the dirt roads where treacherous orange mud sucks at car tyres. On Thursday night, he slept in his car because the convoy had been unable to reach the nearest town.
"We live in Monrovia and think everything is OK, but our people in the hinterland are catching a hard time. I experienced that myself in the 1970s. Our people are still living in huts, in a country that has the resources. At least, we can get low-cost housing for our people."
Football was the springboard out of poverty for Weah, who was brought up by his grandmother. He started with local teams like Young Survivor and Invincible XI, then moved to Cameroon where the national squad's coach recommended him to Arsène Wenger, then coach of Monaco.
Weah became a star, playing for a string of Europe's most prestigious clubs, including AC Milan and Chelsea.
But he was more than just a sportsman. He personally funded the Liberia team through an African Nations Cup campaign and became a goodwill ambassador for Unicef, returning to Liberia to encourage child soldiers to lay down their arms.
Two former presidents of Liberia have been murdered and a third lives in exile. Weah is conscious of the danger he faces. "When it comes to African politics, everyone that runs for the highest office faces danger," he said. "Life is a risk, and I'm taking a risk for my people. Anybody would be afraid. I have a beautiful life, and I'm putting it on the line for my people."
The retired footballer lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his American wife and three children. He also has a four-bedroom house in Monrovia, where he keeps a silver Porsche Boxster.
His wealth provokes admiration rather than jealousy. Dayton Sei Boe (32) an official with his Congress for Democratic Change party, said fondly: "The young man is a star, and stars love big cars."
Some believe his wealth and celebrity make him immune from the corruption which was rampant under Liberia's past leaders. In Ganta's marketplace, Madison Morpue (21) a trader, said: "I will vote for George Weah because he has money of his own, and our money will be safe."
Liberia's election is a contest of the Yanna-boys and the book-men. The Yanna-boys are street traders, who overwhelmingly back Weah. The book-men, the educated class, prefer Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (66) a former World Bank economist. If elected, she will be Africa's first female head of state.
The contrast between the two candidates points to the divide in Liberian society, between a distrusted elite and the hungry, largely illiterate masses.
Liberia was founded in 1847 by freed slaves from America's cotton plantations, It was Africa's first independent republic, but the settler elite denied civil rights to the indigenous people, creating a system of forced labour.
The turning point came in 1980, when President William Tolbert was killed in a coup led by Samuel Doe, an army sergeant who claimed to represent the frustrations of the indigenous people.
A 1989 revolt against Doe turned into a vicious civil war which lasted until 1996. Fighting broke out again after rebel leader Charles Taylor won a dubious election, and he was forced into exile in Nigeria two years ago.
Now 15 000 UN troops keep the peace, and Liberia's hopes of resurrection turn on the outcome of this vote.
The country's decline is most evident in the interior. At Yekepa, once the country's biggest iron ore mine, the 192km railway line that carried minerals to the sea is overgrown by creepers. The only way to ship out the ore is by a grinding journey along a dirt track where the orange mud has the consistency of sponge cake. At the mine, which once extracted some of the world's highest quality ore, the machinery has been looted.
Many of the former workers still live nearby, in neat company-built bungalows around a marketplace, shopping arcade and derelict basketball court. A former mechanical supervisor, James Jallah (60) said: "Life was beautiful here. When the mine closed, it was a disaster for Yekepa. I'm just surviving by the grace of God."
Jallah will vote for "the lady", Ms Johnson-Sirleaf. Weah's supporters are "irresponsible children".
"I don't want for my children to suffer," he said. "But the young men just want women, and want the drink."
There are 22 candidates in the presidential race, which is running alongside a general election for the two-chamber legislature. The winning presidential candidate must gain 51% of the vote. Without that mandate, there will be a run-off between the two closest contenders.
The three front-runners
George Weah
Weah (39) (Congress for Democratic Change) is a former world footballer of the year. He has strong grassroots support among a football-crazy electorate, more than half of whom are under 32, but opponents criticise his lack of experience and qualifications
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Harvard-educated Johnson-Sirleaf (66) (Unity party) is a former World Bank economist. She was imprisoned twice for criticising former president Samuel Doe. She supported rebel-turned-president Charles Taylor, though later became a staunch opponent
rles Walker Brumskine
Brumskine (54) (Liberty party) a former law professor at the University of Liberia, served as a senator during the Charles Taylor regime. He left for the US, but returned in 2003 to challenge Taylor in an election. It was not held and Taylor was forced into exile - Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
[ Bericht 0% gewijzigd door tong80 op 11-10-2005 19:28:09 ]
Ik noem een Tony van Heemschut,een Loeki Knol,een Brammetje Biesterveld en natuurlijk een Japie Stobbe !
Lijkt me voor Liberia niet eens slecht eigenlijk. Een geweldig uithangbord naar het Westen.
ASWH, de trots van de regio
www.thuisuiteten.nl
www.thuisuiteten.nl
Ik heb er al een presentatie voor Engels over gedaan, het stond een paar dagen terug al in de Time:
quote:'Every Liberian Looks At Me Like A Son'
If George Weah wins Liberia's presidential election, the former FIFA World Footballer of the Year will captain a country wrecked by a decade and a half of civil war
PANAPRESS/GETTY IMAGES
HERO: George Weah addresses the crowd at a program of youth organized in Monrovia, Liberia, to support him for the presidential election.
Two years after hanging up his boots, former FIFA World Footballer of the Year George Weah looks like scoring a bigger goal: he is one of the frontrunners in October's presidential elections in his native Liberia. If he wins, he'll captain a country wrecked by a decade and a half of civil war. Pauline Bax spoke to Weah at his main residence in Monrovia. (The house, one of reportedly three he owns in the war-scarred city, sports a basketball court and swimming pool).
As you campaign, what is your primary message to the Liberian people and to the international community? I believe in peace and reunification. As I stressed when I was working for UNICEF [as a goodwill ambassador], it's time for the world to unite to make a better place for our children, for the generations to come. Because all we see around us is people dying. We have to see how we can combat terrorism and bring about true security in our communities. My message is about peace, my message is about reunification and my message is about human growth. And Liberia will take the first step in the months to come, when I'm elected, to reassure the world that we are serious about eradicating terrorism in our region. The stories about Liberia in the news do not reflect the Liberia we know.
The economy is in ruins. Where and how do you start to rebuild? By bringing about peace and stability. Also, I accepted the GEMAP [a donor and UN-backed economic plan to renew Liberia] because I want true economic growth for our people. GEMAP will monitor our progress and will help and teach all of us fiscal responsibility and discipline. GEMAP will help us regain the confidence of the global community and bring in long-term investors. Liberia is a rich country but its resources have never been used in the interest of our people.
Football to politics isn't an obvious career path. Are there common skills? I'm not just a footballer. If you look at the way I played the game, I played professionally, with respect, with discipline. Football was my passion but because of difficulties in this country I returned to see what I could do. I'm also a technician. I worked with the Liberian telecommunications at an early age. I have experience and I am a professional. I can bring professionalism and discipline to the government. I will not tolerate corruption. Anybody who behaves corruptly around me will be disciplined. Also my standing as a footballer will help me to bring a new sense of unity to political life here because every Liberian looks at me like a son.
Will your popularity as a footballer translate into votes? It's clear my voters are mixed Liberians: older people, younger people, middle class people. Political opponents say that only young people are behind me. But this is a political game in which opponents say negative things about my party CDC [Congress for Democratic Change]. But CDC is the people's party and everybody is represented. Almost 75% of the people have been marginalized in this country. These are the people who are tired of the political rhetoric and these are the people who are supporting me. We have a very strong party. I'm very happy that Liberians decided finally to choose a leader who is ready to move the country forward.
You seem convinced that you are going to be the next president of Liberia. What makes you so confident? At the end of the day, what happens is God's plan but I don't think it's going to be a failure for me. For the first time in the history of the country, a young man is leading a political party that supports the interests of the people. I'm very proud that I can bring all Liberians together. And if I am defeated, I will remain committed to working in the interests of this country.
Which opponents pose the greatest threat to your electoral chances? There is no one specific opponent I see as a target or somebody I am afraid of. This is a political game that everybody plays.
Liberia has been so badly scarred by war. Surely you will need more than one term to get the country back on its feet? Liberia is weak because of the war and you need to help people so they regain confidence. It's going to take time. But I think when the basic necessities are there, the people will know that there is hope. When you bring light and water to the people, you are showing them that you want to do something. Things are going to be difficult at first but it can be smooth if we set our priorities. Gradually, Liberia can move forward. You just need honest people, people that believe in the country.
Do you still have time to play football these days? Of course! I play every Sunday morning and sometimes I play basketball. I am a sportsman and I don't think I will ever forget about sports. I respect the game — the game is a beautiful game and the football family is a beautiful family. I left the football field but I will never forget the family because football has done a lot for me. It gave me respect, dignity and love. I will still partake in sports, even when I am president. Samuel Doe, when he was president of this country, came to the football field to play with us. So I will not be the first or the last president of Liberia to play.
Geen van de kandidaten heeft de nodige 50 % gehaald. Weah had wel de meeste stemmen met 30 %. Er komt nu een tweede stemronde.
Ik noem een Tony van Heemschut,een Loeki Knol,een Brammetje Biesterveld en natuurlijk een Japie Stobbe !
Hij ligt momenteel bij het tellen van de stemmen 16 % achter de andere kandidate, terwijl ie de eerste ronde als eerste eindigde. Er schijnt dan ook op grote schaal gefraudeerd te zijn.
Ik noem een Tony van Heemschut,een Loeki Knol,een Brammetje Biesterveld en natuurlijk een Japie Stobbe !
Maar de stemmen van 'het platte land' zijn nog niet binnen en daar ligt een flink deel van zijn aanhang.quote:Op donderdag 10 november 2005 17:01 schreef tong80 het volgende:
Hij ligt momenteel bij het tellen van de stemmen 16 % achter de andere kandidate,
Het blijft Afrika natuurlijk. Straks is Sepp Blatter president.
ASWH, de trots van de regio
www.thuisuiteten.nl
www.thuisuiteten.nl
Het is helaas niet gelukt
Ik noem een Tony van Heemschut,een Loeki Knol,een Brammetje Biesterveld en natuurlijk een Japie Stobbe !
Wel jammer op zich. Iemand die zn leven in alle weelde kan leven en dan terugkeert naar een land van totale puinhoop om dat op te bouwen, het had niet mooier gekund
Ach, nu krijgen we de eerste vrouwelijke president op het Afrikaanse continent, is ook wat waard
Ach, nu krijgen we de eerste vrouwelijke president op het Afrikaanse continent, is ook wat waard
I don't trust books. They're all facts and no heart
Online poker is more addicting than snorting cocaine off Jessica Alba’s tits
Sam Querrey en John Isner, culthelden in wording!
Online poker is more addicting than snorting cocaine off Jessica Alba’s tits
Sam Querrey en John Isner, culthelden in wording!
een vrouw aan de macht
DeLuna vindt me dik ;(
Op zondag 22 juni 2014 12:30 schreef 3rdRock het volgende:
pas als jullie gaan trouwen. nu ben je gewoon die Oom Rubber die met onze mama leuke dingen doet :)
Op zondag 22 juni 2014 12:30 schreef 3rdRock het volgende:
pas als jullie gaan trouwen. nu ben je gewoon die Oom Rubber die met onze mama leuke dingen doet :)
Het is volgens de jouranlisten zo dat Liberia het eerste land met een vrouwlijke president wordt omdat ze al 15 jaar aan het hoofd van het gezinj staan. 50 % van de mannen is vermoord en de vrouwen hebben op die manier geleerd het heft in handen te nemen. Een trietser reden natuurlijjk.
Ik noem een Tony van Heemschut,een Loeki Knol,een Brammetje Biesterveld en natuurlijk een Japie Stobbe !
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