Kallon on trial in England
Mohamed Kallon, Sierra Leone’s only recognisable international soccer star, is presently trying to revive his faltering professional career by exploring greener pastures in England.
Latest reports say Kallon, 27, has been given a life line at English Premier League Football Club, Birmingham City, where he is undergoing training at the moment.
Steve Bruce, Manager of Birmingham City FC, is reported to be weighing up a loan move for the Sierra Leone international if his trial goes on successfully.
“Kallon is training with us so we can have a good look at him. He’s got no club and will stay for a week or so. We will make a decision after that,” Steve Bruce, who captained Manchester United in the late eighties and early nineties, told the press.
Even though the deadline for the transfer window on August 31 has passed, Kallon can still be signed outside the deadline because he is at the moment a free agent, according to FIFA and UEFA regulations.
Kallon’s former club, French first division side, AS Monaco FC has already paid off Kallon paving the way for him to look for another team.
Birmingham City FC are desperate to add to their striking power following their poor start in the three weeks old premier league. They are languishing at 16th place on the table.
The Sierra Leone striker(photo), who was recently loaned out to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad by AS Monaco, may be offered a one year loan deal by Birmingham City provided he performed according to the standard expected of him.
Mohamed Kallon’s glittering career took a nose dive over two years ago when he failed a drug test while playing for Italian giant Inter Milan. He was banned for six months. After the ban, Inter loaned him to AS Monaco before they too shipped him out to Saudi. Last season, Kallon came back to France where Monaco terminated his contract and was then paid off.
Captain of Sierra Leone’s national soccer team, the Leone Stars, Kallon made football history by becoming the youngest player to score in a competitive match. He scored against Congo for Leone Stars in the 1995-96 African Nations Cup qualifying series at the tender age 16.
From then onwards, he travelled globally to pursue his career. He first went to Lebanon, then Sweden and later to Italy where he played for many Italian teams. Kallon has been linked with many clubs in England in the past but none bore fruits. He has never played in England.
If all goes well with Birmingham City, Kallon, a very successful entrepreneur in Sierra Leone, would become the only player from his war-ravaged country playing in the English Premier League this season. That would be a proud moment for soccer mad Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad.
Birmingham City will decide this week if Mohamed Kallon will be given a one year loan deal. And eventually, his efforts might be rewarded with a permanent contract if he impresses his boss Steve Bruce after his first season.
