New boss Sebastian Bowles excited by Luawa challenge

British coach Sebastian Bowles has been speaking as head coach of Sierra Leone Premier side Luawa FC, on why he joined the project, building on the club’s achievement and his winning mentality.

Bowles is excited by the challenge presented to him at Luawa FC. CEO Luawa FC and Legal Practitioner Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai confirmed Bowles’s deal.

A holder of a UEFA A license with the Scottish FA will start his new task with the club hailing from the Eastern District of Kailahun. Luawa FC survived their first season in the top tier of the Sierra Leone football system after winning ten games from 34 matches.

“Indeed, I am excited as a winner who wanted to win everything possible that was why I chose the Luawa FC position ahead of several other opportunities because I was very interested in the project that Mr. Abdulai presented,” Bowless to Football Sierra Leone.

“It’s imperative during the preseason in September to start implementing the winning mentality. I am looking forward to meeting the staff. I’ll arrive two weeks before the commencement of preseason.

The former Haka U20 boss confirmed heading the Luawa Academy.

“As head coach of the First Team, I’ll be the Technical Director of the Luawa Academy. I am looking forward to experiencing the Sierra Leone culture and people. Doing my very best to bring glory to our fans and the Kailahun community. I have heard a lot of good things about Sierra Leonean people and hospitality and am looking forward to experiencing it first hand.”

“Sierra Leone has been through a lot of turmoil in the past 20 years from Civil War, Ebola and Covid. There is much that we can do together to improve the daily lives of the youth of Sierra Leone and help them develop not just as footballers but as human beings as well.”

Bowles, who has been without a club since his contract expired as Manager with Swedish Second Division side Ytterhogdals IK in 2022, acknowledges lots of potential in Sierra Leone – with the correct investment and people, achievement can be acquired.

On his previous coaching experience

‘Another good experience that helped me grow and mature as a Coach. The team was located in the middle of the Swedish forest with only 400 people living there, so we were really isolated and the travelling time for away games was anything from 8h to 16h one way. It was a good experience in resilience and professionalism. 

We managed to secure our League status with a very thin squad of 10-17 players only. So player fitness management, injury prevention and mental health were vital. Before Sweden, I had the privilege of coaching FC Hakas U20’s and U17’s Academy teams. I got to work with various elite prospects and helped them improve and develop into players for the First Team. After my success with U20, it was time for First Team Management.’

CEO Saffa noted, “Sebastian Bowles is well known as an attack-oriented coach with fluent ball possession, which makes his teams entertaining to watch and extremely hard to play against.”

Connect with us @football_sierra on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, the writer on Twitter @bittar32, Contact bi****@ol*.net and African News.