Liberian Footballers' European Career Dreams Put On Hold Due to Salary Non-Payment In Albania
Liberian footballers had an opportunity for a European career when they flew to Albania on February 10, 2025. Augustine Mulbah Jr. of Discoveries FC and his friend and local teammate Jenkins Sieh of Paynesville FC landed in Albania. In addition, Robin Kane Henry, a Discoveries FC striker, joined the venture. He quickly signed a contract upon arrival with FK Apolonia Fier. The transfers were made through an FK Apolonia Fier/ES Sport Management collaboration, which attracts young Liberian talent to transfer to the European leagues.
Therefore, when the Liberian players arrived, they thought they were starting their careers genuinely, securing contracts in the meantime and establishing a foundation for a name to be built. Permanent contracts were established; there was much excitement, and projections for growth and development, exposure, and salary increases were in the air.
Unpaid Wages and Broken Promises
Soon after, rumors started to swirl that Liberian footballers are not being paid. Although they trained with FK Apolonia and participated in official matches, word on the street is that months later, they have yet to see any money.
Furthermore, it’s uncertain if anyone, ever, will be paid. They were to be contracted through ES Sport Management, yet the agency going mute on the situation has people speculating that they’ll never be paid and never have to answer for it.
The agency’s partner transactions with international support in relation to young Africans have angered the Liberian soccer community.
Living Situations: Poor conditions and Alone
Off the pitch hasn’t been much better either. Supposedly, the players are living in one cramped hotel room with no amenities. They train and come back, and essentially, there is no one there to help them.
They have no money to sustain themselves. They’re far away from their families and home, and with no word from the club or the parent agency, they feel lost.
Robin Kane Henry leaves ES Sport Management
In a rage, Robin Kane Henry split from his four-year contract with ES Sports Management shortly after arriving in Albania. According to those familiar with the situation related to the player, this problem in Fier, as well as no support from the agency, prompted this decision.
But this isn’t the only incident of young African talents being mishandled after making a name for themselves on international transfers. Where owners of these smaller clubs in Europe fail to pay for accommodations, fail to pay players, and fail to listen to complaints about poor living situations are commonplace scandals.
FIFA and CAF have standards to ensure players are protected, but they fail to be upheld at the very lowest levels where the intensity of administrative attention is at its lowest.
FK Apolonia Fier: History of the Club
Founded on June 17, 1925, FK Apolonia Fier is one of the oldest clubs in Albania. Based in the city of Fier, relatively close to the ancient city of Apollonia from which it draws its name, the team has changed its name a few times (SK Myzeqeja and Puna Fier) but books show FK Apolonia since 1992.
The team’s greatest boast came in 1998 when it won the Albanian Cup, beating KS Lushnja 1–0 before competing in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup against Belgium’s KRC Genk. More recently, the team has seen relegation and promotion appropriate to first and second division play within Albania.
Ownership and Power: Koço Kokëdhima Reigns Supreme
FK Apolonia has been invested in by businessman and former Socialist MP Koço Kokëdhima. He owns over 60% of the club via his enterprise, 2K Group; the rest is owned by the Municipality of Fier.
KokĂ«dhima also owns the women’s side KFF Apolonia, founded in 2013. KokĂ«dhima’s presence ensures a firmly rooted financial position for the club; however, he has gotten some bad press over the treatment of foreign internationals within the club.
Accountability and Reform: What Must Change
These players’ stories reveal what must change:
- Contract transparency: Players should have access to all payment records and payments from third parties.
- Living conditions: Clubs should provide decent living situations for both domestic and foreign players.
- Agency accountability: Agencies who fail to advocate for their players, like ES Sport Management, should be penalized.
- Communication channels: There must be a hotline set up through international sporting leagues for international athletes to use while overseas.
Final Thoughts: Lessons from a Struggle
These stories of these Liberian players in Albania are more than just a paycheck denied or poor living situation. They are representative of other Liberian players suffering abroad and an implication that something needs to change. This is an issue of ethics, moral awareness, and professional accountability in a league that needs to protect its young players at all costs.
As the story unfolds, there’s growing hope that their case sparks real debate, and action, on how to protect African players in global football.
