Former Liberia Coach Jericho Nagbe Dies, at Age 65
Monrovia – Frank Wontee Nagbe, one of Liberia’s brilliant and charismatic coaches, died at the age of 65 last night after battling illness.
Frank Nagbe, publicly known as Coach Jericho, passed away at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, where he was receiving treatment.
However, FrontPageAfrica has not been able to establish the cause of Coach Jericho’s death.
During his playing days, Jericho began his football career with the local side Saint Jerry from 1972 to 1975 before joining the beloved club Invincible Eleven (IE) between 1975 and 1984, winning the League title in 1976 and being awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the same year.
Jericho’s talent was spotted following the completion of the league season in 1976, and Ivorian side Sporting Club De Gagnoa captured his signature. In Côte d’Ivoire, Jericho won the league championship with Gagnoa in 1977.
He represented Liberia on countless occasions, dedicating eight years of his services to the National Team as a regular player. He was an integral part of the Lone Star team that won the six-nation tournament in 1979.
A former teammate, D. Zoegar Wilson, who currently serves as Minister of Youth and Sports, wrote a tribute on their Facebook page.
“Liberia has lost a Soccer Legend, Frank Jericho Nagbe, AKA Baba the Wizard. He passed away last night at the JFK Hospital. May his Soul and the Souls of all faithful departed rest in peace.”
Club Career
Following his playing career, Jericho transitioned into a managerial role, coaching a second-division side La-Modell International in the Township of West Point in 1985. Under his leadership, the club gained promotion to the first division.
Jericho went on to coach NPA Anchors and led his native Sinoe County to the County Meet, winning the tournament in 1986. He also secured the third medal in 1987 and reached the semi-finals in 2004.
He joined as an assistant coach between 1989 to 1992 before joining Junior Professional, a club established and owned by Legendary footballer George Weah.
Jericho spent five seasons with the club from 1993 to 1998, guiding the club to promotion. Junior Pros finished as runners-up in his first season before lifting the league title in 1997. He managed the club in the African Cup Winners, eliminating the Guinean side ASFAG but could not proceed to the next round of the draw due to the April 6, 1996, war in Monrovia.
Jericho then led Jr. Pros to the African Champions League after the war subsided in Monrovia, eliminating RCB of Burkina Faso but were eliminated by eventual grand finalist Obuasi Goldfields.
He signed with Saint Anthony in the 1997-98 season with a mandate from club president, the late Adolph Lawrence, to qualify the club for the first division. Jericho achieved his mandate in his debut season with Saint Anthony as he led the club to second place in both league and knockout championships.
International Level
Coach Jericho had two stints with the Lone Star as Deputy Coach. His first stint ran from 1996 to 1998. On the second occasion, Liberia reached the 2002 Nations Cup finals in Mali and came close to qualifying for the FIFA World Cup the same year. A year earlier, Jericho and the Lone Star won the Goodwill Tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.
Personal Achievements
Jericho was awarded Coach of the Year five times, in 1985, 1987, 1996, 2000, and 2004.
Jericho attended the FIFA Youth Training Program conducted by Karl Heinze Moroski of Germany and Mohammed El Wash of Egypt (CAF) in 1985. He also participated in the FIFA Futuro II course conducted by Phillip Rouon in 1999.
This article first appeared on Front Page Africa
Photo: Liberia Public Radio