Anthony Snothi Laffor is arguably the only ex-player rallying Liberians behind the national team.

On September 8, the ex-skipper phoned Truth FM 96.1 and Fabric Radio 101.1 FM to extend best wishes to ex-teammates as they were preparing to face Nigeria on the same day and Ghana three days later.

Liberia forced Nigeria to a 2-2 draw and shocked a star-studded Ghana 2-0 on September 11 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) sports complex in Paynesville.

With 27 international caps and a goal, Laffor may not be an accomplished star but he’s doing what some ex-internationals haven’t done.

It took George Weah, an ex-captain and a technical director, to wish the team best of luck against Nigeria from his based in the United States of America on Monday.

James Salinsa Debbah, Joe Nagbe, Frank Jean Seator, Christopher Wreh, Jonah Sarwieh, Jonathan ‘Boye Charles’ Sogbie, Louise Crayton and Fallah Johnson, among others, have all failed to comment on the last two matches while Sunday Oliseh, Victor Ikpeba, Nwankwo Kanu and Segun Odegbami are proffering views as to how Nigeria can avoid a second successive failed Nations Cup berth.

Laffor’s mood is highly patriotic given that he and Francis Grandpa Doe and Dioh Williams were expelled by head coach Kaetu Smith ahead of the clash with Namibia on June 16 for breaking a code of conduct adopted by ex-German coach Antoine Hey.

Although he challenged his expulsion and asked the LFA to apologize to him for deceiving his club that he was injured, Laffor has since said he’s in regular contact with coach Smith.

In this interview culled from Complete Sports in Nigeria, Laffor believes Liberia can rewrite the history of Guinea, who qualified for the 2012 Afcon finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea by drawing 2-2 with Nigeria on October 8, 2011.

The ex-LISCR FC, Jomo Cosmos and Supersport United striker, now with Mamelodi Sundowns, is anxiously awaiting a recall to the team.

QUESTION: How are you looking forward to the game against the Super Eagles of Nigeria?

LAFFOUR: I'm really looking forward to the game with high hopes. It is one of the biggest games in recent times in the history of Liberian football and you don't get the chance to face such an opposition all the time.

I'm not the only one looking forward to the game. The nation is highly anticipating the game with high hopes too. You know Nigeria is our big brother on the continent but it will be nice to make it to South Africa 2013 at their expense. It's been long since we played at the African Cup of Nations and we believe we have a chance this time around.

QUESTION: You seem to be so upbeat on the chances of your team, where does the confidence comes from?

LAFFOUR: I think we deserved to win the first leg even though we had to come from behind to level scores. We take courage from that game and it will certainly boost our confidence for the return leg in Nigeria. These days, there are no minnows in African football as recent results have shown. Egypt was knocked out by Central African Republic and countries like Niger and Botswana made it to the last Afcon in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. So, we believe it is our time to play among the best teams in the continent. It would have been great if we had won it in Monrovia but all is not lost.

QUESTION: Which player from the Nigerian team do you think will pose the biggest threat to your team's ambition of making it to South Africa?

LAFFOUR: I don't think about them. Nigeria have good players and we respect them for that. In football, it important you respect your opponents for their qualities and what they do on the field of play.
On the field of play, it is going to be 22 men slugging it out against each other. We are not thinking about their history or what they have achieved but qualifying ahead of them.

You must remember we beat Nigeria at home [in Monrovia] in 2001 and could have defeated them in the return fixture but for some mistakes. The Nigerian team that played against us in the first leg is one that we can beat and it would be great to do that for our people back home in Liberia.

QUESTION: How important is Sekou Jabateh-Oliseh to your team?

LAFFOUR: Sekou is a fantastic player and an important member of our team. He is a player who is always willing to work for the team and everybody in the team appreciates that. I think playing for a top team in the Russian league has really helped him develop his game. He scored one of the goals for us in Monrovia and I expect him to play a crucial role once again in the second leg.

QUESTION: Sekou plays in the same team with Nigeria winger Ahmed Musa and has some connections with Nigeria. Are you expecting any tips from him on how to tame the Super Eagles?

LAFFOUR: (Long laughter) Sekou is a Liberian and will always be. It is good to have a player who has a good knowledge of Nigerian football, but even at that, we have the responsibility of still studying our opponents very well. All we need to do in Nigeria is to focus on our game and forget the crowd. They will be all out to support their team but Guinea proved to us that Nigeria are no longer invincible at home.

QUESTION: You were left out of the Liberian team for disciplinary reasons. What really happened?

LAFFOUR: It is an issue that is not worth talking about. I have put that behind me and now look forward to a greater time with the Lone Star. I'm a Liberian and I am always willing to represent my fatherland. It was great watching our big heroes like George Weah at the African Cup of Nations in the past and I'm certain we can emulate them.

QUESTION: You just mentioned the glorious days of Liberian football. Why has it been so difficult to attain that height again?

LAFFOUR: You are right. We have experienced a lot of difficulties in Liberia and that has also affected our football. You know the war and everything. You are talking about losing young people who could have done the country's football a lot of good. All the same, I think we are getting there now. We have a young team that has been together for a while and is ready to bring back the glory days of Liberian football.