{"id":1471,"date":"2016-06-28T19:04:46","date_gmt":"2016-06-28T18:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sierraleonefootball.com\/?p=1471"},"modified":"2016-06-28T19:09:06","modified_gmt":"2016-06-28T18:09:06","slug":"sheriff-suma-confirms-international-retirement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sierraleonefootball.com\/sheriff-suma-confirms-international-retirement\/","title":{"rendered":"Sheriff Suma confirms international retirement"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Mohamed Fajah Barrie in Freetown<\/p>\n
Defender Sheriff Suma has confirmed that he has retired from playing for Sierra Leone with immediate effect at the age of 29 years.<\/p>\n
The former Kallon FC player currently based in Virginia, USA without a team says he decided to quit to concentrate on his club career.<\/p>\n
“I have taken the tough decision to quit international football because I believe it’s the best for me.” Suma who can as well operates as left winger told Sierra Leone Football.com.<\/p>\n
“I need to focus on my club career. I’m currently searching out for a club in US and I hope to soon get one.”<\/p>\n
“It took me some time thinking about my international career. It’s a difficult decision to make but i just have to give younger players chance to continue where I have stopped.”<\/p>\n
“I wish Leone Stars the best of luck and I pray that we defeat Ivory Coast and qualify for the 2017 Nations Cup finals.”<\/p>\n
Suma’s last game for Sierra Leone was against Chad in N’jamena in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in October last year.<\/p>\n
His international career with Leone Stars started in 2006 against Mali in Freetown in a 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier which ended goalless.<\/p>\n
Suma went on to win over 30 caps, but was unfortunate not to play in a major tournament with the Leone Stars.<\/p>\n
He said: “I regret a lot not playing a major tournament with Leone Stars.” “I really wanted to play the Nations Cup. We came close twice to qualify for the finals. We were knocked out by just a point from the 2012 finals.”<\/p>\n
But it’s not the same story for Suma with the Sierra Leone U-17 national team Sierra Stars.<\/p>\n
He was among players who qualified Sierra Stars to the 2003 CAF U-17 championship in Swaziland, but was dropped out for the finals.<\/p>\n
Suma was recalled after the Swaziland finals, and was part of the team that represent Sierra Leone and Africa at the 2013 FIFA U-17 championship in Finland where they met Spain, USA and South Korea.<\/p>\n
He started his club career with Gambian club Walidan before moving to Sierra Leone to play for local club Kallon FC.<\/p>\n
Suma then moved to Sweden to play for several outfits Atvidaberg FF, GAIS, Syrianska and Jonkoping Sodra.<\/p>\n
He also played in Norway for Haugusund, in Cyprus for Cyprus Ermis Araddipou and for Turkish club Kocaelispor before transfering to Azerbaijan to play for FK Revan.<\/p>\n
Suma played briefly for another local club FC Johansen in 2012.<\/p>\n