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Victoria Conteh spoke of her ambition to coach Sierra Leone during her trailblazing club managerial career<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Mohamed Fajah Barrie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
BBC Sport Africa, Sierra Leone<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first woman to coach an elite men’s football club in Sierra Leone has thanked national team boss John Keister after he funded a life-saving operation to amputate her leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pioneer Victoria Conteh, who played in Sierra Leone’s first ever women’s international in 1994, also made history when appointed coach of men’s top-flight side East End Tigers<\/a> ahead of the 2019-20 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I didn’t take it seriously until I started feeling pain.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was Keister who first advised Conteh, who is also a policewoman, to see a doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I don’t know where and when it happened but it was really painful.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Surgeons amputated Conteh’s leg in November last year. Once again, Keister was involved, breaking news of the decision to operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It was John who the doctor first told about how severe my condition was,” says a tearful Conteh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The best thing to do to save my life was to amputate my leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“When John called me on the phone and told me about it, I nearly collapsed. I can’t even explain how I felt at that moment<\/p>\n\n\n\n