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Post by mwalimumkuu on Jan 22, 2012 2:51:28 GMT 3
The biggest African extravaganza is once more here with us.
Although our own Harambee stars was not able to appear after misadvised interference in its affairs by politicians, there is a huge African talent on show in the ongoing Orange Africa Cup of Nations co-hosted by the Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, the smallest countries to ever host the African soccer bonanza.
In the opening matches the hosts Equatorial Guinea beat Libya 1-0 while a very young Zambia side stunned a much more experienced Senegal side lead by the revered New Castle star Demba Ba 2-1.
Moving forward, analysts have argued that this year's tournament is one with a difference as there does not seem to be any outright favorites although Cote d'Ivoire starts with a much more known team.
Nonetheless, it promises to be a whole month of great entertainment.
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Post by jakaswanga on Jan 22, 2012 17:48:05 GMT 3
;)fellow teacher, Mine is a long lament about the decline of african football. Whereas individual players make it big --think essien, drogba, etoo, the individual nations are organisationally a disaster. I have been wondering why, until I read some investigative reports on the management of football by the various bodies allied to FIFA. A tale of corruption and ineptitude. And sometimes trying to treat adult super-stars like Etoo, like small boys. A european coach who resigned from an african country reports a general in the army gave him the line-up of the team to travel! featuring his tribesmen of no talent! And: did you know that some of the Togolese players injured in Cabinda last time the tournament was in Angola, were marooned in South African hospitals with nobody to pay the bills! [until a european branch of FIFA went Mother Teresa on them!] All indications were Cabinda was a war-zone with an active guerilla, and they should travel by air from Brazza. No money  Some of the big soccer nations like Nigeria did not qualify. Some of their big players have no motivation to play under certain conditions. And that the tournament is staged in Equitorial Guinea, with one of the worst human rights records at a time when the hope of freedom and better government has given us the term ARAB SPRING, is also a pointer to where we really are. I guess I will be watching Arsenal with old legs Thierry Henry returned! |
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Post by mzee on Jan 22, 2012 20:24:48 GMT 3
mwalimumkuu
I think that the favorites for this tournament are Ivory Coast and Ghana. These two will meet in the finals but Ghana will come out on top. This tournament is good in the sense that some of the big names as Nigeria and Cameroon are out and this simply means that the new comers can show their thing.
Jakaswanga, the problem with African football is organizational as you have pointed out but a large part is also financial. Most of our African brothers are as you rightly mentioned never paid well and if they are paid they get almost nothing. You really don’t expect a guy to play for free especially if he has to forfeit pay in his European club to play for the national team.
I have heard of international African players who are told to fund their own trips because they are playing and earning big money in Europe. Local players are often asked to travel by road for days to play in an international tournament, not because there is no money but because money has been squandered or the wrong people included in the team.
But with a little organisation we can be great. A good example is the Congolese club Mazembe TP which has done great things and whose tope players refuse to leave to play in Europe. The patron of the club who happens to be the governor of Katanga province pays the players well and treats them like human beings. Compare that to the Congo national team which suffers from all sorts of problems.
Another factor is ego on the part of the players. We have heard of African players who play in Europe think that they are so special the national coach (especially if local) cannot tell them anything. They insist on selecting the team, coming up with tactics etc. If a team has five of such people then it will not go anywhere.
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Jan 27, 2012 6:17:05 GMT 3
Mzee,
You seem to have your bet right on the money. Cote d'Voire and Ghana seem set for bigger things in the ACN.
Although not overly entertaining, there is nonetheless some good performance especially from the small teams such as Libya, Zambia etc.
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Post by mzee on Jan 27, 2012 6:31:22 GMT 3
Mwalimukmuu,
African football is often boring until the semi finals. Lets wait and see
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Feb 7, 2012 20:58:11 GMT 3
After a week and a half of entertaining soccer, the continent is gearing up for the semis this midweek as ZAMBIA takes on GHANA and COTE IVOIRE take on the tournament surprise team MALI.
It is beginning to look like a repeat of '92 (GHANA Vs. COTE d'IVOIRE) final come Sunday.
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Feb 8, 2012 21:40:04 GMT 3
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Feb 9, 2012 17:16:39 GMT 3
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Post by mzee on Feb 9, 2012 17:33:27 GMT 3
Mwalimumkuu,
I was surprised to see Ghana beaten. But they played poorly due to over confidence.
But I could not help notice how physical African football is.
Now that its Zambia and Ivory Coast, I don’t want to make any predictions.
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Feb 9, 2012 20:44:00 GMT 3
Mzee,
This confirms the whole held view that each tournament has its own black horse, Zambia has emerged as the dark horse here snatching the tag from Mali who were otherwise doing very well to the surprise of many.
And talk of a physical game, who would have thought that Zambia can and would out-muscle Ghana? It is beginning to look like a very interesting final we shall have.
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Post by mzee on Feb 11, 2012 10:29:55 GMT 3
I hope that Zambia wins this one. It would be a good change.
Fight for place number three is going to be interesting too.
Kenya must pull up It's socks
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Post by genius on Feb 11, 2012 11:15:47 GMT 3
Reminds me of 1994 when Zambia, after losing most of it's best players in a tragic plane accident, managed to rebuild in a matter of months and made it to the finals against Nigeria where the likes of Kalusha Bwalya were revealed. One wonders how far they would have gone if their team had not perished in that accident. This time Zambia have their best players available, they could do very well. And I don't think ZAmbia are underdogs, they have consistently been one of the best performing African teams over the past 20 years.
Ivory Coast are still looking very focused and on form. The team also has a lot of first-class players. If they maintain their discipline, this cup is theirs to do whatever they want with.
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Feb 11, 2012 23:57:22 GMT 3
Mali just produced another great performance beating Ghana 2-0. Cant comprehend what happened to Ghana in this tournament. It will be interesting to see what tactics the Zambians will employ against Ivory Coast. Meanwhile, one of the best tacticians in EPL Arsene Wenger says he is appalled by the standards of the Africa Cup tournament and the lack of enthusiasm among African fans. www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-africa-nations-has-disappointedInteresting. |
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Feb 13, 2012 1:27:25 GMT 3
Finally! Finally! Zambia get to lift the Africa Cup of Nations 19 years after their best ever team perished in that horrific plane accident.
Well done Chipolopolo!!
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Post by mzee on Feb 13, 2012 1:30:35 GMT 3
Finally! Finally! Zambia get to lift the Africa Cup of Nations 19 year after their best ever team perished in that horrific accident. I saw that last penalty a couple of seconds ago. I think they deserve the cup, they were the better side today. But the greatest thing is that they dont have "big" players from European team. Bravo Zambia! Where is harambee stars |
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Feb 13, 2012 1:33:40 GMT 3
Finally! Finally! Zambia get to lift the Africa Cup of Nations 19 year after their best ever team perished in that horrific accident. I saw that last penalty a couple of seconds ago. I think they deserve the cup, they were the better side today. But the greatest thing is that they dont have "big" players from European team. Bravo Zambia! Where is harambee stars I cant agree more, I think they have been the best team as a unit in the tournament. Their patience as a team as a nation gets pays at long last. The coach kept confidence with home boys and they did not let him down. Harambee Stars should take note for sure. |
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Post by mzee on Feb 13, 2012 1:50:47 GMT 3
Mwalimumkuu,
It was organization and team feeling that saw these guys through. No ego, just playing for Zambia.
Can you imagine that both drogba and traore missed to convert penalties?
This match was entertaining begining to end.
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Post by mugabe on Feb 13, 2012 1:54:05 GMT 3
Fate was with the Chipolopolo (Zambia). In the Semis Asamoah Gyan missed as pen, today Drogba missed a pen in regular play. Zambia knocked out the three favourites of the tournament, Senegal (Demba Ba, Cisse), Ghana (Gyan and Ayew) and Ivory Coast (Drogba and Co). It was destiny. The fallen comrades of 1993 are remembered in style.
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Post by adongo23456 on Feb 13, 2012 2:00:30 GMT 3
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Post by job on Feb 13, 2012 2:48:55 GMT 3
The shoot-out was breath-taking! Kudos Chipolopolo
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Post by Titchaz on Feb 13, 2012 10:24:08 GMT 3
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Post by Titchaz on Feb 13, 2012 10:55:18 GMT 3
Memories from the tournament... The mascot: |
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Post by Titchaz on Feb 13, 2012 10:57:05 GMT 3
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Post by Titchaz on Feb 13, 2012 10:59:48 GMT 3
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Post by Titchaz on Feb 13, 2012 11:01:51 GMT 3
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