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African Comment: No African Challenge For The 2010 World Cup
Awenlimobor Sylvester takes a critical look at the African World Cup challenge, and is not pleased with what he sees.
Feb 19, 2010 8:00:00 PM
By Awenlimobor Sylvester
With less than four months left before the start of the much anticipated 2010 World Cup, to be hosted for the first time on African soil, the hitherto widespread optimism over the chances of the participating African teams has waned pretty fast, especially after their performances at the recent African Nations Cup in Angola.
Before the start of the 2010 AFCON, there was so much hullabaloo about the strength in-depth of the Elephants of Ivory Coast, the speed and craftiness of the Desert Foxes of Algeria, the rugged tenacity of the Black Stars of Ghana, the experience and doggedness of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and the tactfulness of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. But after the tournament, all of these lovely descriptions were thrown out of the window and the nakedness of Africa’s representatives to the biggest soccer event on the globe has suddenly been laid bare for all to see.
Two Of The Favorites Battle It Out
The optimists must have been spurred on by the triumph of the continent’s representatives at the two FIFA age-grade competitions hosted in Egypt and Nigeria.
With Ghana winning the FIFA U-20 trophy in Egypt and the Nigerian “Golden Eaglets” getting to the final of the FIFA U-17 tourney on home soil, the inherent superstition that pervades the land took over the majority of soccer-loving Africans, but after the dismal performance by the World Cup-bound teams at the African Nations Cup, that confidence appears to have thinned out.
It would be wise to note that Africa has always done well at age-grade competitions, albeit through age cheating at times, but we have not been consistent at the senior World Cup and unless something drastic is done, the trend seems set to continue. Several of the teams are without coaches just a few months before the tournament, while the others have their coaches under severe pressure.
IVORY COAST
The Elephants Disappointed
The Ivory Coast were by far the biggest letdowns of all the World Cup-bound teams, given that more was expected from them than of any of the other four participating at the tournament. The Ivorian side lacked cohesion as a team, and a couple of players performed well below the level they had been known to exhibit at their various European club sides.
The tragedy of this apoplectic display by the Ivorians was embodied in the dourness with which they took to most of their matches at the biennial tournament, barely exciting the expectant crowd that had come to see the 'star-studded' west African side finally display their much talked about potentials. This was not to be yet again!
Several Ivorian fans are questioning the commitment of some of their big stars, especially Didier Drogba, who could only muster a single goal during the competition but immediately went on a scoring spree when he returned to his English club side Chelsea.
Coach Vahid Halilhodzic’s job is also under great threat at present, with the FIF (Ivory Coast Football Federation) reportedly lining up Frenchman Philippe Troussier, popularly referred to as the “white witch doctor”, to take over from the Bosnian tactician. Unfortunately, this has put a great dent in the ability of the team to progress far at the World Cup, as the new coach would have to start instilling his principles and philosophies from scratch.
With current world champions Brazil and European powerhouse Portugal in the same group as Cote D’Ivoire, their chances of them making it past the first round just got a whole lot slimmer. They will definitely need more than some “witch doctor’s” voodoo to upstage Brazil, Portugal and even the pacey and gritty North Korean team.
The FIF should be decisive and expedient in its decisions regarding the technical crew of the team. This would help create enough time for whoever is in charge to tinker the team back into shape.
CAMEROON
More Was Expected Of Samuel Eto'o
Just following the trails of the Ivorian side are the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, who had, prior to the start of the 2010 ANC, been experiencing a rejuvenation of fortunes under new coach Paul Le Guen, after suffering a poor start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
On paper the Lions were one of the teams tipped to lift the trophy in Angola. Unfortunately their roar was far louder than their bite, and in their opening game the Lions were domesticated by a less-fancied Gabonese side.
The doggedness that had typified the Cameroonian side over the years was the only attribute retained by the central Africans, they had lost their fluidity in passing, and more worrisome was the fact that they had lost their characteristic air-tight defense. The Lions were able to muster only one win throughout their stay at the tournament in Angola.
Luckily for the Cameroonians, the Football Federation is not contemplating changing the technical crew like most of the other African teams. But the team is in dire need of young and fit players, as the majority of the players that constitute the current team already have an expiry date tag that reads “after the World Cup”.
The Cameroon side literally labored throughout the tournament. With the performance of the Lions at Angola, it would be very difficult to see them going past the Netherlands and even Denmark.
NIGERIA
The Super Eagles Need To Improve
The “Super” Eagles of Nigeria played perhaps the most unentertaining brand of football of any of the participating teams at the tournament in Angola. With a contingent that was constituted of mostly injured and unfit players, the team was more of a rehabilitation camp than a side wishing to seriously challenge for a title.
Undoubtedly, Nigeria still boasts top class players from several club sides in Europe, but much like their compatriots from the Ivory Coast and Cameroon, the players were just listless in their performance. With the exception of a few dedicated players, the display from the majority of the team players was sallow and insipid; churning out less than average performances for a Nigerian team that has now unfortunately been rechristened “Super Chickens”.
Though they eventually grabbed their seventh third-place finish at the competition, it was one of their most disappointing outings ever. One wonders what a player like Nwankwo Kanu (a striker who has not scored a single goal in six ANC outings) still has to offer the team. Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Joseph Yobo and Obinna Nwaneri are also fast losing relevance.
The coaching crew of the team was recently relieved of its duties, albeit after much dilly-dallying, and the search for a new coach has been turned into a village tea party. All is not looking well at present for one of Africa’s brightest hopes. Diego Maradona will probably be chewing on his Cuban and smiling at the confusion in the Nigerian camp, and Otto Rehhagel will probably be doing the same.
ALGERIA
World Cup-Bound Algeria Fell To Egypt
The Fennecs of Algeria perhaps were not touted to lift the African Nations Cup, but after that historic victory against the Pharaohs of Egypt in Tripoli, the African continent had had their expectations of the Desert Foxes raised.
All that hope waned after the Flames of Malawi thrashed the Algerians 3-0 in their opening fixture, and aside from their quarter-final game against the Ivory Coast, the Algerians were rather passive throughout the tournament.
Coach Saadane Rabah, like several other national team coaches on the continent, is under pressure at the moment, and runs the risk of not guiding the team to South Africa. Considering the manner in which his team crumbled and fell apart to the Egyptians in the semi-final of the AFCON, he surely has to be under pressure.
The Algerians play football like a faulty light bulb, switching on and off when they will. With England and the USA already tipped to qualify from group C of the World Cup, the Algerians are perhaps seeking to complete the numbers, and further dim Africa’s hope of a first World Cup trophy.
GHANA
Ghana Give Hope To The African World Cup Challenge
The Black Stars of Ghana were by far the most impressive of all the World Cup-bound teams at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite parading a host of young players who had just won the FIFA World Youth Championship in Egypt in 2009, and missing key players in Appiah, Pantsil, Mensah and Muntari, the Ghanaians fought their way to the final of the tournament and only narrowly lost to the Pharaohs of Egypt in the final.
Whilst we must applaud the heroics of the Serbian coach of the team, Milo Rajavac, and his charges, it would only do us good to point out the obvious lack of inexperience in the team, and the probable confusion that might arise from the synchronization of the young and old.
Rajavac, despite his achievements in Angola, has to contend with heavy criticism from the Ghanaian press, who are questioning his ability to read games properly and make the right substitutions at the right times.
Even players like Michael Essien and goalkeeper Sammy Adjei have openly confronted the coach’s tactics. There is now a strong clamor for the inclusion of Sellas Tetteh as a joint coach with Milo for the World Cup, a potential 'keg of gunpowder' situation if you ask me.
Rajavac also has to contend with the high rate of indiscipline in the Ghanaian team, with the supposed “stars” of the team misbehaving regularly and failing to honor invitations for matches.
The Black Stars of Ghana have their work cut out against the highly experienced German national team and the Serbians, not ruling out the much improved Australian team also. If they are to get past the first stage of the competition, they have to settle their internal squabbles.
SOUTH AFRICA
Hosts Hoping Home Support Will Do The Trick
The Bafana Bafana side is arguably the weakest side Africa will be parading at the World Cup. Despite being the host country, many African soccer pundits do not give the South Africans much of a chance, and I do not differ.
The team has a serious goalscoring problem, and the defense has not improved much since the second coming of Carlos Alberto Parreira. The team needs quality players, and until that condition is fulfilled, South Africa will only be increasing the number of African teams at the finals.
The possibility of an African team lifting the 2010 World Cup had hitherto been echoed by several sports personalities around the globe. Sepp Blatter, Saintfiet, Pele, Steve McClaren, even on the African continent legends such as George Weah and Abedi Pele had openly declared that this is the time for an African victory.
But with the present realities and the foreseeable challenges of administration in countries like Nigeria and Ghana, the challenges facing that African dream has doubled in size and the chances have dimmed greatly.
Talk all things soccer with the rest of our readers in the Goal.com Forums
Before the start of the 2010 AFCON, there was so much hullabaloo about the strength in-depth of the Elephants of Ivory Coast, the speed and craftiness of the Desert Foxes of Algeria, the rugged tenacity of the Black Stars of Ghana, the experience and doggedness of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and the tactfulness of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. But after the tournament, all of these lovely descriptions were thrown out of the window and the nakedness of Africa’s representatives to the biggest soccer event on the globe has suddenly been laid bare for all to see.
Two Of The Favorites Battle It Out
The optimists must have been spurred on by the triumph of the continent’s representatives at the two FIFA age-grade competitions hosted in Egypt and Nigeria.
With Ghana winning the FIFA U-20 trophy in Egypt and the Nigerian “Golden Eaglets” getting to the final of the FIFA U-17 tourney on home soil, the inherent superstition that pervades the land took over the majority of soccer-loving Africans, but after the dismal performance by the World Cup-bound teams at the African Nations Cup, that confidence appears to have thinned out.
It would be wise to note that Africa has always done well at age-grade competitions, albeit through age cheating at times, but we have not been consistent at the senior World Cup and unless something drastic is done, the trend seems set to continue. Several of the teams are without coaches just a few months before the tournament, while the others have their coaches under severe pressure.
IVORY COAST
The Elephants Disappointed
The Ivory Coast were by far the biggest letdowns of all the World Cup-bound teams, given that more was expected from them than of any of the other four participating at the tournament. The Ivorian side lacked cohesion as a team, and a couple of players performed well below the level they had been known to exhibit at their various European club sides.
The tragedy of this apoplectic display by the Ivorians was embodied in the dourness with which they took to most of their matches at the biennial tournament, barely exciting the expectant crowd that had come to see the 'star-studded' west African side finally display their much talked about potentials. This was not to be yet again!
Several Ivorian fans are questioning the commitment of some of their big stars, especially Didier Drogba, who could only muster a single goal during the competition but immediately went on a scoring spree when he returned to his English club side Chelsea.
Coach Vahid Halilhodzic’s job is also under great threat at present, with the FIF (Ivory Coast Football Federation) reportedly lining up Frenchman Philippe Troussier, popularly referred to as the “white witch doctor”, to take over from the Bosnian tactician. Unfortunately, this has put a great dent in the ability of the team to progress far at the World Cup, as the new coach would have to start instilling his principles and philosophies from scratch.
With current world champions Brazil and European powerhouse Portugal in the same group as Cote D’Ivoire, their chances of them making it past the first round just got a whole lot slimmer. They will definitely need more than some “witch doctor’s” voodoo to upstage Brazil, Portugal and even the pacey and gritty North Korean team.
The FIF should be decisive and expedient in its decisions regarding the technical crew of the team. This would help create enough time for whoever is in charge to tinker the team back into shape.
CAMEROON
More Was Expected Of Samuel Eto'o
Just following the trails of the Ivorian side are the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, who had, prior to the start of the 2010 ANC, been experiencing a rejuvenation of fortunes under new coach Paul Le Guen, after suffering a poor start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
On paper the Lions were one of the teams tipped to lift the trophy in Angola. Unfortunately their roar was far louder than their bite, and in their opening game the Lions were domesticated by a less-fancied Gabonese side.
The doggedness that had typified the Cameroonian side over the years was the only attribute retained by the central Africans, they had lost their fluidity in passing, and more worrisome was the fact that they had lost their characteristic air-tight defense. The Lions were able to muster only one win throughout their stay at the tournament in Angola.
Luckily for the Cameroonians, the Football Federation is not contemplating changing the technical crew like most of the other African teams. But the team is in dire need of young and fit players, as the majority of the players that constitute the current team already have an expiry date tag that reads “after the World Cup”.
The Cameroon side literally labored throughout the tournament. With the performance of the Lions at Angola, it would be very difficult to see them going past the Netherlands and even Denmark.
NIGERIA
The Super Eagles Need To Improve
The “Super” Eagles of Nigeria played perhaps the most unentertaining brand of football of any of the participating teams at the tournament in Angola. With a contingent that was constituted of mostly injured and unfit players, the team was more of a rehabilitation camp than a side wishing to seriously challenge for a title.
Undoubtedly, Nigeria still boasts top class players from several club sides in Europe, but much like their compatriots from the Ivory Coast and Cameroon, the players were just listless in their performance. With the exception of a few dedicated players, the display from the majority of the team players was sallow and insipid; churning out less than average performances for a Nigerian team that has now unfortunately been rechristened “Super Chickens”.
Though they eventually grabbed their seventh third-place finish at the competition, it was one of their most disappointing outings ever. One wonders what a player like Nwankwo Kanu (a striker who has not scored a single goal in six ANC outings) still has to offer the team. Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Joseph Yobo and Obinna Nwaneri are also fast losing relevance.
The coaching crew of the team was recently relieved of its duties, albeit after much dilly-dallying, and the search for a new coach has been turned into a village tea party. All is not looking well at present for one of Africa’s brightest hopes. Diego Maradona will probably be chewing on his Cuban and smiling at the confusion in the Nigerian camp, and Otto Rehhagel will probably be doing the same.
ALGERIA
World Cup-Bound Algeria Fell To Egypt
The Fennecs of Algeria perhaps were not touted to lift the African Nations Cup, but after that historic victory against the Pharaohs of Egypt in Tripoli, the African continent had had their expectations of the Desert Foxes raised.
All that hope waned after the Flames of Malawi thrashed the Algerians 3-0 in their opening fixture, and aside from their quarter-final game against the Ivory Coast, the Algerians were rather passive throughout the tournament.
Coach Saadane Rabah, like several other national team coaches on the continent, is under pressure at the moment, and runs the risk of not guiding the team to South Africa. Considering the manner in which his team crumbled and fell apart to the Egyptians in the semi-final of the AFCON, he surely has to be under pressure.
The Algerians play football like a faulty light bulb, switching on and off when they will. With England and the USA already tipped to qualify from group C of the World Cup, the Algerians are perhaps seeking to complete the numbers, and further dim Africa’s hope of a first World Cup trophy.
GHANA
Ghana Give Hope To The African World Cup Challenge
The Black Stars of Ghana were by far the most impressive of all the World Cup-bound teams at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite parading a host of young players who had just won the FIFA World Youth Championship in Egypt in 2009, and missing key players in Appiah, Pantsil, Mensah and Muntari, the Ghanaians fought their way to the final of the tournament and only narrowly lost to the Pharaohs of Egypt in the final.
Whilst we must applaud the heroics of the Serbian coach of the team, Milo Rajavac, and his charges, it would only do us good to point out the obvious lack of inexperience in the team, and the probable confusion that might arise from the synchronization of the young and old.
Rajavac, despite his achievements in Angola, has to contend with heavy criticism from the Ghanaian press, who are questioning his ability to read games properly and make the right substitutions at the right times.
Even players like Michael Essien and goalkeeper Sammy Adjei have openly confronted the coach’s tactics. There is now a strong clamor for the inclusion of Sellas Tetteh as a joint coach with Milo for the World Cup, a potential 'keg of gunpowder' situation if you ask me.
Rajavac also has to contend with the high rate of indiscipline in the Ghanaian team, with the supposed “stars” of the team misbehaving regularly and failing to honor invitations for matches.
The Black Stars of Ghana have their work cut out against the highly experienced German national team and the Serbians, not ruling out the much improved Australian team also. If they are to get past the first stage of the competition, they have to settle their internal squabbles.
SOUTH AFRICA
Hosts Hoping Home Support Will Do The Trick
The Bafana Bafana side is arguably the weakest side Africa will be parading at the World Cup. Despite being the host country, many African soccer pundits do not give the South Africans much of a chance, and I do not differ.
The team has a serious goalscoring problem, and the defense has not improved much since the second coming of Carlos Alberto Parreira. The team needs quality players, and until that condition is fulfilled, South Africa will only be increasing the number of African teams at the finals.
The possibility of an African team lifting the 2010 World Cup had hitherto been echoed by several sports personalities around the globe. Sepp Blatter, Saintfiet, Pele, Steve McClaren, even on the African continent legends such as George Weah and Abedi Pele had openly declared that this is the time for an African victory.
But with the present realities and the foreseeable challenges of administration in countries like Nigeria and Ghana, the challenges facing that African dream has doubled in size and the chances have dimmed greatly.
Talk all things soccer with the rest of our readers in the Goal.com Forums
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