Bafana no longer the whipping boys
Nfacilities we have at our disposal.
Phrases such as “if we had these kinds of grounds and stadiums in our country, our football teams would achieve great things” became common-place in conversations and interviews with fellow Africans.
So it was pretty depressing and even embarrassing for some of us in the past few years that our national teams had literally become a joke on the continent as we repeatedly failed to qualify for tournaments.
We had become like the rich fat kid who was useless on the pitch but always had the kick-about at his place because he was the only one who owned a ball. O LESS than seven countries can potentially win the Africa Cup of Nations that kicks off in Malabo tonight when hosts Equatorial Guinea take on Congo Brazzaville in the opening match.
It promises to be one of the most open tournaments of the biennial continental showpiece, which this year celebrates its 30th edition since it was first played back in 1957, contested by just three countries.
All of Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia are regarded by most as capable of lifting the title come February 8 in Malabo to replace absent Nigeria as the kings of African football.
But with the tournament being played in the tough conditions of west Africa surprises are highly likely as was the case three years ago when Zambia stunned the Ivorian Elephants to win the tournament Equatorial Guinea hosted with neighbours Gabon.
It makes for three weeks of unpredictable yet exciting football that will not be without shocks.
Back in 2012 when the tournament was played in that part of the world, many were stunned to see the much-fancied Senegal go home winless after three group matches.
The Lions of Teranga return to Equatorial Guinea a much stronger side and no doubt eager to make amends for that humiliation.
Fantastic in the qualifiers, the west Africans are capable of finally becoming African champions – their team looking frightening on paper. They have in Newcastle United’s Papiss Cisse a striker who can score at will while Stoke City’s Mame Biram also knows how to find the net.
“Oh, yes, you are only playing in the tournament because you are letting us use your stadiums,” some fellow Africans would taunt.
How glad am I that they can’t say that now!
Bafana Bafana return to continental football’s grandest table not only to fill the numbers but as serious contenders.
Did you hear that? Sounds somewhat surreal, doesn’t it? But it is true and it feels so good to say that it has to be said again. We are among the potential winners of the 30th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Granted it will take some Herculean task from Shakes Mashaba’s
And then there’s Southampton’s on-fire Sadio Omane as well as the highly experienced Demba Ba.
But it is Lokomotiv Moskow’s Dame Ndoye who will prove most dangerous for the likes of Bafana Bafana, Ghana and Algeria.
“Ndoye is listed as a striker in their squad, but he is a midfielder and his long passes are out of this world,” said AFP football correspondent David Legge. “He created both goals when they beat Egypt in the qualifiers – his passes splitting the defence to find their intended target needing only to slot past the goalkeeper.”
Not for wrong reasons is Bafana’s Group C ter med a “group of death” because both Ghana and Algeria are also potential winners.
The Black Stars have an amazing record in recent tournaments having reached the semi-finals of the last four editions.
In Andre Ayew and Asamoah Gyan they have great stars with the potential to take their team all the way. The big question is whether for mer Chelsea coach Avram Grant will have made enough impact on the team given he has only recently joined them.
Interestingly, though, Ghanaian soccer journalist David Kyei of the Ashante Kotoko Express doesn’t rate his country’s chances highly.
“Teams that parade too many Europebased ‘stars’ may look fanciful but player egos and indiscipline may cost them negatively. Ghana look a typical side to spew out such drama. I have a feeling that just as Zambia surprised in the 2012 edition, another least considered side will triumph. Cameroon, SA and Tunisia look hungrier especially with the infusion of younger players in their sides.”
Cameroon, in particular, have made a remarkable turnaround following their team to emulate Clive Barker’s Class of 1996. But the good thing is that Bafana are no longer the continent’s whipping boys.
Instead they are a respected outfit seen by most experts as well as the opposition as a team to be respected and taken seriously.
The midweek hammering of a Malian outfit that we had hitherto never beaten in three meetings – a team that had actually twice ended our Afcon participation – put the cherry on the top of a 10-match spell that has served to earn Bafana the respect they’d previously lost.
As premature as this is given that the true test of any team is really at World Cup debacle where players fought each other and battled the association for bonuses as the team suffered humiliating defeats.
But German coach Volke Finke stuck around when the local media called for his dismissal. His decision to sack the big name players and the retirement of Samuel Eto’o was perhaps the best thing to happen to the side that went unbeaten in the qualifiers, hammering the Ivory Coast 4-1 and holding them in Abidjan. The Indomitable Lions are definitely among the potential winners. Host nations often do well and it won’t be surprising if Equatorial Guinea are among the surprise packages.
The hosts clearly believe in leaving the best for last. Back in 2012 they hired a Brazilian coach 20 days before the tour nament started and they reached the quarter-finals.
They have done it again this time, and replaced Spanish legend Andoni Goixotea with Argentine Esteban Becker 11 days ago.
Perhaps they believe the less preparation their coach has the better chances of doing well. So who knows they might just get to the semi-final this time. tournament level, this feat has to be celebrated given where we come from.
For a country that last qualified for the biennial, continental event way back in 2008 booking a ticket for the tournament unbeaten and then maintaining the record for four matches thereafter, there is every good reason to feel on top of the world.
After all, we watched from the sidelines in both 2010 and 2012 having failed to qualify. We wouldn’t have participated in the 2013 (Caf moved the tournament to odd numbered years to stop it being hosted in a World Cup year) event, too, but did so as hosts – thanks