Germany 2006: Africa's Lethargic Challenge

By

opeyemiajala@yahoo.com

On Friday, 26th May,2006, I was asked on a BBC Sports programme for the team I’ll be supporting for the mundial, and my answer was forthright as I pronounced the Italia Azzuris, and I was proved right on 9th July as the centurion Fabio Cannavaro raised aloft the coveted World Cup trophy to the joy of attacking football purist after the shootout victory over the French Les Blues san the dismissed Zinedane Zidane who repeated an act already exhibited while stamping on Saudi skipper Faud Amin in a group match on the way to a victorious campaign in 1998 and head butting Hamburg’s Jochen Kientz in the course of a champions league match an act of madness dubbed as the uncontrollable ‘Mediterranean character’ by ex captain Didier Deschamps, the new Juventus Coach ,an exit not even the legendary Williams Shakespeare would have dared scripted for the retired Zizzou.

However, it is pertinent to x-ray Africa’s performance in the month long tourney as the Italia victory at the 18th edition of the FIFA World makes it a 9-9 win situation for Europe and South America with no slot for the other continents and rather appalling as Africa as a continent is yet to produce a semi-finalist in the 76 years of the competition, a feat already attained by lesser endowed Asia Continent courtesy of the South Koreans. Ever since the Pharaohs of Egypt made Africa’s debut in 1934 with a 2-4 loss to the Hungarians in Italy, the tradition of losing at the mundial has become the rule rather than exception and any win for an African side is labelled a ‘shock’ ,’upset’ and other inferior derogatory adjectives as witnessed from the Tunisian Carthage Eagles landmark epic victory for the continent in 1978.The unimpressive resume of the continent’s flag bearers could be pinned down to a variety of factors ranging from inferiority complex, limited ambitions, an example of Tunisian Chedli Abdel focus on their last group fixture against the Ukrainians after a disappointing draw with the Saudis in the opening match and losing focus against the second group fixture with the Spaniards as if the Spaniards are untouchables!, administrative ineptitude and questionable officiating which is now not only an African problem. While one is not making excuses for the absence of the continental heavyweights, because you are only as good as your last result, a bench mark failed by the ‘veterans’ which paved way for the debutants who truly deserve their slots on the global stage. The ever recurring Achilles heel of Africa that functions with the regularity of an heartbeat remains inferiority complex which makes the continent’s contingents more contented and fulfilled once they can earn a ‘respectable’ loss that is not as ‘scandalous’ as the 0-9 dubbing of Late Mobutu’s then reigning African Champions Zairean leopards by the now dismembered Yugoslavia which components, the now fractured Serbia and Montenegro had a slice of 0-6 bashing from Argentina inspite of an intimidating record of conceding just a goal in 10 qualifying matches enroute Germany. The lack of self belief which informed the predictive and tasking negative tactics adopted by the continents contingents as evident by the lone striker formation adapted by Frenchman Henri Michel in the opener against the Argies inspite of the embarrassment of attacking talents at his disposal, which should make any manager green with envy and if only well utilised would have made the Ivoriens the only team capable of beating the Argies in regulation time. The Angolans were also guilty as 2001 AYC MVP, Manuel Pedro Mantorras was relegated to the bench for a less pragmatic philosophy of employing only Akwa upfront all in a bid to avoid a re-enactment of the 1-5,0-6 previous thumping by the Portuguese ex colonial masters, whereas the ‘slim’ 0-1 loss and Zaire’s 0-9 amassed the same zero point. The Togolese were more interested in a ‘gratuity’ pay off than the competition believing this was going to be a first and last appearance for the generation of the current crop of players and were no doubt aided by the administrative malaise that found success too much a commodity to package causing money which love for is the root of all evil and thus becoming an inherent feature of Sub Saharan African side in major championships to mess up the Togolese campaign with no point. The Tunisians Euro style only confirms Africa breakthrough from that hemisphere points in the longitudinal direction of the more aggressive Moroccan Atlas Lions, while the Ghanaians, the continent’s bride in Germany only paid for the lame attack a replica of the Serghino’s sin in an extremely talented Brazilian squad in Espana 82, but their performance clearly boosted the French confidence in going to the last eight against the Brazilians As the focus shifts to the continents via South Africa for the 2010 edition, it is time for the continent to make a statement and take a cue from the German host that had to rebuild from the ashes of Euro 2004 disastrous outing and stop glorifying mediocrity in the form of brave display, commendable effort, respectable loss, et la which produced just 3 wins,3 draws and 10 losses and one hopes with an unprecedented six representatives, anything less than a semi-final slot from 2 of the continent’s sides should be tagged a failure on the pitch irrespective of the Success of the pitch as it is most certain, and that the South Africans will not become the first host to exit at the group stage before the knock-out phase, but only a stitch in time saves