In several hours the Africa Cup of Nations will begin and I for one am very excited. This competition always brings out some of the more colourful and eccentric sides of the game. From the style of play to the style of fans the competition often descends into a maelstrom of noise, passion and exuberant displays of emotion. I do grow tired of the dancing celebrations so seemingly popular with the goalscorers of teams on the continent but I'm sure its something I can live with for the all the great idiosyncrasies I enjoy about the competition.
The games are usually played at a frenetic and erratic pace and the combination of quite average goalkeeping in comparison to the quality of some of the attacking forces available and red cards due to corresponding tackle to pace of the game ratio makes everything far more interesting.
I think interesting is the best word to describe this year’s edition with several high profile nations missing out on qualification. The powerhouses of African football such as Nigeria, Cameroon and 7 time winners Egypt have all failed to qualify. Not to mention 3 teams who have played in the last 2 World Cup finals, Togo, Algeria and South Africa. That leaves the competition wide open this time around but who makes up the unique mix of cultures and footballing styles this year and who has a chance of winning?
The Ivory Coast are generally believed to be the favourites for this year’s competition. With Egypt missing they must think this themselves and who can blame them. With Yaya and Kolo Toure, Didier Drogba, Gervinho, Salomon Kalou and Cheick Tiote amongst their team they have 6 Premier League stars and have to be considered the favourites for this simple fact. However they could be considered weak in depth at the back and from memory their goalkeeper was extremely questionable. They have also got the reputation of suffering from stage fright; the yips if you like at major tournaments and as an Englishmen it is easy to understand the affect that can have on a team.
Ghana are also present and have been the most successful African team on the international circuit over the last few years. Sturdy at the back and potent up front in the form of Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew in my opinion Ghana are in fact the team to beat. Two years ago a Black Star side shorn of many of their brightest stars through injury, suspension and internal strife made the final and lost to Egypt, again with the absence of The Pharaohs, Ghana may feel their chances of winning are increased on this occasion.
Senegal are also a threat after a few years out of the sunset there is clearly light on the horizon and they possibly boast the scariest strike force at this year’s competition. Fierce, fast and frightening in front of goal Senegal have Newcastle’s Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, Lille’s clinical Moussa Sow, Copenhagen’s talented Dame N’Doye and Fenerbahce’s Issiar Dia and his former teammate in Turkey, captain, Mamadou Niang to call on to fill just 3 striking berths. There attacking prowess may prove difficult to balance defensively; however they possibly boast the best goalkeeper at the competition, Bouna Coundoul, and with Souleymane Diawara of Marseille at centre half they could be serious contenders this time around.
The last 4 tournaments have been won by teams in the Arab North of Africa so the credentials of Morocco and Tunisia, respective finalists in 2004 must be underlined. Morocco may be without Dutch based goal machine Mounir El Hamdaoui but have a solid spine to their team in the shape of Udinese’s Mehdi Benatia, who is my tip for the revelation of the tournament, Fiorentina’s Houssine Kharja and Maraoune Chamakh of Arsenal. Ably assisted by talented, if not mercurial players such as Adel Taarabt and Mbark Boussoufa it’s hard not to see Morocco as the 4th favourites but Tunisia have a team that has played together for many years now, with very few of their team under 20 caps internationally and the potent Jemaa up front, whose goal scoring record at this level is most likely the best in the tournament.
It’s hard to see beyond those 5 teams as potential winners, with very few of the other teams having recent experience at success at this level. Mali, Angola and Guinea have a few talented members of their squads capable of pulling off a shock or two no doubt; and the 2 host nations Equatorial Guinea and Gabon will hope to put home advantage to the test with their crop of players. The former have some dangerous Spanish based players in Balboa, Bodipo and Bolado, the three B’s may form a potent attacking force and they could cause an upset against any cocksure teams. Gabon have Daniel Cousin, Stephane N’Guema and another one to watch in Pierre Aubameyang, the former Milan talent has a ferocious shot and a wicked turn of pace. There are of course some great stories as always with this year’s competition. Libya have qualified amongst an almost unthinkable backdrop of civil war and many neutrals may take The Mediterranean Knights on board as they try to shed the years of vitriol guided onto them by the Gaddafi regime with a proud display. Sudan compete as a united nation for the last time before their North/ South divide is confirmed by FIFA and will again hope to make it memorable. Burkina Faso, Zambia, Botswana and the fortunate Niger (fortunate as the Bafana Bafana’s poor knowledge of the rules helped them qualify) make up the rest, and I won’t pretend my extensive knowledge stretches as far as to know much about these nations, but that’s what the cup is for; a chance to see these teams and players on the global stage perhaps for the only time. Undoubtedly a few shocks will occur a few players will make a name for themselves but above all everyone will have a good time, after all isn’t that what football is about.
African Nations Ramble
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