AFRICAN PERFORMANCES AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP

Many soccer fans on the African continent will find it difficult to understand why the performance of African teams at the FIFA world cup has been nothing good to write about since its inception in 1930 where Uruguay hosted and won the maiden tournament.

Prior to the era where FIFA only gave a single slot to now where the African qualifying region has secured five slots, no African country has made it to the semi-finals stage. The story has always been “we nearly made it”.

In the 1990 world cup, Cameroon nearly secured a semi-final ticket in their quarter-final game against England, but two penalties awarded to the latter dashed the dreams of the Africans. Many Africans were not enthused by the two penalties awarded to the English, but a clear view of the situation suggests the referee was right. 

However, four years later it was a disaster for the Indomitable Lions as they failed to qualify from the group.

In 2002, The Teranga Lions of Senegal took Africa and the world by storm as they emerged runners-up in that same year Africa cup of Nations. They defied all odds to beat the then defending champions France by a lone goal in the 2002 FIFA world cup which was co-hosted by South Korea-Japan. 

Again, the story still remained; Senegal nearly made it to the semi-finals. In their quarter finals game against Turkey, the Teranga Lions scored but was disallowed only for their hearts to be broken in the last minute of second half of extra-time.

In 2006 world cup in Germany, Ghana chalked success in the football circles as being the only African side to be part of the second round. 

Again, as the African story at the world cup had remained; the mighty hand of Suarez denied the Black Stars for semi-final berth which could have been the best ever performance by any African team at the 2010 world cup in South Africa.

As the 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil is ongoing, the same song is being sung by Africans. One of the main reasons responsible for our inability to doing well is poor defending and lack of concentration. 

In the Black Stars game against the United States, bad defending contributed for our defeat. Ivory Coast’s second goal they conceded against South American side Columbia is also as a result of this. Algeria too cannot be ruled out from bad defending.

The bane of Cameroon at the 2014 FIFA world cup is as a result of indiscipline among players and lack of cohesion. It was disappointing when Totternham Hotspur's defender Assou Ekoto head butted his team mate Benjamin Mukandjo after the Croatian game where they lost by 4-0. 

This coupled with the silly red card attracted by Barcelona midfielder Alexander Song really cost his team.

It has always been the mindset of many African players that no African team had ever been part of the last four; thus they enter the competition aiming to go to semi-finals. Argentine soccer legend Diego Amando Maradona said in an interview that he had a dream: to play at the world cup and to win it. Such mentality clearly surpasses the mindset of African.

Winning the world cup by any African side is achievable, but we have to put our houses in order first before thinking of such a dream. We should be ready to deal with indiscipline in our teams, bad defending, disunity and the will power to assign the head coaching job to an African as few nations have done. This will open the way for African teams to perform at the world cup.

LET’S CRITICISE KWASI APPIAH CONSTRUCTIVELY

Black Stars Coach, Dr. Kwasi Appiah

Many soccer fans, pundits and connoisseurs of the football fraternity heavily poured their hearts out on the head coach of the Black Stars Dr. James Kwasi Appiah and the technical team after they lost their opening FIFA world cup 2014 game to the United States as most believed the coach’s poor selection contributed to the defeat.

Some criticisms from a section of Ghanaian journalists and various soccer analysts after the match were basically out of contest as some said they could even manage the team better than the coach.

Criticisms are good, but doing it constructively and in a healthy manner enables him to evaluate his shortfalls, learn from his previous mistakes to enable him come out with something unique afterwards. Baseless criticisms such as the post match comments bring the morale of the team down; have psychological disadvantage on the boys and subsequently give the opponents a competitive edge.

However, our second group G encounter against the DFB- Team of Germany clearly sent strong signals to his critics which has vindicated his capacity as being a good coach; hence, the need to criticize him constructively which will help to bring the best from him.

He might have made some tactical mistakes in our first game, but he was quick to rectify the situation before the German match which has earned the country respect. Losing to the United States of America should not be a worry to Ghanaians because some football power houses such as the defending champions Spain are already out of the competition with a game to spur.

At this crucial point, what the head coach needs most is our total support and encouragement considering that he put on a different attire during the second match as compared to that of US where he worn suit. This situation suggests clearly that there was pressure on him to win the game. Another record would have been made if the Stars had beaten the Germans as Algeria remains the only African side to beat them 2-1 at the world cup.

Already, the west and even our local media are somehow silent on the records chalked by our danger man Asamoah Gyan at the world cup. He is the only African player now to score in three successions at the world’s most prestigious tournament and has also equaled the record set by legendary Cameroonian star, Roger Milla for scoring 5 world cup goals.

Majority of soccer fans I spoke with after the match admitted that the Black Stars played exceptionally well and were unlucky not to have had a win. They were also optimistic the team would qualify for the second round and progress to make the nation proud once again.

World Cup Preview: Germany vs. Ghana

If revenge is anything to go by, then the Black Stars must have only one thing at the back of their minds,- winning tonight encounter- in to brighten their chances of qualifying to the second round in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

At 19 hours GMT, Fortaleza will be the venue to host tonight crucial encounter as the Black Stars lost their opening group game to the United States whiles Germany comfortable sits on top after trashing Portugal in their first game.

Already tipped to progress from the group by pundits and connoisseurs of the football fraternity worldwide, the Germans are aware that since the 2006 world cup where they hosted, they had found it difficult to winning their second group games. Thus, this time around, they are leaving no stone unturned. In the FIFA 2006 soccer fiesta, they struggled to beat Poland by a lone goal whiles in South Africa 2010, they lost to the side Ghana had beaten in the opening game, Serbia by the same goal margin.

Apart from the battle on the pitch, there will be family reunion as the two half brothers, Kevin Prince Boateng and Jerome Boateng will get the opportunity to play and meet each other after their first international meeting on the pitch in the last tourney.

A lot of Ghanaians were not enthused with the selection brought up by the head coach Kwasi Appiah in our first game. This time around many soccer fans are yearning for a good selection to at least salvage a draw. Many of the fans I have spoken with, have lost hope in the team’s prospects whiles few die hard supporters still believe the Black Stars will go for the ultimate.

On paper, the Black Stars are considered losers, but the fact that Costa Rica has beaten two former world champions, Uruguay and Italy, sends strong signals to the Germans to be wary of the Black Stars. In South Africa 2010 for instance, the Germans had to beat Ghana in the last group game to qualify for the knock-out stage of the tournament.

The black Stars on the other hand, know that only a win makes their chances brighter of a second round berth in the competition as they quest to make Ghana and the rest of Africa proud once again. The streets of Accra are somehow calm as compared to the first game where many thought the stars would win.

Another defeat to the Black Stars does not only mean the stars may not progress, but a record of downturn in the economic activities in the country as football is seen as the passion of the nation. Knowing this at the back of their minds, many Ghanaian soccer loving fans believe the stars must go for the kill to fuel our passion. Go Black Stars, go for win.

             

WORLD CUP: Did Multimedia serve their interests rather than its audience?

 Majority of users of Multimedia’s Multi TV could be disappointed as the media giant failed to secure the Brazil 2014 FIFA world cup viewing rights t which could have enabled its viewers enjoy the matches on their decoders.

There are a number of areas in the country where getting good signals of stations such as Ghana Television (GTV) and others showing the matches is very difficult.  So, an option, perhaps the only way some people might get to watch these memorable matches live and in crystal clear pictures is on Multi-TV.

Unfortunately, some viewers in such situation have to watch the matches at friends’ places who use DSTV or get clear pictures of stations viewing the matches because such stations on the Multi-TV “Digi-boxes” are off.

Many are the people in some parts of Weija in Accra I spoke with were really disappointed in the Multimedia group for failing to view the matches on their Joy Sports channel. Yesterday for instance, a caller vented his spleen concerning this issue during the hottest sports show, “Fire for Fire” on Adom TV and he was immediately taken off.

Another TV on the Multi-TV decoder, Kesben TV also telecast about four matches and stopped after they had informed the audience they were doing all they can to show “all” matches live.

What I seek to put across is that, Multi-TV should have prioritized telecasting the world cup matches before thinking of sending their contingents to Brazil. For instance, two days after the Black Stars have lost their opening match to the United States, Joy Sports and Joy News showed a preview of the match and how fans were preparing for the big game (I stand for correction). So far as we lost, a preview for that particular game at that time may not do us any good.

This piece is not meant to ridicule anyone or any organization but to put forward what some people feel in their disappointment for not getting the world cup matches to watch on their Muti-TV decoder.

Costa Rica: The Giant killers

After beating Luis Suarez’s Uruguay where may soccer pundits were shocked after the full time, Costa Rica have taking the lead in group D in the ongoing FIFA world cup by beaten The Azurees of Italy by a lone goal and ensuring that the chances of England to qualify for the second round becomes a dream.

Their marks man Bryan Ruiz broke the deadlock on the 44th minute as he headed the ball home to ensure that his country gets a ticket to the second round. The former Fulham striker watched his effort hit the crossbar and bounced over the line as goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was beaten to the ball. Goal-line technology confirmed the decision.

Italian striker Mario Balotelli had several chances before the half hour mark but could not barry the ball. This means that the Costa Ricans now sits on top of the group with six points followed by Italy and Uruguay with three points apiece. England is seen wallowing at the bottom of the group with no point with a game to spur.

The Costa Ricans entered the world’s most prestigious tournaments from the CONCACAF region as many connoisseurs of the game saw them as the minows. However, their last group game against The Three Lions will be a mere formality as England has nothing to prove.

Procrastination and greed impeding Africa’s development

The Bui Dam

Some Ambitious projects on the African continent which were conceived before and after 1960’s did not immediately come to fruition because some of such projects were halted and are now being constructed after many years. But how can we bridge the gap between us and the developed countries if we are now constructing some projects conceived and planned same decades ago?

In middle last year, the Government of the Central African conflict prone country of the Democratic Republic of Congo of Congo announced in the French capital, Paris, the construction of the first phase of what would be the world’s biggest hydroelectric project on the Congo River’s Inga Falls dubbed the “Grand Inga”.

The overall project which is in five phases will commence on October 2015 and is estimated to cost $80 billion. When completed, the 40,000 megawatts (MW) hydroelectric project can light up half of the continent and provide more than 500 million people with renewable energy. 

However, the project was conceived over 40 years ago in the early 1970’s during the era of Africa’s most corrupt leader Mobutu Sese Seko.  Even though this is good news, why is such project conceived many years ago now being streamlined?

Here in Ghana, the 400 megawatts Bui hydroelectric dam was conceived by our first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah over 50 years is of no exception; together with some other projects pending which could have benefited the nation.

On the other hand, the Akosombo took only four years to be constructed after some preparatory works have been done. Why did the construction of the Bui hydroelectric project take us over 50 years?  One negative aspect of such projects is the cost involved. If the Bui hydroelectric project had been constructed immediately it was conceived, the state would not have spent US $622 million for the project.

It is sad that in our part of the world, projects which would have benefited the continent were halted due to change in government or military coup. We are now spending huge sums of money which could have been used to develop other sectors of the economy to construct the old initiated projects.

In Ghana, we never had a stable era after independence until 1992. The periods before then were truncated by three military coups in 1966, 1972 and 1981 and these periods never took us anywhere.

As to why D.R. Congo was unable then to construct such a remarkable project in the 1970’s has to do with leadership qualities and sectarian conflicts in the region even though, the country has two smaller dams. They are “Inga 1” constructed in 1972 and “Inga 2” which was operational 10 years later. The then President, Mobutu Sese Seko is reported to have amassed a vast of the country’s resources into his personal wealth and the nation is still suffering up to date.

All these developments tell us that the military eras have seriously derailed the fortunes of the continent. But all is not lost as countries such as South Africa and few others are doing well in the developmental processes; although they also have their setbacks.

There is the need for us as a people, especially those in the decision making positions to collaborate firmly and effectively towards the development of the continent. Those caught mismanaging and embezzling public funds must be dealt with to deter others from doing same.