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World Cup: These Victims of Bad Results (30.06.2005)
Since the start of the joint eliminatories of the 2006 World Cup and African Cup of nations last year, an unprecedented wind of change has swept through several African countries engaged in the competition. There has been several victims among those directly involved with the management of football. Coaches of national football teams have been fired, sports ministers sacked and entire teams put aside. The countries involved in the saga are mostly those hitherto referred to as "favourites". Understandably because they believed that attending these football festivals is their prerogative.
One reason is therefore given for these changes: failure to produce result that open the doors to Germany, for the World Cup and to a lesser extend Egypt, for the African Cup of Nations. The role of popular pressure, instigated by the zeal to see their darling teams in the global football jamboree, cannot be undervalued. As it goes, only the best team in each of the five groups will compete in the World Cup, while the top three in each group qualify for the Nations Cup.
In Senegal, the three main officials in football management have been fired after the Teranga Lions failed to beat the Hawks of Togo in Dakar recently. The draw means that the Teranga Lions, who reached the quarter-finals at the 2002 World Cup, are now struggling to come back among favourites for the 2006 finals in Germany. Sports Minister, Youssoupha Ndiaye was sacked, French coach, Guy Stephan axed, while popular pressure left the Football Federation President, Said Fakhry, with no other option but to resign.
Algeria has changed two coaches within one year. Last week, coach Ali Fergani resigned after the draw in their last encounter that left Algeria fifth in Group Four with seven points from eight games. Fergani took over last September, replacing Belgian Robert Waseige, with the aim of ensuring their participation in the Nations Cup. However, the Desert Foxes have lost genuine chances of even reaching the Nations Cup.
Christian Chukwu is another victim of the on-going
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eliminatories for the World Cup. The Nigerian coach was recently suspended indefinitely by the Nigeria Football Association in the wake of Nigeria`s recent 1-1 draw at home to Angola. Ibrahim Galadima, chairman of the Nigeria Football Association said that the decision was taken in order to "save" the Super Eagles` World Cup campaign.
Mali has not been left out of the recent turmoil. Tidiane Niambélé, resigned from the post of president of the Mali Football Federation (FMF) last week, citing the Eagles` poor performances in the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign. The Chipolopolo of Zambia ended Mali`s hopes of reaching Egypt 2006 following a 2 -1 victory in Chililabombwe. In some cases, entire squads have been changed. Benin, for example, has decided to put aside it’s senior football team and move on with the juniors. This follows the poor performance of the Squirrels (two points in seven matches) since the start of the World Cup/African Cup of Nations race. These recent alterations just go to add to the list of "heads that have fallen" since the start of the race for Germany and Egypt in June 2004. The coaches who began the World Cup campaign for Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya… have all been sacked for failing to deliver the goods.
The unmaking of these African "football giants" or teams whose public normally expect victories, have enabled other countries to dream of entering the circle of football giants. Togo`s Hawks, for example, are already bracing up for their first World Cup performance after maintaining their narrow lead in their group. Ghana is also topping group two after beating former Group leaders, South Africa 2-0 in Johannesburg during their last match. The Black Stars can clinch a place in their first World Cup finals if they beat Uganda at home and Cape Verde away in their remaining two qualifiers. Similarly, the Palancas Negras of Angola are top of the table in their group following a 1-1 draw in Nigeria. From all indications, more heads might fall before the curtains of the on-going qualifiers drop in September.
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