posted Jan 29, 2008

I understand what grassroots_tz is saying but disagree with him/her in many things. There is no community that can develop in isolation. For that reason I said: “If what Blatter is saying is in the interest of Africans it will work.” I know that you can play any game any time all year around. But you need infrastructures for that. Until today in the whole world it is only the USA and Japan that have some stadia of over 50 thousand seats totally covered in which you can play whether it is raining or not. If you consider the money that we have in Africa for those kinds of infrastructures you will understand why the weather is an important factor in our schedules. I have no problem with an African schedule that does not conflict with other international schedules. The problem I have is telling me that because it is a European league we must reschedule. Look how many leagues and continental tournaments are played in the world. I am not a fool to make me believe that there is a way to organize all of them without any conflict.
About the African Cup of Nations if your memory is good it started in 1957 under the impulse of African founding fathers and Nationalist leaders. It is famous because we Africans support it ourselves. If it has to depend on Europeans it would have been extinct a long time ago.
Money attracts everybody from foreign welfare parasites to the teachers of universities. There is nothing new African players are doing in foreign countries that is not done by other peoples. To be well paid you must go in wealthy nations and for that you need to be a good player first. It is not the fact of playing in Europe that transforms a penguin into a Maradona or a Pele. As South America and Egypt will let you know it is local infrastructures, support, and strongly organized leagues that transform nations into real football powerhouses.
Africa will not develop by exporting all kind of its talents. It will develop by using them at home. If you do not agree with me check how other countries have developed. There is no continental confederation that schedules according to European wishes. They all schedule according to what is good for them. Africa is no exception. The continent needs to capitalize on its own resources and stand on its feet not on European feet and goodwill.
What is comical is a backward and mental slavery thinking of saying that anything good or excellent must come from Europe. Look at the Egyptian squad that trashed Cameroon and Sudan or that lifted the previous Cup.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

couple of qns...why is the rain the main problem for holding this tounament in july (eg)? You can play football in the rain - english clubs do it all season round! It seems to me more the heat and humidity that would cause problems, but then USA 1994 had a fair amount of that, surely?

another thing - as a major international tournament, which the ACoN is - would a compromise not be to make the tournament every 4 years? All the other ones are, and besides Wenger may moan about having players out at this time but he moans after Euro or World cups cos players get tired or injured in the off season. erhaps if the ACoN was held every 4 years like the Euros and the World Cup etc, we'd hear fewer complaints?

Just a thought.

p.s. about insensitive journalism, this quote from the main article made me laugh:

"The indiscipline that was there maybe 10 years ago is disappearing. They're being coached by European coaches who are in Africa..."

!!!!!! Oh thank goodness for the 'disciplined' Europeans (some of which you can see every week in the Premiership...)

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posted Jan 30, 2008

thomasmpreston

posted 1 Hour Ago

couple of qns...why is the rain the main problem for holding this tounament in july (eg)? You can play football in the rain - english clubs do it all season round! It seems to me more the heat and humidity that would cause problems, but then USA 1994 had a fair amount of that, surely?

another thing - as a major international tournament, which the ACoN is - would a compromise not be to make the tournament every 4 years? All the other ones are, and besides Wenger may moan about having players out at this time but he moans after Euro or World cups cos players get tired or injured in the off season. erhaps if the ACoN was held every 4 years like the Euros and the World Cup etc, we'd hear fewer complaints?

Just a thought.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
you may have had a point except for that you dont have rain in Europe.

Go to some of those African countries between june,july and August,then u will understand what i am talking about. It drizzles in Europe,it doesnt rain

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posted Jan 30, 2008

couple of qns...why is the rain the main problem for holding this tounament in july
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All African countries must potentially be able to host the turnament at that time. The rain is an example it is not the only variable of weather in Africa. If from Cape Town to Algiers African national federations say July is okay there will be no problem.
Remember it is an African Cup. Their interests and judgement come first and they do not remember when Europeans have consulted them to schedules European tournaments.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

‘Oh leave it out, you can always read something into it if you want to, jeez, it's just a headline!!!’

Really. So how will you feel if a German paper referring to the victory of a German soccer team in London started with the Headline ‘German Blitz over London’ would that show any respect to the thousands of innocent British people who died during that bombing campaign.

The ‘scramble for Africa’ led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of equally innocent people their memory should not be tarnished for the sake of a cheap headline.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

I think this article was disgustingly patronising if not downright racist. I've complained to the BBC using the contact us button at the bottom of the screen on the article and I would suggest that anybody else who isn't happy with it should complain as well. Disgusting article

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posted Jan 30, 2008

I also tried to write an article on it but the BBC censored it despite it complying with ALL of their house rules, they're a little touchy about criticism apparently.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

I wonder what you think Capello can learn from Africa. Look at the honours that Nigeria and Ghana have at junior levels, amazing isnt it. What have they done at worldcup level? Only recently did Ivory Coast and Ghana make a difference since Cameroun in 1990.

Africa has a lot to learn from England who dont have a "junior policy" but still think they can win a world cup.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

do you mean England have a lot to learn from Africa?

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