By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (August 2^nd 2018)

Disastrous

The two year investigation and subsequent exposé of corruption at the top of Ghanaian football by the controversial journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas led to the suspension of Ghanaian football, resignation of Ghana FA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi, and suspension of the GFA [see https://starrfmonline.com/2018/06/08/fifa-bans-kwesi-nyantakyi/].

It also offers an opportunity for a football nation rich on talent, but short of delivery to put that right. It’s been 36 years, and counting, since the Black Stars won their last AFCON title, and, after three successive World Cup qualifications, failure to qualify for Russia 2018.

Just 8 years ago, only Luís Suárez’ handball prevented Ghana becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.

Now, African nations can’t even reach the knock-out phase. 2018 was a disastrous World Cup for Africa.

A Change has Gotta Come

The inquest has started despite some – almost all non-Africans – claiming France’s success for the continent. Razak and other African sporting legends want to digest the failure [see http://www.espn.co.uk/football/blog-football-africa/story/3576810/claiming-frances-world-cup-triumph-for-africa-overlooks-the-continents-failings] and then make sure that solutions are found.

Furthermore, the Africa won the World Cup fallacy is expertly taken apart in a tweet by footballmemes:  [see https://twitter.com/footballmemesco/status/1018544252060602369?lang=en]. It’s also grossly insulting to African football, implying that African football can only win as a continent with players who chose not to play for an African nation. If that is not insulting African football, what is?

France earned its success, and did so by learning from dismal failure, developing a solution and then delivering success consistently. Rather than claim France’s glory, absorb how the French did it and adapt that to Africa – it’s long overdue. But that starts by admitting the failure and learning from it – no pain, no gain. Africa’s suffered the pain, now it needs to learn how to gain from it.

Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winning legend – one of Africa’s great players, Golden Boy, Abdul Razak, is clear on what has to be done. “We need to reform our football – period!” he says. “Put football people there.”

The African Mentality

Like Ghana, Zambia also failed to qualify for the World Cup Finals – they had a terrible group, consisting of a recent qualifier for the World Cup, Algeria, and three of the last four winners of AFCON, Nigeria and Cameroon, and themselves.

They don’t offer excuses, or claim false successes. Wedson Nyirenda has departed to coach Baroka FC in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL). Nyirenda was replaced on a temporary basis by Beston Chambeshi until he too was replaced on a six-month contract by Sven Vandenbroeck, who assisted former Cameroon coach Hugo Broos during the Indomitable Lions’ unexpected triumph in last year’s AFCON, and the unsuccessful campaign to qualify for the recent World Cup.

The talk and hopes in Zambia is that he will prove to be the next Hervé Renard. But is it another ‘instant’ fix solution – the bane of football?

Some are concerned about the opportunities being given to white coaches in Africa who have not proved themselves in Africa, or Europe. Vandenbroeck’s task is to qualify for AFCON 2019. Time will tell if he is the new Renard, or another example of a white coach being given an opportunity he would never have had in Europe.

The late ‘Sir’ Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, the only Ghanaian to win the African treble as a coach, railed against the conditions and opportunities given to black coaches [see https://empowersport.wordpress.com/category/cecil-jones-attuquayefio/].

Attuquayefio also played a crucial role in Ghana’s success in the last decade, including nurturing and developing young talent.

Among those to acknowledge his influence is Asamaoh Gyan [see https://mobile.ghanasoccernet.com/legendary-ghanaian-coach-cecil-jones-attuquayefio-to-be-buried-today].

The plaudits, richly deserved, mask an utterly shameful situation. The conditions Attuquayefio worked under were mind-boggling – an African treble winner on no win no fee!

But what of the present? How does African football progress if even the greats are treated so badly?

Questions Posed

“We have a lot of examples to look at around the world and learn from,” Zambia’s only athletics World Champion and Olympic silver medallist, Samuel Matete, told me exclusively. Matete is no stranger to football – he used to train at Nkana FC’s stadium in Kitwe. He possessed such sporting talent that the club wanted him to switch sports.

He poses questions on Zambia’s future. “What is France doing to win the World Cup? What are other countries doing to get the best out of players, because if you stay on the same course and you find that you are not going anywhere, then it’s time to change it or continue to fail.”

He then poses an important rhetorical question. “When will Africa deliver?” Another important question is how will African nations deliver? 2018 was its worst ever showing – something has to change. Matete’s not alone in wanting that.