By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (January 16^th 2020) 

The Purpose 

The African Nations Championship (CHAN) began in Cameroon this weekend with some questioning the point of the tournament and whether Cameroon – still without a Football Association President – can host it effectively. The previous two Presidents did not complete their terms and Cameroon’s football is currently being run by a Normalisation Committee again. 

In 2018 Morocco hosted and won the tournament. Prior to that tournament former CAF President Ahmad Ahmad defended the tournament. It was ‘to showcase local talent to a wider audience,’ he said. The idea was to help local talent earn moves to bigger leagues and highlight the talent developed in Africa. 

This is particularly important in the context of how many measure success in Africa. It is judged by playing in the top leagues of Europe in particular. Former Bafana Bafana coach, Stuart Baxter, feared that South African players were too comfortable in the local leagues – in African terms they were comfortable. He wanted them to go and test themselves in stroner leagues, especially in Europe. 

Young players like Lyle Foster and Luther Singh are doing just that and after a very long wait – not his fault – Percy Tau has finally got his chance in the English Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion. 

Alternatives 

Some, like Liverpool legend, Howard Gayle, have no problem highlighting black talent. He believes that it is the best in the world, but he doesn’t want them to leave Africa. 

Gayle and other former black players in Europe, want to help African football and footballers develop, but in Africa.  

His father taught him a very valuable lesson early in life. “The streets of England are not paved with gold.” 

The young Gayle started playing football in his native Liverpool as soon as he could. Gayle says, ‘I was still in nappies.’ He found that England’s pitches were not paved with gold and that racism was prevalent. His life-long dislike of Liverpool legend, the late Tommy Smith, is well known. 

Gayle wants to protect young black players from racism that has reared its ugly head in the European game again. And not just the chanting and overt racism. Gayle points to the unseen racism too. How many black players become coaches, managers or remain in the game? 

He coaches at grassroots level. He wants to develop at grassroots level in Africa too. 

And he wants African football to develop and compete. He believes it must invest in itself, nurture its talent and, crucially, keep it. 

Opening Controversy 

Meanwhile the sixth CHAN opened today. Before a ball was kicked controversy erupted with Zimbabwe’s Croatian coach Zdravko Logarušić pointing to a dead bat in the centre circle. The hosts were accused of using juju. Cameroon’s Salomon Banga scored the winner after 72 minutes. Mali beat Burkina Faso by the same score through Siaka Bagayoka to share the top of Group A after the opening round of matches. 

Libya play Niger tomorrow in the first match of Group B followed by the Congo derby.