If only there was an award for the best team nickname

The World Cup has lost its best named teams. The Indomitable lions were dumped out like timid cats. The Desert Foxes proved less than cunning enough to get past the group stage. Les Éléphants of Côte d’Ivoire were once again poached in the group of death. And the hosts of the tournament, Bafana Bafana, missed out on the after party that was the round of 16. The hosts of Sesame Street teaches Soccer (to guess who I think Oscar the Grouch is, read my previous post), or ESPN’s World Cup team were baffled as to why this has happened.

Followers of the US national team know only too well that the Black Stars of Ghana were the only African team left in the tournament. Few thought they would make it out of their group, even less believed that they would defeat the US in the round of 16, on this side of the Atlantic anyway. Both teams play a similar game, strong in midfield, quick to catch the opposition on the counter attack and slightly questionable defending supported by heroic goalkeeping ability.

Perhaps it was the weight of expectation on the US team. Or maybe the support of an entire continent that propelled Ghana through. In any case their victory was testament to what an organized African football team can achieve, even without their talismanic midfielder Michael Essien.

The subsequent quarter final against Uruguay will forever be remembered for the hand of Suarez that denied Ghana a winner in the last minute of extra time. This sparked a holier-than-thou response from a wide range of viewers which I think is understandable given the support for the Ghanaian team, but unjustified. Luis Suarez unfortunately did what anyone else would’ve done. The fact of the matter is that he was too short to head it out, so he used his hand on the goal-line.

As I watched the telenovela that was being played out in Soccer city at an Ethiopian bar in Philadelphia, the tension was palpable. In my No. 8 Essien top, I hoped that Gyan kept a cool head as he had done previously in the tournament. But the man from Rennes skied it, seemingly losing his footing under the pressure, derailing the hopes of Ghanaians and all those who had hopped aboard their miracle train journey.

Before I reopen this can of worms, let’s remember that we could have been talking about a famous Ghanaian win had Gyan not clipped the crossbar with his spot kick. Going out on penalty kicks is a cruel way to go but this is football. The debate will rage on elsewhere on the moral grounds of what Suarez did. I’m not here to teach an ethics class, so let’s get back on track.

Why then, out of 6 African teams did only 1 make it through to the Promised Land? It’s no secret that some of the best clubs in Europe are loaded with the continent’s most lauded players. Samuel Eto’o, just won his second treble of championships with two different clubs, Barcelona and Inter Milan. The French Ligue 1 is often the first port of call for talent from West and North Africa. Lest we forget Chelsea’s deadly African quartet.

Certainly, it isn’t for a lack of talent as, on paper, individual players hold their own against their European and South American counterparts. As a Manchester United fan, it hurts me to say it but Didier Drogba was the top scorer in the Premier League this past season. So was Mamadou Niang (Senegalese) with Marseille in France.

The managers aren’t half bad either. Paul le Guen, the recently dismissed coach of Cameroon has won numerous French accolades with Lyon and Paris Saint Germain. So it’s not entirely their fault, given the pressure they are put under and the time constraints from the Football Associations of the nations they manage.

And in that paragraph, we find the problem. There’s no escaping the fact that African football associations are poorly managed and inefficient. Expecting immediate results by changing managers more often than team kits are introduced is what I think the issue is. The job security of a manager of an African national team often depends on the result of the next game.

This lack of continuity prevents teams from being able to build on their successes or failures. It is almost impossible to create a game winning formula within 3 months, the usual time period between the CAN and the World Cup. There is no time to gain familiarity, understand the players at your disposal and get them to gel and play well together.

This happened to Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast in January this year after exiting the African Cup of Nations (CAN) in January. Losses in the second round of the tournament and in come experienced European coaches, chosen for their name, their credibility. Instead we get ill-timed appointments of managers who haven’t an ounce of experience of getting the best out of teams from the continent and precious little time to learn how.

It’s hardly surprising that Nigeria and Cameroon never really got it together in the group stage and crashed out spectacularly. Ivory Coast may have been drawn in the group of death, but do I think they would’ve stood a chance without such disruption? Yes.

It is painfully obvious to see what continuity can do. The Pharaohs of Egypt have won the CAN three times in a row. Their manager, Hassan Shehata has been with them since 2004. He also managed the youth team to victory the youth version of the tournament in 2003. Hmmm.

Recently Ghana has given their managers 2 year stints, with changes AFTER major tournaments. The results? A round of 16 World Cup exit in Germany in 2006, a third place finish in CAN 2008 and a runner up spot in CAN 2010 to Egypt. They are the holders of the Under 20 world championship. Lest we forget their recent world cup quarter final exit. Hmmmmm.

Is it really this simple? Making changes at logical pauses if necessary and not firing coaches a whim? It seems to be the case. Even South Africa, hardly a football powerhouse, showed the world what a team and manager given time to mature can do. No one would have thought that they would be the second best African team at the tournament. Critics said they didn’t stand a chance; they would have probably laughed it off and would have sooner bet on Vicente Del Bosque cracking a smile. Well, they aren’t laughing now. Neither is Del Bosque.

Now is the time for Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast to get their houses in order and rebuild. It is a lesson not only for them but for all African football federations. Consistency and better management are key. They need to change, or at least fine tune their approach, at all age levels of the game, noting that the Ghanaian team was essentially their Under 20 World Cup winning team. Maybe not as drastically as Goodluck Jonathan though.

Shaun Bartlett, one of the analysts on ESPNs World Cup panel – also known as ESPN’s My First World Cup – made the same observation. I pray for the sake of the continent that each African country with a decent pool of football talent takes heed. I love the fact that as an African I felt a huge sense of pride to see Bafana Bafana and the Black Stars do well at this World Cup. I would like to feel the same way for The Cranes or Harambee Stars someday.