CAF needs to come up with an African soccer strategy

[naijaspurs2018]

Could things have been different for African teams if all these players eligible to play for African teams didn't choose to represent a European team.

Just off the top of my head.

Wisam Ben Yedder - Tunisia
Stephan Elsharaawy - Egypt
Romelo Lukaku - DR Congo

Mitchy Batshuayi - DR Congo
Adil Rami - Morocco
Nabil Fekir - Algeria

Oxlade Chamberlain - Nigeria
Kylian Mbappe - Cameroun or Algeria

Its really a shame. That all this talent is lost.

Oxlade Chamberlain's father is Mark Chamberlain, a former England internation of Caribbean heritage. He has no link to Nigeria. Dele Alli however...

[bigbrovar]

I think a lot has to do with grassroot. We need to pay more attention to how our players develop in the grass root. The 90s and late 90s was a talent boom for Nigeria both in football and many other sport especially athletes. We had world beaters that could hold their own any where. Today Nigeria can't even qualify for the 100m in the common wealth games. All the Sunday bada Finidi George, Mary Onwali.. The talent pool has dried up.. Why? The answer is sport at the grass root level has all but been abandoned. Its rare for schools to hold inter House sport nowadays so millions of raw talents pass without ever being discovered.

The Nigerian government need a comprehensive and holistic sport policies we need to start with training the trainers. How many EUFA license coaches do we have in Nigeria local scene? It is high time the Nigerian govt in conjunction with our development partners, CAF and FiFA setup a strong coaching grade license scheme equivalent to what optains in UEFA. We need a good functioning coaching academy in all sport especially football and athletics where trainers are trained. We need to increase the amount of licensed coach per capita we have in this country. Most of the grooming of our footballers are in the hands of some Coachee somewhere with zero technical training. I was observed a grassroot game where the coach pep talk was to flog each and everyone player for not playing well in half time. Those are the type of coaches our football talent stream is based on.. We just aren't producing them like before.

In the 90s we outsourced the development of our football to Europe. With Belgium, France, Holland being the path way for Nigerian players to Europe. These are counties with good developmental systems. Today Europe has changed. New rules have made it difficult for non EU players no thanks to limits.. Hence European teams no longer willing to invest in a non EU player they rather want a finished product. Once our players go to Europe they are immediately thrown in the deep ends to sink or swim.. Most sink and never resurface again. We need to realize that Europe is no longer as welcoming as it use to be for African players this is why many of our players now play in back water leagues. If Etebo or Omeruo were French or German they would be playing in top leagues in Europe for teams competing in European competition, Uhozo is good enough for England championship. But alas

We need to develop our league. There is no doubt about it.. It is high time we develop a new policy for the local league. Let us for once cut of govt influences so it is run a business. Govt approach to sport as a kind of social responsibility has been a net loss. It has encouraged corruption and lack of accountability. Nigerians are very creative and if nollywood and our music scene can be worth billions of dollars I see no reason why our football and sport can't be wroth even more. Football is a national identity in Nigeria hence if we can manage the league we'll not only will it be one of the best in Africa it would also be one of the most watched in the continent. We just need to the right regulations that would allow for private participation in our league and make it marketable. Govt owning over 90% of teams in the league is a big problem. Football should be treated as a business.. A business that investors would want to put their money in. Unfortunately that would never happen the way our local league is being administered.

[folem]

I think a lot has to do with grassroot. We need to pay more attention to how our players develop in the grass root. The 90s and late 90s was a talent boom for Nigeria both in football and many other sport especially athletes. We had world beaters that could hold their own any where. Today Nigeria can't even qualify for the 100m in the common wealth games. All the Sunday bada Finidi George, Mary Onwali.. The talent pool has dried up.. Why? The answer is sport at the grass root level has all but been abandoned. Its rare for schools to hold inter House sport nowadays so millions of raw talents pass without ever being discovered.

The Nigerian government need a comprehensive and holistic sport policies we need to start with training the trainers. How many EUFA license coaches do we have in Nigeria local scene? It is high time the Nigerian govt in conjunction with our development partners, CAF and FiFA setup a strong coaching grade license scheme equivalent to what optains in UEFA. We need a good functioning coaching academy in all sport especially football and athletics where trainers are trained. We need to increase the amount of licensed coach per capita we have in this country. Most of the grooming of our footballers are in the hands of some Coachee somewhere with zero technical training. I was observed a grassroot game where the coach pep talk was to flog each and everyone player for not playing well in half time. Those are the type of coaches our football talent stream is based on.. We just aren't producing them like before.

In the 90s we outsourced the development of our football to Europe. With Belgium, France, Holland being the path way for Nigerian players to Europe. These are counties with good developmental systems. Today Europe has changed. New rules have made it difficult for non EU players no thanks to limits.. Hence European teams no longer willing to invest in a non EU player they rather want a finished product. Once our players go to Europe they are immediately thrown in the deep ends to sink or swim.. Most sink and never resurface again. We need to realize that Europe is no longer as welcoming as it use to be for African players this is why many of our players now play in back water leagues. If Etebo or Omeruo were French or German they would be playing in top leagues in Europe for teams competing in European competition, Uhozo is good enough for England championship. But alas

We need to develop our league. There is no doubt about it.. It is high time we develop a new policy for the local league. Let us for once cut of govt influences so it is run a business. Govt approach to sport as a kind of social responsibility has been a net loss. It has encouraged corruption and lack of accountability. Nigerians are very creative and if nollywood and our music scene can be worth billions of dollars I see no reason why our football and sport can't be wroth even more. Football is a national identity in Nigeria hence if we can manage the league we'll not only will it be one of the best in Africa it would also be one of the most watched in the continent. We just need to the right regulations that would allow for private participation in our league and make it marketable. Govt owning over 90% of teams in the league is a big problem. Football should be treated as a business.. A business that investors would want to put their money in. Unfortunately that would never happen the way our local league is being administered.

Seye Ogunlewe was fourth at this year's 2018 Commonwealth Games 100 m Men, only some thousandth seconds from a medal placing. Enoch Adegoke was seventh, Nigeria's best ever position is 2nd. In the womens event Tobi Amusan won the 100 m hurdles. At the previous games Blessing Okagbare won the sprint double of 100 m & 200 m.

[bigbrovar]

I think a lot has to do with grassroot. We need to pay more attention to how our players develop in the grass root. The 90s and late 90s was a talent boom for Nigeria both in football and many other sport especially athletes. We had world beaters that could hold their own any where. Today Nigeria can't even qualify for the 100m in the common wealth games. All the Sunday bada Finidi George, Mary Onwali.. The talent pool has dried up.. Why? The answer is sport at the grass root level has all but been abandoned. Its rare for schools to hold inter House sport nowadays so millions of raw talents pass without ever being discovered.

The Nigerian government need a comprehensive and holistic sport policies we need to start with training the trainers. How many EUFA license coaches do we have in Nigeria local scene? It is high time the Nigerian govt in conjunction with our development partners, CAF and FiFA setup a strong coaching grade license scheme equivalent to what optains in UEFA. We need a good functioning coaching academy in all sport especially football and athletics where trainers are trained. We need to increase the amount of licensed coach per capita we have in this country. Most of the grooming of our footballers are in the hands of some Coachee somewhere with zero technical training. I was observed a grassroot game where the coach pep talk was to flog each and everyone player for not playing well in half time. Those are the type of coaches our football talent stream is based on.. We just aren't producing them like before.

In the 90s we outsourced the development of our football to Europe. With Belgium, France, Holland being the path way for Nigerian players to Europe. These are counties with good developmental systems. Today Europe has changed. New rules have made it difficult for non EU players no thanks to limits.. Hence European teams no longer willing to invest in a non EU player they rather want a finished product. Once our players go to Europe they are immediately thrown in the deep ends to sink or swim.. Most sink and never resurface again. We need to realize that Europe is no longer as welcoming as it use to be for African players this is why many of our players now play in back water leagues. If Etebo or Omeruo were French or German they would be playing in top leagues in Europe for teams competing in European competition, Uhozo is good enough for England championship. But alas

We need to develop our league. There is no doubt about it.. It is high time we develop a new policy for the local league. Let us for once cut of govt influences so it is run a business. Govt approach to sport as a kind of social responsibility has been a net loss. It has encouraged corruption and lack of accountability. Nigerians are very creative and if nollywood and our music scene can be worth billions of dollars I see no reason why our football and sport can't be wroth even more. Football is a national identity in Nigeria hence if we can manage the league we'll not only will it be one of the best in Africa it would also be one of the most watched in the continent. We just need to the right regulations that would allow for private participation in our league and make it marketable. Govt owning over 90% of teams in the league is a big problem. Football should be treated as a business.. A business that investors would want to put their money in. Unfortunately that would never happen the way our local league is being administered.

Seye Ogunlewe was fourth at this year's 2018 Commonwealth Games 100 m Men, only some thousandth seconds from a medal placing. Enoch Adegoke was seventh, Nigeria's best ever position is 2nd. In the womens event Tobi Amusan won the 100 m hurdles. At the previous games Blessing Okagbare won the sprint double of 100 m & 200 m.

I dont know when you started following athletics in Nigeria but we are a shadow of what we use to be. Go and read up on Falilat Ogunsanya, Sunday Bada, Chidi Imo, Mary Onyalli. Nigeria use to have the short and Middle distance races in the common wealth and all African games on lock down.. Now we are celebrating Forth in 100m that is how far we have come.

[folem]

I dont know when you started following athletics in Nigeria but we are a shadow of what we use to be. Go and read up on Falilat Ogunsanya, Sunday Bada, Chidi Imo, Mary Onyalli. Nigeria use to have the short and Middle distance races in the common wealth and all African games on lock down.. Now we are celebrating Forth in 100m that is how far we have come.

We celebrated Amusan's Gold too. The best we have ever done @ 100 m Men in the Commonwealth Games is 2nd. The best @ both 200 m Men & 400 m Men is 3rd. Nigeria is not renowned at middle distances even @ African Games. Nigeria was strong but didn't lock down the sprints. The Nigerian women sprinters are stronger than the men atm.

CG Men Medalists

AG Men Medalists

[camex]

The problem lies in investments in sports education. I was listening to JayJay Okocha after the France-Argentina game. He said the shot scored by Pavard was exactly done how it is taught. Just like we are not going to produce an Einstein/Newton without spending on education, we are not going to produce quality players consistently without investing in sports. The national team is made of the best players, the coach can find, and then he builds a strategy. But if there is little talents to begin with, he faces a arduous task.

[AreaDaddy]

Could things have been different for African teams if all these players eligible to play for African teams didn't choose to represent a European team.

Just off the top of my head.

Wisam Ben Yedder - Tunisia
Stephan Elsharaawy - Egypt
Romelo Lukaku - DR Congo

Mitchy Batshuayi - DR Congo
Adil Rami - Morocco
Nabil Fekir - Algeria

Oxlade Chamberlain - Nigeria
Kylian Mbappe - Cameroun or Algeria

Its really a shame. That all this talent is lost.

Oxlade Chamberlain's father is Mark Chamberlain, a former England internation of Caribbean heritage. He has no link to Nigeria. Dele Alli however...

Is this the greater idea? Roaming around the world stealing crumbs from other people's tables. We cannot reap what did not sow. Yes you my have occassional successes going down this path, but in the long term it will be a failure.

We need to "industralise" our football systems across the contient make sure that all our players are of minimal aceptable quality through investment in the local leagues, improve officiating so matches are really competitive, things like that. The pool of eligible national tema players needs to be broaden and not simply by searching names in the birth registries of Western Nations.

[cchinukw]

The problem lies in investments in sports education. I was listening to JayJay Okocha after the France-Argentina game. He said the shot scored by Pavard was exactly done how it is taught. Just like we are not going to produce an Einstein/Newton without spending on education, we are not going to produce quality players consistently without investing in sports. The national team is made of the best players, the coach can find, and then he builds a strategy. But if there is little talents to begin with, he faces a arduous task.

Just to add to what you are saying - There was a reason why the Mid-Western or Bendel State produced top sports athletes and coaches well into the eighties - Afuze. That school was a center of excellence in sports education.

So yeah -we can keep ducking and diving and looking for short cuts but until we apply ourselves with a long term funded strategy, we will keep getting sub standard results foreign or local coach.

[theYemster]

Could things have been different for African teams if all these players eligible to play for African teams didn't choose to represent a European team.

Just off the top of my head.

Wisam Ben Yedder - Tunisia
Stephan Elsharaawy - Egypt
Romelo Lukaku - DR Congo

Mitchy Batshuayi - DR Congo
Adil Rami - Morocco
Nabil Fekir - Algeria

Oxlade Chamberlain - Nigeria
Kylian Mbappe - Cameroun or Algeria

Its really a shame. That all this talent is lost.

Eusebio
Vieira
Makalele
Desailly

Would Zidane have been Zidane had he played for Algeria?

[ohenhen1]

I still think a league of maybe 16 teams will be a good idea. The more games we play, the better prepared team Africa will be. Teams will be forced to use home based players for some games. It will force African nations to develop the local league.

16 team format league, 9 final qualifiers. That is about 30 games.

Maybe 3 two leg affairs to get down to 16 teams. So that is a total of 36 games in world cup qualifiers. We will have some games on non FiFA dates handled by CHAN teams.


Move the nations cup back to February in the same year as the world cup. Have the ANC once every 4 years. The final 16 teams in the world cup league will be joined by 7 other teams and the host nation to make up the final 24 team for the nations cup. So eliminate ANC qualifiers. Also eliminate CHAN.

[ohenhen1]

Or maybe 12 groups of 4 for the opening round. The top 12 teams qualify for the final league. The opening round will be like a tournament format, only one legged affairs on a neutral field. Both the first and 2nd place team qualify for the nations cup.

That is a total of 25 world cup qualification games over a 4 year period. Eliminate CHAN and ANC qualifiers.

[camex]

Could things have been different for African teams if all these players eligible to play for African teams didn't choose to represent a European team.

Just off the top of my head.

Wisam Ben Yedder - Tunisia
Stephan Elsharaawy - Egypt
Romelo Lukaku - DR Congo

Mitchy Batshuayi - DR Congo
Adil Rami - Morocco
Nabil Fekir - Algeria

Oxlade Chamberlain - Nigeria
Kylian Mbappe - Cameroun or Algeria

Its really a shame. That all this talent is lost.

These players were taught the game and raised in Europe. Africa has no claim to their talents. We can not talk of talents lost when we did not contribute to their growth. We must thank those who were raised in Europe and decided to play for an african national team.

[Ayobami]

The only strategy CAF needs to get African teams to compete is find a way to get corruption out of the game.
For example, are we absolutely sure the best teams made it to the WC?
Are we sure money didn't change hands during the qualifiers?
Are Referees clean?

There are enough reasons be believe the highest bidders are the ones who qualified minus "maybe" Senegal. And the only reason i'm 10% excusing Senegal is because a Ref tried to screw them over and got caught.

[kastro11]

I just look at Egypt and shake my head in disbelief at how bad we are. I imagine Nigeria is in the same boat but will not pass judgment since I do not follow you very closely.

Generally speaking to be successful in soccer you need to have a history of playing the sport, money, and a decent domestic league. Egypt is a trainwreck of a country but has the ingredients to succeed. Yet, we do not have a competitive domestic league, we have only one standout player overseas, and do not have any good domestic coaches. Rather than debating amongst ourselves how we can address these weaknesses we focus on blaming players and coaches for our years of ineptitude. The discourse amongst Egyptians now is that better selection by Cuper will lead to better results, even though we don't have any players who have a proven track record of consistent success. I think our second best attacker this year had a grand total of 13 goals in the Turkish league. If you can't stand out in that league what makes you think you will stand out against the very best at the WC?

This isn't fair to Trezeguet at all. 13 goals and a bunch of assists in 30 games is a very good return for a winger playing for a midtable club in Turkey. He was probably the best performing winger in that league so he did infact stand out and getting attention from bigger clubs now because of it. I don't know what more you expect from him?

Team selection was an aspect that was definitely a problem. I'll speak for Egypt, rather than CAF as a whole. Not only do we suffer from an incompetent corrupt FA but we had the worst manager in our history. People will say Cuper got Egypt to the WC and such, but another manager would have got us there in a much better way. This generation was always going to qualfiy. I remember while most Egyptians were focused on the two legs versus Ghana in 2013 - I was watching our U20s completely dominate and win the ACN at the time. I knew they would qualify. This moron Hector Cuper brought the core of that team up to senior level and left behind the best player (Saleh Gomaa) behind. EVERYTHING went through him. He was the brains, dictated tempo, and was totally unplayable in the final against Ghana yet you leave him out for players like Abdullah Said and Sam Morsy?? Instead of playing midfielders like him that can keep the ball and distribute, he went for a trio of Elneny - Hamed - Abdullah none of which do what Gomaa can do. He has played well whenever playing for the first team and his reward was not making the WC squad. He's better than Abdullah Said and Tarek Hamed quite easily and should have been starting over both of them. He would have been perfect as a deep lying playmaker next to Elneny. What did Cuper do? Play two similar players next to each other when only one was needed smh.

Marwan Mohsen has 2 goals for Ahly since 2016 and he was starting for us in the WC? Lol you can only laugh at how pathetic that is. He's garbage. A half fit Basem Mosri is 10 times better than this clown. Why play a striker that virtually has no output whatsoever? Salah Mohsen is 19, plays for Ahly is already much better than Marwan Mohsen has ever been having watched the two. He should have been starting for us in Russia. The talent is clearly there for all to see expect for our manager. Cuper clearly favoured older players rather than better players who are younger and he's paid for it. Ahmed Fathi is way past it and a major liability yet he starts him in all our matches over Omar Gaber and Elmohamady despite being consistently terrible and much worse than the other two RBs? He clearly didn't know much about our players and probably had the FA pick favourites for him. The whole FA needs to be disbanded and bring in professional people who can actually do their jobs.

It's unfortunate and a shame that someone like Mostafa Fathi is always injured - when fully fit he'd probably start for us and make a huge impact. Players like him, Alexander Jakobsen, Saleh Gomaa, Omar Gaber, Basem Morsi, Salah Mohsen would have definitely seen us perform much better despite the obvious shortcomings of the manager as they're capable players unlike a few of the starters.

Cuper and the corrupt EFA made their bed, now they can lie in it.

[Mr. Piffington]

Could things have been different for African teams if all these players eligible to play for African teams didn't choose to represent a European team.

Just off the top of my head.

Wisam Ben Yedder - Tunisia
Stephan Elsharaawy - Egypt
Romelo Lukaku - DR Congo

Mitchy Batshuayi - DR Congo
Adil Rami - Morocco
Nabil Fekir - Algeria

Oxlade Chamberlain - Nigeria
Kylian Mbappe - Cameroun or Algeria

Its really a shame. That all this talent is lost.

[tfco]

Could things have been different for African teams if all these players eligible to play for African teams didn't choose to represent a European team.

Just off the top of my head.

Wisam Ben Yedder - Tunisia
Stephan Elsharaawy - Egypt
Romelo Lukaku - DR Congo

Mitchy Batshuayi - DR Congo
Adil Rami - Morocco
Nabil Fekir - Algeria

Oxlade Chamberlain - Nigeria
Kylian Mbappe - Cameroun or Algeria

Its really a shame. That all this talent is lost.

5 games sweet o
DNA no good o