Badou Looks at present goalkeepers!
Moderators: Moderator Team, phpBB2 - Administrators
Badou Looks at present goalkeepers!
Zaki Badou's cat-like reflexes with Morocco's Atlas Lions earned him a well-deserved spot in the pantheon of African goalkeeping legends.
Along with other great keepers like Nigeria's Peter Rufai, Cameroon's Thomas Nkono, Algeria's Drid Nasereddine and Egypt's Ahmed Ekramy, the 1970s and 80s provided a golden age for the skilled art throughout the continent.
Not surprisingly, the Mexico 86 World Cup player, who is now manager of his country's national team at the Cup of Nations, is nostalgic about his era.
He believes that the quality of the current generation of goalkeepers does not match those in his era.
"It can be difficult to compare both periods but the reality is that the goalkeepers of our time are better than the ones that we have now," Badou told BBC Sport.
"In our period, there were so many great goalkeepers.
"You had people like [Nigeria's] Emmanuel Okala, [Cameroon's] Joseph-Antoine Bell, Tunisia's Attouga and Cheikh Seck of Senegal.
Murambadoro has all it takes to be a great goalkeeper of the future
"We do not have so many goalkeepers of that quality now," Badou said.
But the performance of Zimbabwe goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro, who was impressive in his country's opening Nations Cup match against Egypt, gives the Moroccan cause for hope.
Murambadoro, who plays for Caps United in his Zimbabwe's domestic league, is being chased by several South African Premier League clubs.
But the 21-year-old has said he would not make any decision on his professional future until after the Cup of Nations.
"I was really surprised with his performance against Egypt. I think that he has all it takes to be a great goalkeeper of the future," Badou said.
Managing the Atlas Lions has presented new vistas for Badou, whose reputation as a player has raised expectations that he will enjoy similar success as a manager.
"I have a big responsibility to the people of my country, who have put so much trust in me.
"Morocco did very poorly at the 2000 and 2002 Nations Cups and that damaged our image.
"We have to erase those bad memories," he said.
But Badou warns that Morocco, which have not won a Nations Cup title since 1976, cannot realistically expect to win the tournament.
"That is too much [to ask for]," he said.
"To win, we must work from the base. At the 2002 Nations Cup in Mali, we had nothing, so we cannot be dreaming of winning the Cup after two years.
"If our programmes go well, we may win in 2006 or 2008 but for now our priority is to reach the next round. After that, anything is possible."
Along with other great keepers like Nigeria's Peter Rufai, Cameroon's Thomas Nkono, Algeria's Drid Nasereddine and Egypt's Ahmed Ekramy, the 1970s and 80s provided a golden age for the skilled art throughout the continent.
Not surprisingly, the Mexico 86 World Cup player, who is now manager of his country's national team at the Cup of Nations, is nostalgic about his era.
He believes that the quality of the current generation of goalkeepers does not match those in his era.
"It can be difficult to compare both periods but the reality is that the goalkeepers of our time are better than the ones that we have now," Badou told BBC Sport.
"In our period, there were so many great goalkeepers.
"You had people like [Nigeria's] Emmanuel Okala, [Cameroon's] Joseph-Antoine Bell, Tunisia's Attouga and Cheikh Seck of Senegal.
Murambadoro has all it takes to be a great goalkeeper of the future
"We do not have so many goalkeepers of that quality now," Badou said.
But the performance of Zimbabwe goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro, who was impressive in his country's opening Nations Cup match against Egypt, gives the Moroccan cause for hope.
Murambadoro, who plays for Caps United in his Zimbabwe's domestic league, is being chased by several South African Premier League clubs.
But the 21-year-old has said he would not make any decision on his professional future until after the Cup of Nations.
"I was really surprised with his performance against Egypt. I think that he has all it takes to be a great goalkeeper of the future," Badou said.
Managing the Atlas Lions has presented new vistas for Badou, whose reputation as a player has raised expectations that he will enjoy similar success as a manager.
"I have a big responsibility to the people of my country, who have put so much trust in me.
"Morocco did very poorly at the 2000 and 2002 Nations Cups and that damaged our image.
"We have to erase those bad memories," he said.
But Badou warns that Morocco, which have not won a Nations Cup title since 1976, cannot realistically expect to win the tournament.
"That is too much [to ask for]," he said.
"To win, we must work from the base. At the 2002 Nations Cup in Mali, we had nothing, so we cannot be dreaming of winning the Cup after two years.
"If our programmes go well, we may win in 2006 or 2008 but for now our priority is to reach the next round. After that, anything is possible."
To God be the glory....New Year 2024! Seek him first and all other things shall be added!Thus saith the Lord!
-
cic old boy
- Flying Eagle
- Posts: 64227
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 7:59 pm
-
mardingobob
- Egg
- Posts: 1228
- Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2003 5:26 pm
- Location: Toronto
- Contact: