Watching Costa Rica I wonder again whats wrong with Africans

[Dr. Sabinus Okoro Phd]

We don't have a complex, our players are not developed all you see is raw talent. We are tactically inept, we don't train decision making, I know it will sound funny to many here that you have to train decision making but you do. We are still inept in many of the routine things that can make a difference in a game. Yesterday CIV had about 10 corners and 12 freekicks in dangerous places, many teams would have won that game on set pieces but when an African team has a corner kick or free kick around the box the ;last thing on most of our minds is that it will result in a goal while when the opposite happens our hearts are in our throats, scared because we can't defend set pieces.

Please walk me through this .....

How come a team that has Drogba, Kalou, Yaya, Zokora, Bonny, Gervinho has these issues you're raising? These guys perform all year round in top clubs but when they come to Africa, they somehow forget how to play, make the right decisions and need to be coached fundamentals? It does not make sense!

If you are referring to kids coming out of Africa or a few odd ones like Ahmed Musa, then, I understand but the pros, I do not understand.

It takes more than a few big men to make a team, so what if those 5 are good and the rest can't trap the ball? What you call top clubs is where all those English players who just got dumped from the WC ply their trade. The emphasis is team, you can only have that when there are eleven technically sound guys on the field.

[YUJAM]

The first round is not over yet. Let's give it some time

The tourney may yet turn out well for African sides

[JMObi]

There is nothing wrong with the African players but there is something lacking called team play and that good old creativity. Costa Rica has it and chile has it. None of the African teams play with the daring spirit of the nigerian 2008 Olympic team or the technical brilliance of our U17 team. Its a shame but not surprising.

[Damunk]

There is nothing wrong with the African players but there is something lacking called team play and that good old creativity. Costa Rica has it and chile has it. None of the African teams play with the daring spirit of the nigerian 2008 Olympic team or the technical brilliance of our U17 team. Its a shame but not surprising.

This is why I asked some pertinent questions a while ago. Why does this technical brilliance suddenly disappear?

[Robotnik]

The ability to follow instructions is also (or requires) talent.

[panafrican]

Fifa World Ranking (june 2d, 2014)

http://fr.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/index.html

Uruguay (7th)
Colombia (8th)
USA (13th)
Chile (14th)
Mexico (20th)
Algeria (22d)
Côte d'Ivoire (23rd)
Ecuador (26th)
Costa Rica (28th)

We think african are better, but when you look at the FIFA World Ranking, African teams do not rank better than Uruguay, Colombia, Costa Rica & co...They are even far behind...

[Guv007]

If you live in the US and Costa Rica took you by surprise, then I say shame on you..This team was easily the best during WC qualifying, ahead of both USA and Mexico.
As for African teams...you simply cannot reap what you don't sow. If you grew up in Nigeria in the 70s and 80s , then you know what YSFON is, you know how hotly contested the Local leagues and Challenge Cups were..You know about Principals cup for high schools, where are those things now? Every little boy is wearing a Chelsea, Man U or Barcelona jersey.
I hear that Messi is looked at as some sort of outsider because he never played in the Argentine League. Clint Dempsey left the much vaunted Europe to come back to the MLS, can an African player ever do that?

Lets all stop deceiving ourselves and go back to regularly scheduled Premier League programming

[Guv007]

We don't have a complex, our players are not developed all you see is raw talent. We are tactically inept, we don't train decision making, I know it will sound funny to many here that you have to train decision making but you do. We are still inept in many of the routine things that can make a difference in a game. Yesterday CIV had about 10 corners and 12 freekicks in dangerous places, many teams would have won that game on set pieces but when an African team has a corner kick or free kick around the box the ;last thing on most of our minds is that it will result in a goal while when the opposite happens our hearts are in our throats, scared because we can't defend set pieces.

Please walk me through this .....

How come a team that has Drogba, Kalou, Yaya, Zokora, Bonny, Gervinho has these issues you're raising? These guys perform all year round in top clubs but when they come to Africa, they somehow forget how to play, make the right decisions and need to be coached fundamentals? It does not make sense!

If you are referring to kids coming out of Africa or a few odd ones like Ahmed Musa, then, I understand but the pros, I do not understand.

It takes more than a few big men to make a team, so what if those 5 are good and the rest can't trap the ball? What you call top clubs is where all those English players who just got dumped from the WC ply their trade. The emphasis is team, you can only have that when there are eleven technically sound guys on the field.

How many of our players are in the English League?

[Cristao II]

I am laughing. Why not ask what is wrong with Spain, England, Portugal, Italy? Stop putting down a continent of people.

[zee]

I am laughing. Why not ask what is wrong with Spain, England, Portugal, Italy? Stop putting down a continent of people.

Kpom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am not surprised that the clown that opened this thread is from Cameroun.......................a useless country with an idiotic footballing culture(I said it). A country that it's players can't dribble a 'standing tree'.
Cameroun is the only country that consistently disgraces the whole continent..........................Ghana, Algeria, CIV all lost narrowly(1-2), but not the buffoons and 'skillless' clowns from Cameroun.
The only team that continuely disgraces Africa is and will remain only............Cameroun!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cristao II]

There is nothing wrong with the African players but there is something lacking called team play and that good old creativity. Costa Rica has it and chile has it. None of the African teams play with the daring spirit of the nigerian 2008 Olympic team or the technical brilliance of our U17 team. Its a shame but not surprising.

This is why I asked some pertinent questions a while ago. Why does this technical brilliance suddenly disappear?

Thank you. Is it the length of time for camping? Is it that our players are now so comfortable and no longer hungry for glory? What is it?

[cic old boy]

In Africa we think footballers grow on trees and it is not about planning, education and learning.

Why are Latin American teams dominating Brazil 2014?



By Eurosport
5 hours ago

The Rio Report

Costa Rica's domination of a group with three former champions and Chile and Colombia's triumphant march through their first two matches highlights the strength of the Latin American challenge at the World Cup.

A mixture of enhanced coaching and the confidence gained from playing on familiar territory in their own region means they can play an attacking game that comes more naturally to them with the bonus of profiting from their better ball skills.

Another major factor is the ever growing number of players from all over Latin America gaining experience in Europe's top and secondary leagues.

But the improvement of the national teams is mainly down to management policies at home.


Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay are the South American names that have already been etched on the trophy.

However, an all-encompassing CONMEBOL qualifying system introduced for the 1998 finals in France has allowed other nations on the continent to make progress through greater competition with the big guns.

The group was made up of nine of the 10 member nations, minus World Cup hosts Brazil, with the teams all playing 16 demanding matches on a home and away league basis.

Colombia and Chile, both with highly regarded Argentine coaches, finished second and third respectively behind Argentina with Ecuador fourth, leaving Uruguay once again to book a ticket to the finals in an intercontinental playoff.

Venezuela had never come as close to qualifying for their first finals as last year when only a 1-0 home defeat by a Uruguay side staring elimination in the face dashed their dream.

The new World Cup qualification system and South America's extension of the Copa America since the 1990s to 12 teams, including two invited in from other confederations, usually CONCACAF, has benefited Costa Rica and Mexico.

The two nations from the north of the Americas sent development teams to the Copa America in Argentina three years ago and are yielding the benefits, Mexico having gone on to win the Olympic football gold medal in London in 2012.


Costa Rica, then coached by Mexican-based Argentine Ricardo La Volpe, blooded the likes of Joel Campbell in Argentina in 2011 and Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto has carried on the work.

The latter has now led them to shock wins at the World Cup in Brazil over Uruguay, semi-finalists in 2010, and Italy, champions for the fourth time in 2006.


"Costa Rica prepared from the pre-season and today we've seen the results," Pinto said. "I'm not sure if I'm being daring but I think that in defence we had a perfect match. We've beaten... an Italy with marvellous and extraordinary players,"

Midfielder Celso Borges, referring to Costa Rica qualifying for the second round for the first time since Italia '90, said: "Let the people enjoy, because we're going for more. We've tied our history but we want to be immortal."

South America, having made a mark at the finals in South Africa four years ago by getting four teams into the quarter-finals, want to win the trophy back for the first time since Brazil's record fifth victory in 2002.

Results in the first nine days of the tournament suggest it is not exclusively the big three looking to get in on the act. Time will tell if they have the stamina to stay the course.

Reuters
https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/th ... 26117.html

[Guv007]

I am laughing. Why not ask what is wrong with Spain, England, Portugal, Italy? Stop putting down a continent of people.

Keep laughing, 3 of those Countries have won the WC and one more than twice, they main also develop and have a better resemblance of a development programme and Leagues as well. We should be comparing ourselves with others but ask why is African football not developing as a whole.

[zee]

I am laughing. Why not ask what is wrong with Spain, England, Portugal, Italy? Stop putting down a continent of people.

Keep laughing, 3 of those Countries have won the WC and one more than twice, they main also develop and have a better resemblance of a development programme and Leagues as well. We should be comparing ourselves with others but ask why is African football not developing as a whole.

A tournament of 32 teams with 16 places going to Europe................is a glorified 'European Cup', shame on Europe for not winning all the world cups!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A massive shame

[Cristao II]

I am laughing. Why not ask what is wrong with Spain, England, Portugal, Italy? Stop putting down a continent of people.

Keep laughing, 3 of those Countries have won the WC and one more than twice, they main also develop and have a better resemblance of a development programme and Leagues as well. We should be comparing ourselves with others but ask why is African football not developing as a whole.

So why did they mess up in 2014? Are they regressing especially the one that only won when it was hosted on their own land?

[Cellular]

There is nothing wrong with the African players but there is something lacking called team play and that good old creativity. Costa Rica has it and chile has it. None of the African teams play with the daring spirit of the nigerian 2008 Olympic team or the technical brilliance of our U17 team. Its a shame but not surprising.

This is why I asked some pertinent questions a while ago. Why does this technical brilliance suddenly disappear?

They coach it out of you...

[Cellular]

If you live in the US and Costa Rica took you by surprise, then I say shame on you..This team was easily the best during WC qualifying, ahead of both USA and Mexico.
As for African teams...you simply cannot reap what you don't sow. If you grew up in Nigeria in the 70s and 80s , then you know what YSFON is, you know how hotly contested the Local leagues and Challenge Cups were..You know about Principals cup for high schools, where are those things now? Every little boy is wearing a Chelsea, Man U or Barcelona jersey.
I hear that Messi is looked at as some sort of outsider because he never played in the Argentine League. Clint Dempsey left the much vaunted Europe to come back to the MLS, can an African player ever do that?

Lets all stop deceiving ourselves and go back to regularly scheduled Premier League programming

Excellent points...

Their solution will be to appoint a Louis Van Gaal... or somn.

[Guv007]

I am laughing. Why not ask what is wrong with Spain, England, Portugal, Italy? Stop putting down a continent of people.

Keep laughing, 3 of those Countries have won the WC and one more than twice, they main also develop and have a better resemblance of a development programme and Leagues as well. We should be comparing ourselves with others but ask why is African football not developing as a whole.

So why did they mess up in 2014? Are they regressing especially the one that only won when it was hosted on their own land?

So why are we regressing since our last best WC outing in 1998?

[Damunk]

There is nothing wrong with the African players but there is something lacking called team play and that good old creativity. Costa Rica has it and chile has it. None of the African teams play with the daring spirit of the nigerian 2008 Olympic team or the technical brilliance of our U17 team. Its a shame but not surprising.

This is why I asked some pertinent questions a while ago. Why does this technical brilliance suddenly disappear?

They coach it out of you...

Abeg, discuss.

[Dr. Sabinus Okoro Phd]

We don't have a complex, our players are not developed all you see is raw talent. We are tactically inept, we don't train decision making, I know it will sound funny to many here that you have to train decision making but you do. We are still inept in many of the routine things that can make a difference in a game. Yesterday CIV had about 10 corners and 12 freekicks in dangerous places, many teams would have won that game on set pieces but when an African team has a corner kick or free kick around the box the ;last thing on most of our minds is that it will result in a goal while when the opposite happens our hearts are in our throats, scared because we can't defend set pieces.

Please walk me through this .....

How come a team that has Drogba, Kalou, Yaya, Zokora, Bonny, Gervinho has these issues you're raising? These guys perform all year round in top clubs but when they come to Africa, they somehow forget how to play, make the right decisions and need to be coached fundamentals? It does not make sense!

If you are referring to kids coming out of Africa or a few odd ones like Ahmed Musa, then, I understand but the pros, I do not understand.

It takes more than a few big men to make a team, so what if those 5 are good and the rest can't trap the ball? What you call top clubs is where all those English players who just got dumped from the WC ply their trade. The emphasis is team, you can only have that when there are eleven technically sound guys on the field.

How many of our players are in the English League?

Did you understand what you read, where do the English players who have just been kicked out of the world cup play?

[asabe]

If you live in the US and Costa Rica took you by surprise, then I say shame on you..This team was easily the best during WC qualifying, ahead of both USA and Mexico.
As for African teams...you simply cannot reap what you don't sow. If you grew up in Nigeria in the 70s and 80s , then you know what YSFON is, you know how hotly contested the Local leagues and Challenge Cups were..You know about Principals cup for high schools, where are those things now? Every little boy is wearing a Chelsea, Man U or Barcelona jersey.
I hear that Messi is looked at as some sort of outsider because he never played in the Argentine League. Clint Dempsey left the much vaunted Europe to come back to the MLS, can an African player ever do that?

Lets all stop deceiving ourselves and go back to regularly scheduled Premier League programming

with no answers. This is a team that has no single player I repeat NOT ONE SINGLE PLAYER individually better than those of Nigeria, Cote D'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana and Algeria yet they are able to get out of a group comprising England, Italy and Uruguay. Could an African team do the same? Absolutely Not! Forget even about qualifying with 6 points, no African team out of the 5 Ive named would get 4 points in that same group. Again whats wrong with us I ask? Why are we so scared of others? Why do we have such a complex when you even call the names of average football nations like Colombia, Croatia, USA, Mexico etc... not to talk of the top ones. Do we need psychologists rather than coaches....I feel we do! The only time Cameroon reached the QF of a WC the coach was a completely unknown Russian dude who did nothing prior and never succeeded elsewhere after that. It was due in large part to the psych and spirit of the players. We vent everyday that our problem is the lack of good coaches. My brothers I dont think thats our main problem. Costa Rica doesnt have a Mourinho or Van Gal. What miracle has Capello performed with Russia? Football IMO is 75% in the head the other 25% is organization, coaching etc...

Costa Rica has a settled that has been together for awhile. The USA was so scared of them that they took their qualifier at altitude on a snowy pitch.

All teams need psychologists. Cameroon needs psychiatrists too.

Now we are talking. Until Africa has strong leagues, we will always be disappointed. Strong leagues develop a big pool of players, strong soccer culture and also a playing styles. A good example is Mexico, they have always had a style coming from their league, and on a given day can tikitaka any team with speed.

[Cristao II]

Africa's problem is simple. The pool of good players at senior level. We need to have good economies and good strong leagues back home then we can do better at senior level.

[cchinukw]

Threads like this are a blessing..

It is time we took stock of where we are and where we want to be footballing wise.