adminThat will help us to start building the team for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
For a change let us build for the future.
Yes, let us fulfill our remaining games but with an eye for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
If you remember well, the Egypt Football Federation disbanded their team, halfway into the qualifiers for the 2012 Nations Cup finals, when it became apparent that they would not qualify.
Given that the same Pharaohs had won three straight Nations Cup finals, and were the defending champions, to make such a big decision, to disband that team, needed a lot of courage, and vision, on the part of the football leadership.
It was a popular team, probably the greatest that Egypt had created, and in three straight Nations Cup finals, beginning with the one they hosted at home in 2006 to the one they won in Angola in 2010, they had won the biggest football tournament in Africa.
But the Egyptian football leaders did not use their hearts, to make the big decision to disband such a popular team, but used their brains because their vision told them that this particular team had run its course.
The race, for it, was over.
So, they disbanded the team and brought in the Olympic team players, all Under-23s, and gave them the mandate to play the remaining qualifiers in the race for the 2012 Nations Cup finals. The Egyptians sacrificed the immediate results, even though they were the defending champions, for the long-term future and while they didn’t qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup finals, everyone can see where their team is heading today.
They have won their first two World Cup qualifiers, including a brave 3-2 away victory in Guinea, and after just two games, they are favourites to win the group.
That’s what you get for being visionary.
The next Olympic Games are in 2016.
Let us build the Warriors, who will play in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, around the team that will play in the 2016 Olympic Games qualifiers.
By this, I’m say let us start building an Under-18 strong team now to compete in the Olympics come four years time.
We can start by having a provincial Under-18 tournament.
From there, the best players are chosen from all over the country.
Every player, 18-or-under, is eligible even if they already are playing in the Premiership.
Yes, it can be done.
The bulk of those players will then graduate into the senior team, fusing them with the top senior players at that time.
For sponsors like Mbada Diamonds and others, who may wish to come on board, this is where we need them the most.
Instead of sponsoring the team overnight with a promise for bonuses, we need them to come on board and start sponsoring this rebuilding exercise up to 2018, financing the friendly games and all training games towards 2018.
They could sponsor the team to go in camp in countries like Germany and people like Klaus Pagels will help.
With this kind of set-up we will never go wrong.
South Korea prepared a team for four years prior to hosting the World Cup in 2002 and they got it right and were very successful.
By 2018 the players that are 18 today in this country will be 24, which is a very prime age for soccer players to excel.
Fused with a bit of experience, they will be unstoppable.
Yes Zifa, you may not like my idea but I believe in this venture.
It could help to start rebuilding the confidence of the fans all over again because at this present moment their confidence in the team is at an all-time low.
The team needs its confident fans for morale. Having said all this, if you believe the dream to Brazil is still alive, by all means go for it.
But you would be missing an opportunity and I would once again say building for the 2016 Olympic Games and 2018 World Cup will be the better option and will do the trick for my beloved Warriors and the fans.
Thanking you for taking time to read my letter.
Yours in Football
ALOIS BUNJIRA
Online Reporter