Little Tournament in Africa

I don’t think Klopp is a racist, absolutely NO! While he is not Arsene Wenger, the Frenchman who blazed a trail, at the highest level, in believing in the quality of black footballers, and built his Arsenal around them, Klopp is a fine gentleman. He loves his players, whether black or white, and has invested heavily in African stars, without any concern whatsoever, in their colour, or the risk which comes with signing them, given the disruptions that come with the AFCON finals.

Sharuko On Saturday

ON Sunday night, in the cathedral of football called Yaounde, the ‘little football tournament in Africa’ finally came to an end.

The continent’s number one ranked nation, the Lions of Teranga of Senegal, finally came of age in the country which is the home of the Indomitable Lions.

The home of Roger Milla, the immortal Lion himself, as indomitable as they will ever come.

The legend who found a way to mock age, defy science and transform himself into African football’s favourite Prince.

He was 38, when his country came calling, in a wild experiment to provide the Indomitable Lions with the X-Factor they badly needed, gambling on both his wisdom and his talent.

That he had long entered the twilight phase of his career didn’t matter.

And, neither did it matter that he had just spent some time playing in an obscure league on the southern tip of the Indian Ocean.

Milla was 36 when he arrived in Reunion.

This was supposed to be just a farewell tour from a game he had first played, at the top level, as an 18-year-old, at Leopard Douala, in 1970.

You can be forgiven if you don’t know that Reunion exists.

It’s an island, tucked away at the tail end of the Indian Ocean, dwarfed by Madagascar, about 550 kms to its west, and Mauritius, about 175km, to its north east.

Everything there is French – the language, the food, the drinks, the gendarmerie, the driving and the leadership of this island, which comes from Paris.

Even the President is French.

Emmanuel Macron, the French President, is the Head of State in Reunion, where he is represented by a Prefect, who runs the island on his behalf.

The people of Reunion even vote in the French elections for the European Parliament and their main holiday, just like in France, is the Bastille Day, which falls on July 14, every year.

Reunion is not a member of FIFA, which means they don’t take part in the World Cup qualifiers and, given they are only an associate member of CAF, they send representatives into the CAF inter-club tournaments.

The last time a club from Reunion met Dynamos in the CAF Champions League in 1999, SS Saint-Louisienne leaked seven goals, in a 2-7 crushing defeat, at the National Sports Stadium.

In 1989, this is where the great Roger Milla, the Indomitable Lion who has roared the loudest in the history of the World Cup, was playing his football.

He was now a veteran, who had seen it all, having first represented his country in the qualifiers for the ’74 World Cup qualifiers, against the DRC, then known as Zaire.

Cameroon lost that match 0-1 in Douala, on February 4, 1973, and it would mark the last time the Indomitable Lions would lose, in their backyard, in regulation time.

Now, 17 years later, Milla was now the man Cameroon were banking on, to provide that X-Factor.

Four goals at Italia ‘90, with each being provided with an exotic dance which was as captivating as his ice-cold marksmanship, transformed Milla into a global superstar.

No other African footballer has played this well, and with such deadly and seductive impact, at the World Cup, like Milla.

Fittingly, Milla, now 69, was there in Yaounde on Sunday, when the curtain came down, on the AFCON finals, which turned 65 this year.

He was given the honour to deliver the trophy as Cameroonian football, in particular, and African football, in general, fittingly chose the grand stage, to celebrate the life of one of its finest sons.

He doesn’t seem to age at all, this Milla guy and, while he is not as athletic as he was at Italia ’90, which is natural, it’s difficult, watching him now, to believe he is 69.

Of course, he would have preferred a Cameroonian victory but the Indomitable Lions, hosting this tournament for only the second time, and the first time in 50 years, didn’t let down their nation.

A third-place finish, in a tournament they never lost a match, with their loss to Egypt in the semi-finals coming via the penalty shootout lottery, was a fair return.

Vincent Aboubakar’s eight goals, en-route to winning the Golden Boot, was as special a shift, from a spearhead of a nation’s attack, as what we saw when Ndaye Mulamba scored nine goals for the DRC at the ’74 AFCON finals.

And, when Laurent Poku, the Ivorian goal-machine, scored eight goals, including five in one match against Sudan, for the Elephants at the 1970 Nations Cup finals.

Poku was 69, the same age as Milla today, when he died in Abidjan on November 13, 2016.

 

 SPARE A THOUGHT FOR SALAH, CELEBRATE SADIO’S HEROICS

Roger Milla didn’t need to say anything, as a direct response, to remind Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, he was out of order to suggest the Nations Cup was a “little tournament in Africa.”

Some things are not worth responding to because the sights and sounds from the stadiums in Cameroon, tell the story of a tournament which is very big.

And, of course, the wild celebrations, which we saw in Malawi, Equatorial Guinea and Senegal, when their heroes returned home, also speak loudly about the huge size of this tourney.

The tragedy outside Olembe Stadium, where a number of people lost their lives as they tried to squeeze their way into the stadium, to watch their Indomitable Lions, also says a lot about the massive interest, in this tourney, on the continent.

But, the biggest response to Klopp was probably provided by two of his superstars, who have been at the heart of Liverpool’s resurgence, in recent years, into a force in world football.

Mohamed Salah appeared lost, as if he was pleading with God to open the ground for it to swallow him, so that he doesn’t endure the pain, which had been inflicted by the Pharaohs’ heartbreaking defeat, in the final.

To suggest that he was in distress would be a contender for the understatement of the year, even though we are just two months into the new year.

He appeared like a robot, the strain on his face clear for everyone to see, the burden on his soul hidden from us but very notable from his bowed head, a man at war with himself, dealing with a flood of questions and struggling to find an answer to even one of them. It was difficult, if not impossible, not to sympathise with him, this diminutive Number 10, a football god whose talent, and willpower, helped him overcome the rejection from Chelsea, to transform himself into the world’s best player right now.

He didn’t even get to take a penalty in the shootout, which was criminal and, after Lionel Messi found a way to finally win a major tournament with his country, at Copa America, Salah knows this was a huge chance to consolidate his legacy, which came and went.

Now, if Salah was so heartbroken, for losing the AFCON final, how does Klopp still find supporting evidence, to his misplaced views, that this is a little tournament in Africa?

If he still believes in that then he is virtually insulting Salah for wasting his tears and crying for losing in the final of a little tournament in Africa.

It’s even worse with Sadio Mane, who found a way to drag his side past the line, as the Lions of Teranga won their first AFCON trophy.

“It’s the best day of my life and the best trophy of my life,” he said.

“I won the Champions League and some [other] trophies but this is the special one for me. This is more important for me.

“I am happy for myself, my people and all of my family.”

In a way, Mane’s message was loud and clear and, to Klopp, he was reminding him that while the Champions League is important, it is not as big as the AFCON.

Nothing beats winning silverware for one’s country because it’s national duty, it’s an expression of patriotism.

It’s about doing it for your father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, nephew, the living and the dead.

It’s about being an ambassador, representing an entire nation, helping it to believe in its dreams, to believe in miracles, to believe in itself, to confront the toughest of opponents, and still prevail.

It’s breaking the barriers erected by all the things which divide a nation, like religion, politics, and bringing everyone together, under the banner of their flag, in pursuit of their happiness.

Supporting Liverpool is by choice, supporting the Lions of Teranga, for the people of Senegal is by right, a connection established at birth.

It’s just like the Warriors, for us, we know they are not the strongest of national teams.

But, they are our number one favourite side, with our connection to them deeper than the links which bind us with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea. In rugby union and cricket, their biggest heroes are those who star for the national teams, like the late Jonah Lomu in New Zealand, like Sachin Tendulkar in India, like Sir Vivian Richards in the Caribbean, Bryan Habana in South Africa.

It’s just like the Olympics, it’s fighting for your country.

And, Jesse Owens would probably have won every 100m race he competed in but would certainly never have achieved his legendary status, without representing the United States, at the Olympic Games, in Germany in 1936.

Even today, we still talk about the Golden Girls, the hockey team which won us our first gold medal at the 1980 Olympics because they did it for their country.

That’s the power of national service.

THE LITTLE TOURNAMENT IN AFRICA

I don’t think Klopp is a racist, absolutely no!

While he is not Arsene Wenger, the Frenchman who blazed a trail, at the highest level, in believing in the quality of black footballers, and built his Arsenal around them, Klopp is a fine gentleman.

He loves his players, whether black or white, and has invested heavily in African stars, without any concern whatsoever, in their colour, or the risk which comes with signing them, given the disruptions that come with the AFCON finals.

Even though he coaches Liverpool, the club I swore to my dying day that I will never be tempted to either love or sympathise with, I have to say that I have found myself being charmed by Klopp.

Even though he committed the ultimate sin, by guiding Liverpool to their first league championship in, shame I can’t remember the years because it appeared to be an eternity, the point remains that I am a huge fan of Klopp.

That’s why, even though I don’t agree with his views that the AFCON is a little football tournament in Africa, and found them quite repulsive, I was prepared to also give him the benefit of doubt.

After all, that’s the beauty of democracy, I might not agree with you but I will sacrifice myself for your right to be heard.

And, there are always two sides to every coin.

How do we argue with Klopp that the AFCON is not a little football tournament in Africa when FIFA, the very organisation which is supposed to lead the way in ensuring our flagship tourney earns the respect it deserves, were in the forefront to try and force the postponement of the festival held in Morocco?

How do we argue with Klopp that the AFCON is not a little football tournament in Africa when FIFA, the very organisation created to safeguard and promote the interests of such tournaments, somehow, come up with a bizarre arrangement where their Club World Cup begins while the Nations Cup is still  underway?

How do we argue with Klopp that the AFCON is not a little football tournament in Africa when our biggest, and most successful club, Al Ahly of Egypt, are forced to travel to the Club World Cup, without their best players, called up for the Pharaohs team in Cameroon, in a fixture arrangement plucked from hell?

How do we argue with Klopp that the AFCON is not a little football tournament in Africa when winning the tournament is only good enough, to take the winners, who have been our best-ranked side for the last two years, into 18th place, on the latest rankings, released by the world football governing body?

How do we argue with Klopp that the AFCON is not a little football tournament in Africa when the Gambia, despite reaching the quarter-finals in their maiden appearance at the tourney, now only find themselves in 125th place, in the rankings?

How do we argue that the AFCON finals is a big tournament when a team, which reaches its quarter-finals, playing amazing football, still finds itself ranked behind Mozambique (117th place) even though the Mambas have never qualified for the Nations Cup finals in a dozen years?

How do we argue that the AFCON is a huge tournament where a team like the Gambia, for all the magic they produced in Cameroon, still find themselves adrift of Vietnam (98), Kyrgyz Republic (96), Cyprus (105), Kosovo (109), Thailand (112) and Tajikistan (115)?

If one of our last eight standing teams, at the AFCON finals, is only good enough to be ranked 125th place, how then do we say Klopp is wrong, it’s a huge tournament, featuring the big boys of football?

Malawi, who were greeted as heroes on their return home, after becoming the first generation of Flames to reach the knockout phase of the AFCON finals, still find themselves ranked 119th in the world, even though they held Senegal, in their group game.

Zimbabwe’s Warriors actually fell down the table despite only losing to a 97th minute penalty, against Senegal, and beating Naby Keita and his Guinea stars, in their other group match in Cameroon.

So, what was the benefit for the Warriors in beating a Guinea side ranked 79th in the world when doing so means they even lose points, on the FIFA rankings, and doesn’t that devalue the pedigree of the tournament and justify Klopp’s claims that it’s a little football tournament in Africa?

How does Zambia remain in the top 100 when they haven’t qualified for the AFCON finals three times on the bounce if this tournament, as we have been telling Klopp, is a big one where qualification carries a lot of weight and points?

For me, it’s not Klopp who has a problem but FIFA who should lead the way in giving the AFCON the respect that it deserves.

To God Be The Glory!

Peace to the GEPA Chief, the Big Fish, George Norton, Daily Service, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and all the Chakariboys still in the struggle.

Come on United!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ronaldoooooooooooooooooooooo!

Text Feedback 0772545199

WhatsApp 0772545199

Email- [email protected]; [email protected]

 You can also interact with me on Twitter (@Chakariboy), Facebook, Instagram (sharukor) and Skype (sharuko58) and GamePlan, the authoritative football magazine show on ZTV, where I interact with the legendary Charles Mabika, is back every Wednesday night at 9.30pm