The 26th African Nations cup to be fought battle at all levels

The 26th African Nations cup which kicks off in Ghana on Sunday and ends on February 10th may go down as one of the toughest in the continent in recent times. Going by the calibre of players that the continent parades around the club today, there is no doubt that it will be a keenly fought battle at all levels. The evolution of the game in the continent, the constant emergence of new stars and the very nature of the game makes a bet for the eventual winner very risky. Names that feature about the list of players for competing countries are amongst the finest in the European league which will undoubtedly lost much of its glamour.
1988 African player of the year, Zambian born Kalusha Bwalya believes the unpredictable nature of the African game today will create room for a more exciting tournament. In an interview over BBC, Kalusha thinks that the winner will probably emerge from the pack of Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali, Senegal, and Nigeria.
Ghana by virtue of their hosting rights will be strong contenders for the trophy. In 2000 when they served as joint host with Nigeria, the performance of the Black Stars was quite dismal. The team today appears stronger and has as Coach, Frenchman Claude Le Roy who knows the African well and won the trophy in 1988 with Cameroon.
It has in Chelsea power house Michael Essien one of the best footballers in the planet today. Though the absence of Captain Stephen Appiah due to injury will be a serious blow, Claude Le Roy has included him in his preliminary list of players and is insisting that he will be part of the squad in one way or the other because of his inspirational and leadership qualities.
Their biggest adversary in the first round at least on paper will be Morocco who has had had an impressive run in its friendly matches. It held France to a draw at the stade de France and disillusioned a Senegalese side with an impressive armada of players plying their trade in leading European sides. Guinea and Namibia who complete Group A will certainly be no push over and any side which underrates them will be doing so at their own peril.
Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Mali will fight hard for the two available tickets into the second round. Three of the side considered as potential champions by Kalusha Bwalya are found in this group.
Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Malian have players who are worthy ambassadors of Africa in leading European and world clubs.
Nigeria has stars like Mikel Obi for Chelsea, John Utaka and Kanu Nwankwo in Portsmouth, Obafemi Martins in Newcastle, Yakubu in Everton all English clubs and Taye Taiwo in Marseilles, France.
The Eagles are among the sides which have played the highest number of friendlies in anticipation of victory at a tournament they won for the last time in 1994.
Cote d’Ivoire with Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou in Chelsea, Didier Zokora of Tottenham, Kolo Toure and Eboue in Arsenal of England, Yaya Toure of Barcelona, and Aruna Kone in Valencia, Spain, Keita in Lyon, Bakari Kone in Lorient, France, and others playing in the German league makes Cote d’Ivoire a leading contender of the trophy at least on paper.
The team has the extra advantage of having played together for a while now. With the proven ability of football to serve as an instrument of peace, the Ivoriens may leave no stone unturned in their efforts to grab the trophy so it serves as additional incentive to the peace process in their country.
The presence of another emerging power house on the African scene Mali makes Group B one of the toughest draws. With a crop of players who have been playing together since 2002, and with players like Sissoko of Liverpool, in England, Diarra of Real Madrid, Fredi Kanoute and Keita of Sevilla in Spain just to cite a few, there will certainly lay claim to a huge stake in this group. Whereas the superior pedigree of Nigeria, Mali and Cote d’Ivoire may be expected make little fancy Benin the underdog of the group, the prospects of playing against such giants may bring out the best or hitherto unknown potentials in them. Even if they do not provide an upset, they may prove more difficult to beat than most people will otherwise have rated them.
Holders Egypt and four times champions Cameroon should be the favourites to sail through in Group C which also features Sudan and Zambia.
The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon use to evoke fear all over the continent but despite the impressive names that it still boasts of, managerial problems plaguing the management of football in the country have had a heavy toll on its prestige and standing.
From the appointment of coaches, to issues of match bonuses, poor infrastructure, and perpetually strained relations between the Sports Ministry and the football federation have seriously affected the roar of the lions.
They are, however, known for springing surprises when least expected and should not be completely ruled out.
As holders, Egypt will certainly be the team to beat at the tournament. Zambia has always proven difficult to manipulate and will pose problems to more than one opponent. Many may know more the humanitarian crises in Darfour rather than the football prowess of Sudan but Sudanese clubs have been doing well on the African scene and they contributed in knocking the wind off the sails of some of the biggest names on the continent including Tunisia, in topping the Ghana 2008 qualification group.
Group D has 2004 winner Tunisia, World Cup 2010 hosts South Africa, 2002 finalists Senegal and Angola. Of the four, South Africa trying to build a strong team for the World Cup has been the weakest link and were definitely lucky to make it to the list of 16 qualify countries. They certainly will be using the Nations Cup to identify talents and provide a foundation for a more competitive squad at the 2010 World Cup. Tunisia, Senegal and Angola may be the dominant sides in the group
Again the African game has become less predictable, there are no longer sides at major tournaments that are there merely as point distributors.
The names that represent the continent on the international scene certainly make some sides stand out but there is always room for the emergence or the discovery of some new power house, some emerging talent and a general upset.
For sure it promises to be an exciting tournament, an African festival, with the media spotlight beamed on the continent, with recruiters present to scout for young talents despite the dominance of already confirmed talents on the list of all the selections.