AFRICAN NATIONS CUP SPIES AND SCOUTERS ON BOARD IN ANGOLA

The southern African country of Angola was entrusted with responsibilities and preparations to set a stage for what look to be a very captivating and probably the most watched football competition on the continent before this year’s  most awaited and first world  cup tournament on a African soil due in June to July in south Africa.

Arguably one of the wealthiest country on the continent, Angola a former Portuguese colony have live it all from endless war to poverty, you name it. But with the blessing of (CAF) the Confederation of African Football and the entire continent the country is due to host its first and 27^th edition of the Orange African Nations Cup tournament starting on the 10^th January and finish on the 31^st of the same month.

The ramification of the independence gone bad in 1975 and decades of political turmoil and civil war that claimed millions innocent lives and left millions in humanitarian crisis with ravaged infrastructures, have left a lot to be desired, but football have been a way of life.

The country organising authorities have declared everything ready for the showpiece with improved infrastructures, hotels and four stadiums. Tight Security to ensure peace and stability also been promised. Angola’s economy is one of the fastest growing in Africa thanks to its government controlled rising oil production and diamonds that are set revive and consolidate the lives of 18.3million desperate citizens.

Clubs managers and coaches in Europe were left frustrated by the departures of many African players who were probably happy to escape the cold and snow in turns of sunshines.

The sixteen team tournament first game will be in Luanda where the host nation Angola takes on Mahmoud Diarra’s Mali in group A while three other group play their games in other three different cities of Cabinda, Benguela and Lubango respectively.

 A total of 368 players are expected to participate in this year’s tournament and many countries have already named and submitted their squads.

The host nation will be looking to win their first African title without team captain Andre Macanga who needed surgery to fix his knee injury, while veteran defender Yamba Asha have also been left out.

 Holder and 6 time champion Egypt who are still healing from a bitter loss to their fierce rivals Algeria for a world cup spot, still hold a favourite ticket despite loosing their most gifted and influential player Mohamed Aboutrika of Al Ahly through injury. Zamalek’s striker Amr Zaki is also yet to recover from injury hence sidelined and miss out. Journeyman Mido formerly with Wigan, Tottenham among them have also been left out after deemed surplus to requirement.

 However the team most experienced and most capped player Ahmed Hassan is available and hopes are high. At the age of 34, Ahmed Hassan is a legend and he is looking to add to his already won 170 caps with enthusiasm. He is the most capped players at this year’s tournament where he makes eight appearances in the African Nations Cup finals history and will be looking to win his 3^rd African nations cup title and Egypt’s seventh.

 Another northern Africa team set to attract huge interests at the tournament is Algeria who is back at the tournament after years of floundering and is now in rhythm and re-establishing themselves to a force they once were. In charge of the team is Rabah Saadane a very experienced and successful coach in Algerian football history, who many believe with him at the helm anything is possible.

The black stars of Ghana last lifted the trophy in Libya 1982 but have always been tagged favourites in every competition they partake. In 2008 Ghana failed to take home advantage and Egypt left jubilant. In Angola the black stars will do without their hardworking captain Stephan Appiah ruled out injured, while  John Patsil of Fulham and Sunderland’s John Mensah have all been ruled out recovering. Sulley Muntari’s apology could not land him back in the team but Michael Essien is fit again while U-20 FIFA world cup winner Ransford Osei warm to complement the quality legs of Asamoah Gyan and company to walk away with gold.

Essien’s teammate at Chelsea John Obi Mikel is ready to serve for Nigeria whose team boast individual talents with abilities to flourish. Cameroon counts on the experience and defender Rigobert Song while Inter Milan’s free scoring Samuel Eto’o Fils currently lead the all time top goalscorer chart of the competition with 16 goals and will again be a threat.

 The two teams Cameroon and Egypt met at the final in Ghana 2008 and are the only teams to have successfully defended the African nations cup but this time Egypt will be going for a triple.

Veteran players such as Kossi Agassa of Togo and show maker Emanuel Adebayor and many more will all take the stage and the fans won’t be left stagnant for sure.

All five African representatives at 2010 world cup finals in South Africa will certainly attracts scouts and spies from all over the world and players will be looking to impress and flourish for the market to earn lucrative offers from big clubs in Europe.

Every team is in with a chance but whether the hosting national team is strong enough to take advantage and keep the trophy home, is a tough goal to score. But many egocentrics and antiAfrica will be heedful to relate outcomes of this tournament to the upcoming and Africa’s first world cup that is yet to be staged in South Africa.

Angola is a country in search of resurrections to her economy and shattered society and this will be no mean clinching climax, but the experience and benefits of hosting a tournament of this magnitude will be genuinely inspirational to a country where joys and celebrations have long been a dream.