10 Bold Predictions for African Football in 2015
Things begin with the imminent Cup of Nations, where 15 of the continent’s finest sides (and Equatorial Guinea) are set to convene in Central Africa to battle it out for the AFCON title.
Doubtless, stars will be made and legacies will be forged over the coming month.
After that, African stars across the footballing world will continue to generate headlines and delight fans.
In this feature, we list 10 bold predictions for African football in 2015.
Enyeama to Move to a Major Club
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A truly world class goalkeeper is a hard thing to acquire. Just ask, for example, Liverpool or Arsenal, both of whom have had troubles with their stoppers so far this season.
Nigerian keeper Vincent Enyeama falls into this bracket, but his superb qualities between the sticks have never been matched by a truly elite environment.
He excelled for LOSC Lille last season and helped the northern club to the Champions League play-offs. It’s unlikely that the Mastiffs—who currently sit eleventh in the Ligue 1 table—will reach the promised land again next year.
Enyeama deserves a spell at a major side before his career ends and, at 32, it’s probably now or never.
Tor-Kristian Karlsen, writing for the Guardian, recently suggested Liverpool should move for Enyeama—it many not happen in January, but don’t expect the Super Eagles stopper to still be at Lille at the season’s end.
Bony to Top-Score in the Premier League
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It appears likely that before the transfer window is over, Wilfried Bony will be at Manchester City.
David McDonnell of the Mirror reported on Friday that the club are “poised to complete the £30 million signing of the Swansea forward.”
Bony has the lot and will contribute power, pace and an eye for goal to the Citizens' forward line.
Jim White, writing for Eurosport, commented that the addition of Bony is “the sort of signing that lands trophies.”
But can the Ivorian claim the EPL Golden Boot?
He currently sits joint-fifth in the scoring charts, five goals behind Chelsea’s Diego Costa and his soon-to-be team-mate Sergio Aguero.
Bony will miss matches due to the Cup of Nations, but he has the quality to hit the ground running when he returns.
Can he overhaul Costa and, along with compatriot Yaya Toure, drive City to the title?
Gabon to Make the Final Four
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I had initially tipped Senegal as the dark horses of the upcoming Cup of Nations. However, considering the Teranga Lions’ injury concerns and being drawn in the Group of Death, I’m inclined to change my pick.
Alain Giresse's side beat Gabon in a pre-tournament friendly on Friday, and while the Panthers will be disappointed with that defeat, I see enough about them to tip them for a deep run into the Cup of Nations.
The draw has been kind, and the Central Africans will fancy their chances of escaping from Group A ahead of two from the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso.
With a spine that includes the likes of Didier Ovono, Bruno Ecuele Manga, Andre Poko and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, I doubt they will be eyeing the quarter-finals as their limit.
Nabil Fekir: Africa’s New Darling
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Nabil Fekir won’t be present for Algeria at the 2015 Cup of Nations, but his father has insisted that he will represent the Desert Foxes in the future, as noted by Andrew Gibney, writing for FourFourTwo.
In the meantime, he may be the subject of a major transfer bid, with both Arsenal and Manchester City interested in taking him from Olympique Lyonnais. via Ben Jefferson of the Express.
Despite his slender years, Fekir has already demonstrated exceptional poise and vision as a creative midfielder positioned just behind the striker.
Algeria aren’t exactly short in this position—where BBC’s African Player of the Year Yacine Brahimi currently excels—but they would still benefit greatly from the option of one as talented as Fekir.
Can he emerge as Africa’s new darling in 2015?
The Ivory Coast to Come Good
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You won’t find many pundits tipping the Ivory Coast for a successful stint in Equatorial Guinea for the Cup of Nations.
The Elephants struggled during qualification, thrashed 4-1 by Cameroon and pulped, at home, 4-3 by the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As has been the case far too often for the last few years, the Elephants’ defence have let them down. There are signs, however, that things are improving. New boss Herve Renard has axed the erratic Sol Bamba and Copa Barry—which should cut down the number of individual errors—while former Strasbourg man Arthur Boka has also been dropped.
If Renard can work with the defensive unit over the coming few weeks, and if Cheick Tiote can provide disciplined protection for the back four, then the Elephants should have a platform upon which their attacking talents—Gervinho, Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony—can flourish.
A Nigerian Revival
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2014 was truly a year to forget for Nigeria—at least for the men’s senior team.
While the youngsters and the women flourished, the Super Eagles had a mixed World Cup and subsequently failed to qualify for the 2015 Cup of Nations after missing out to South Africa and the Republic of Congo.
Despite their failings, the West Africans boast some exceptionally talented players—both capped and uncapped—and if the right man can harness that quality, then the good times shouldn’t be too far away.
Vincent Enyeama, for example, made the top three of the African Footballer of the Year award, John Obi Mikel is one of the few African Champions League winners still active in the game, while players such as Ogenyi Onazi, Kenneth Omeruo, Kelechi Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa promise a bright future.
Nigeria may be out of the limelight for now…but don’t expect them to stay in the shadows forever.
Bentaleb to Help Spurs to the Champions League
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At the time of writing, Tottenham Hotspur sit just outside the Champions League places. Spurs are in fifth place, two points behind fourth-placed Southampton.
The season may have started indifferently for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, but since finding their rhythm and their identity, the Lilywhites have looked like a different animal—and credible top-four contenders. The north Londoners haven’t lost in six in the EPL and have lost only once (against Chelsea) in their last nine.
Nabil Bentaleb has been central to their improvement and delivered fine performances in victories over Chelsea, Leicester City and Newcastle United in the League Cup.
Considering his poise and composure, it’s remarkable to think that he is only 20; Spurs fans are beginning to see that Bentaleb has an excellent character underpinning his technical capacities.
Former manager Tim Sherwood certainly thinks so, the ex-coach had this to say about his erstwhile charge, via Greg Stobart of Goal.
"He trains like every day is the last day of his life, he cries his eyes out when he loses a five-a-side match. He would die for the club.
...
Not only does he have the technical ability but he has the attitude and well. He showed everyone else how to train—his mentality was top class.
He trains like every day is the last day of his life. He cries his eyes out when he loses a five-a-side match. He would die for the club.
That attitude is why he is a future Tottenham captain and there are no doubts he will have a successful career.
Even when he's not playing so well, you know he will give everything and be brave. He won't hide, he will get about the pitch, he will demand the ball.
He works so hard on his game, he's a very intelligent player and wants to get on the ball. He can do a bit of everything.
I tended to use him in a more defensive role, mainly because I knew I could trust him to do what I asked.
But in his development at Spurs, he has always been a box-to-box midfielder and he has always scored goals in the junior age groups.
He's not the finished article yet but he can develop into more of a goalscoring midfielder.
"
Bentaleb may be away at the Cup of Nations for the next few weeks, but when he returns, I expect him to drive Spurs into the Champions League positions.
Ghana to Be Eliminated in the AFCON Group Stage
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I fear that things are pointing towards an early elimination for the Black Stars at the 2015 Cup of Nations.
Three things influence this concern.
Firstly, the West African giants have been drawn in Group C, the Group of Death, alongside Algeria, South Africa and Senegal.
The Desert Foxes, rampant and settled in qualifying under new boss Christian Gourcuff, will be favourites to qualify, while South Africa and Senegal both progressed to the tournament after some excellent—and even revelatory—performances.
There can be no margin for error.
However, the Black Stars are hamstrung by the omission of injured Juventus star Kwadwo Asamoah. The Italy-based midfielder is a versatile operator who can bring a sprinkle of stardust to the heart of his park. In his absence, the limitations of the Mohammed Rabiu-Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu partnership are exposed all too regularly.
Striker Waris Majeed is also absent, while the squad lacks star power without the disgraced pair of Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng, as well as the legendary Michael Essien.
Finally, while early signs have been auspicious, Ghana will have a new coach for the tournament.
Avram Grant only took the job once qualification had been concluded and will guide his side to Equatorial Guinea having never coached in Africa before and with little time to familiarise himself with his players.
It could all be a recipe for disaster.
Sassi to Emerge as an African Pirlo
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Typically, historically, Africa is known for producing a certain type of central midfielder. Now, however, the continent possesses a deep-lying playmaker of the kind not often seen before emerging from the continent.
While there have been many hulking defensive anchor men, and various energetic box-to-box units, Ferjani Sassi is a player who can dictate the tempo effectively and imaginatively from just in front of the defence.
This January, he has swapped the continent for Europe, leaving Tunisian giants CS Sfaxien for Metz of Ligue 1, per Le Figaro (French).
Watch the 22-year-old control matches for Tunisia at the upcoming Cup of Nations before heading to unite with his national team-mate Fakhreddine Ben Youssef in Moselle.
Gyan to Return to Europe
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I always wonder how history will remember Asamoah Gyan.
He will never be as obscure as Patrick "Ace" Ntsoelengoe, for example, the South African great who spent his career in the then-backwaters of the United States, but it’s hard to believe the Ghanaian forward will get the recognition he deserves.
This is because the Black Star left Premier League Sunderland for Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates in 2011. Since then, despite breaking Roger Milla’s long-standing African goals record at the World Cup, he has been out of the central narratives of the world game.
Surely Gyan’s personal ambition will dictate that he has another stab at a major European league before his prime is past him. He will be 30 in November…the clock is ticking.
