As suggested we were treated to numerous rumours and misinformation concerning the Togo African Cup of Nations attack. Now that the tournament has started there seems to be a final accounting of the base facts. Togo, after what must have been rough internal discussions, have left the tournament. As much as the players will have wanted to honour their fallen colleagues the team was on a hiding to nothing if they had stayed. Two members of the Togo party were killed in the attack along with their Angolan driver. Reserve goalkeeper Dodo Obilale is at last word seriously injured and in a South African hospital.
The situation remains fluid. There are still rumours that the Togo will return to the tournament. From a City standpoint even if Togo leave the tournament it is highly debatable as to what state Emmanual Adebayor returns in. Such an attack is an incredible trauma. Adebayor may quite easily be lost for the rest of the season. On the other hand he may find a singularity of purpose between the lines that he can't find during the rest of his day and excel. There is no way to tell, but personally I wouldn't expect to see the Togolese striker back to his best until the start of next season.
The African Cup of Nations has been a bone of contention for teams around Europe for some time. If I was in charge of a club I'd never sign any player that I could lose for a month in the middle of a season for country commitments. I don't think it is a coincidence that Manchester United don't have any players involved in the Cup and can look to take advantage of Chelsea and Arsenal that do.
The idea of such a tournament is a fine one but like Europe should be held after the season.
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Posted by matt on 01/11/2010
Hi Wallace. A good read as usual. The ACON is a fine tournament that deserves our respect. African football is extremely exciting, and the players know how much it means to the people of their countries. It is true, however, that organising a tournament in Africa poses special problems. Unfortunately, CAF are just as selfish and incompetent as the FA, UEFA and FIFA. I will never forget their initial response to the story, claiming that reports of gunfire were false. I will never forget their idiotic decision to hold a tournament in a country where security could not be guaranteed.
CAF must learn their lessons. I would prefer the entire board to be replaced, but the ACON must continue, preferably every two years, and the rest of the world must respect how important this tournament is. Anyway, I just wanted to point out that a little research into climate will tell you that in Africa, playing football in July/August is physically impossible.
Wallace Reply But that would mean that there should be no World Cup in South Africa and similarly the Oman (Middle East) bid for 2022 is doomed yet in some circles they are considered the favourites...
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Posted by jason wilcox on 01/11/2010
physically impossible....! are you sure?
hopefully Australia will get the 2022 World Cup (please FIFA.....watching A league isnt the best; even with Mr Fowler)
oh and btw it's 43 degress in Melbourne today
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Posted by rich on 01/11/2010
I am African, South African for that matter, and I can tell you that playing soccer in June/July/August is more than physically possible. It will be winter for us during the WC and the climate will be quite mild. I think you forget that Africa is a huge continent which spans both tropics. Obviously playing at or above the equator at that time of year would be a challenge, but playing in SA will be no problem at all.
Unfortunately I imagine these events will have a negative impact on the WC even though SA is far removed from Angola. Africa is not without its faults but I have faith that SA will host a great tournament. Lets hope that the rest of the ACON runs smoothly and produces some of the soccer we know it can!
Posted by Chris on 01/11/2010
Matt-
I don't know what a little research told you, but season run opposite in the Southern Hemisphere - in Africa, June and July is the winter (much like Brazil and Australia)... so right now is actually the summer there...
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Wallace Poulter is an award winning video game producer, designer, industry consultant and writer. He has been a football fanatic since the day he moved in next door to Brian Clough. "Cloughie" being the acknowledged genius that he was promptly moved out and went to manage Derby. A serviceable senior school left-back in his youth, Poulter played one season of Sunday league football as a striker proving conclusively that he was a serviceable senior school left-back! Today Poulter remains involved with football as a licensed referee and most recently as a consultant on a Football MMO.
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