Kenyan Football Need Not Be Instant Coffee

The second leg of the Kenya Premier League (KPL) is back. I had the opportunity to watch the AFC Leopards play Ulinzi on Wednesday. The action got me thinking about two things; instant coffee and the 2012 Cup of Nations.

I like my coffee, with or without milk. But instant coffee i in the same league as sliced bread; makes you take too much of it under duress from your subconscious. Just a sachet and you have enough to make a cup in no time.

The same applies to fans of the so-called community clubs. The clubs, specifically Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, have a great history. A score league titles, regional championships and the Nelson Mandela Cup for Gor Mahia. These teams were built over time, and when they hit their highest level, the players would have played anywhere in the world. They had their basics right and could get their tactics right (if the club management did not involve the services of a "consultant"). What is not said enough is that they were developed through youth centres.

Listening to AFC Leopards fans after the Ulinzi match, it seems came to light that no one really wants to see coffee brew, they just want it instant. To be specific, they want the coach to come up with a winning team overnight!

Kenya has no youth system to develop tactics. Players are making the scratch on basics, technical and psychological, late in their career. Need not discipline is is reserved for people in uniform and schools. Put up a squad like this and you have briliant players but a weak team. Just the same as instant coffee.

I will mention I like my coffee brewed, put the granules in hot water and strain for the aroma. Let us put the players through the same process, we might miss out on Gabon 2012, but 2015 is definitely it, Kenya will shine.

As for the community club supporters, stop talking, start walking; no club with a fan base of 5 million has ever gone broke or lacked a stream of talent.

Totally Offside

Remote Control

By The Sports Maniac

There has been alot of talk of use of "juju" and other forms of prediction formats that are intened to work in your team's favour. Africa has been accused of trying to do so. A 9 foot python was found in South Africa in the hands of a Sangoma. The belly creeper was in poor health. Other forms may be attributed to Africas, like guys in funny looking kits and strange ornamentation.

Now lets move to the Europeans, Germany in specific. They have Paul the Octopus. Octopaul predicts match results by eating from either the pot with the flag of Germany or their opponents. Octopaul is a non-mamal, just like the python in SA. Their purpose the same; modus operandi, depends on wha you believe, for me tis just the same.

A flow of printed works from North of the Latitude Cancer made Africa look like the remote control capital of the universe. Octopaul makes us understand they are like us, only that they use other organisms, and use apalatable words to describe the phenomenon.

Here is the difference; the python in SA will be treated by vets, Octopaul will be a subject of theses, antitheses, and hypotheses. The sangoma will be down trodden - not that I believe in his works - while Paul's keeper will be on Larry King, Hard Talk(BBC), Oprah Winfrey, Tyra Banks, and National Geographic.

What a way of life that footbal is.

For the record, I consider Octopaul a traitor; he was born in England - Germany's auld enemy? What happened, hopes tis not the warm weather.

Totally Offside

Do You Live or Die For Your Country?

The quarter finals made a hero of Luis Suarez, Uruguayan striker turned illegal keeper. His use of hands on the line to stop a goal bound header raises a matter that need be addressed. The kamikaze spirit in players is acceptable, but what legacy does it leave?

Had Asamoah Gyan scored, Suarez would have been a hero and it would be told to future generations; it is better lose honourably than to put a long lasting black spot in your career. This did not happen; the crossbar put the match into post match penalties, and Uruguay play Holland in the semis.

Suarez is a hero and he will miss the semi against Holland. FIFA has yet to decided the extent of his ban. The adage says that it cowards live for their country, while the heroes die fortheir country. In Uruguay, it will be said Suarez was afraid of losing, and will therefore live for his country. To Ghanaians, he is in the same league as a suicide bomber - one who dies for his country.

Will his actions create a legacy of - if faced by danger of extinction and you have a good keeper, remeber Suarez from South Africa 2010?

This is not the last we see of Suarez, who incidentally is skipper at Ajax Amsterdam. Will his team mates play against Holland, where he earns his living, for him?

Tune in to Channel 1 and Metro FM for live coverage of this match.

TEN YARDS OUT

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010 

By The Sports Maniac

The 19th FIFA World Cup has been full of surprises, shocks, and not to forget some extraordinary moments.

Group A had South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay and France. South Africa let it all down with Khune's sending off in their second match. The 3 - 0 loss technically knocked them out of the tournament. Mexico entertained as two time champs Uruguay put forward a reason to be noticed. Twas 60 years since they last won the trophy, plus they use four stars - 1930 and 1950world cups, and two olympic golds from the same era. France was just a continuation of Euro 2008. Team building in the alps did not help, Ray Domenech only commanded the respect of his Visa Card, and Nicolas Sarkozy has put the country at the threat of a FIFA ban for preparing to lead an investigation of the team's lack of general decency. France almost repeated a Korea Japan 2002 - no win, no goals, were not for Flourent Malouda. Goals scored 10, points earned 16. Player to watch - Givanni dos Santos of Mexico. Aged 21 and plays for Galatasary Istanbul.

Group B had Argentina, Nigeria, The Korea Republic, and Greece. Which is easier to remember: when philosopher Socrates died or who won Euro 2004? Your guess is as good as mine. They were drilled out by a fast Korean squad, before Enyeama earned the respect of Lio Mesi. Diego Maradona, more of Chairman of the Coaching Commitee somehow turned his outfit into killers against Korea, Greece meanwhile had some revenge from the 3-0 loss of USA 1994. Argentina went to collect the full 9 points. Korea scraped through in the final beath. Goals scored 17 - the joint highest tally group wise, total points collected 17. Hats off to Vinvent Enyeama, he can help kill keeper development in England if the unconfirmed truths are confirmed.

Group C has USA, England, Slovenia, and Algeria. Cagey, fatiguing, blunt; I rest my case. 15 points the tally, how they manged to score a total of 9 goals is still a wonder.

Group D invited Ghana, Australia, Germany, and Serbia. Germany had the third youngest squad on average, 25 years on average, coming into the tournament (they normally had the second oldest after Italy). At the end of match day 2, only Ghana were unbeaten. The finale was nailbiting, Germany stealing the group, the overrated Serbia headed back to Belgrade , Australia just did not score as much as they conceded. 12 goals in the group, 17 points won, just one player in the Castol Index.

Group E had The Dutch, Denmark, Cameroon and Japan. Cameroon had two of the seven teenagers in Zakumi - Vincent Aboubakar and Joel Matip. Cameroon played more like golfers - with no team work, Holland did not play the total football Johann Cryuff developed, Denmark were marked out and Japan played Kamikaze football. Japan and Holland made it to the last 16, Cameroon failed to get a point. 18 points collected, 15 goals scored; Roger Milla can look for fresh words for Eto'o. Rigobert Song has now played 9 world cup matches in four tournaments. He made 5 passses, all complete, and did not get a single booking!!!!!

Group F Defending Champions Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand and debutants Slovakia. The champions had a disaster of a tourney. They only managed two draws. The ageing squad - average 28.1 - never seemed to gel, and when they did, woodwork and Jubalani were not their friends. Paraguay managed to win the group with a win over Slovakia. 13 goals, 14 points.

Very Important Statistic = 0 = number of matches that Italy has won in 2010.

Group G was dubbed the group of death. Portugal - with CR9, or is it CR7 in focus, Brazil, Cote d'Ivoire, and Korea DPR. Korea DPR almost put out the much criticised Brazil. Brazil, second oldest team in the tourney at an average of 28.6 are coached by Dunga. Flair is his description of the clothes daughter designs for him, not something to exhibted by Robinho. Anyway the one-namers beat DPRK and CIV before drawing with Portugal. The Iberians produced the highest score and winning numbers, the seven nil drubbing of DPRK. Brazil and Portugal progressed, CIV will rue not taking their chances against Carlos Queiroz's outfit. 17 goals, 16 points, the most public display of the DPRK we will get to see closes.

Group H with European champions Spain, and the "not to be taken seriously Chile, Switzerland, and Honduras." Match day one and Spain paseed the ball a lot, oh yes they did but more of sideways. Switzerland beat themm 1 -0, thanks to the upright; ask Iker Casillas if you doubt it. Match day 2 and all they managed were 2 against Honduras. Meanwhile Switzerland went for 559 minutes in the World Cup without conceding a goal, Chile broke the record. Overall, the group had the leat goals scored - 8 but the teams collectively collected 15 points. Chile and Spain scrapped through, Honduras left the tourney with a mark though - they became the first team to have three brothers at a World Cup - Johhny, Wilson, and Jerry Palasios.

Summary of the group stage - 101 goals, 128 points. 16 teams flew home, 16 remained. Italy join France as first round victims as defending champions, SA become the first hosts not to make it to the knock out stage,

Finally, the World Cup starts!!!

Now, you may have wondered where I went and why I may have been so busy not to send my blogs on this page but may I admit laxity on my part on the account that the last few days have been so boring to excite me enough to write anything inspirational - hope am forgiven.

May i now express my open heart here and let you into the fact that am now inspired that teams that opted to display anti-football tactics and approaches are finally moving out and the goals are coming through; so 13 goals goals in the last 2 days is enough inspiration for me to return to the blog. How do you like it?

By the way, may I hold my thoughts and watch the Spaniards against Honduras,may I submit that it is not as open sided as we all thought though Vicente del Bosque's charges are up one goal with just over 20 minutes played so far.

I am breathing a sigh of relief, the goal fest is here and the goalies have finally got some justice for their castigation of Jabulani. Oh am happy Ronaldo, Drogba and Fabiano finally got their names on the scoresheet.

Talk more pals but keep the posts coming as comments..............

Enyeama for Arsenal

It is now official that majority of the African teams had nothing to offer after all considering what we have just witnessed on this day first Thursday of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Nigeria's Green Eagles are clearly not super anymore and I wonder why Lars Lagerback was the head of that technical bench. How do you let your team play with a man less, and undeservedly so, becuase of your inability to make a quick tactical decision.

I was stripped of my pride as an African when on Echiejile's injury, Lagerback took a whole five minutes to decide who to come on and it was such a shame he brought a defender. My gamble here should have been - just throw in a striker in Obafemi Martins and pull back one midfielder, after all the match was already beyond them.

Anyway, even with the tragedy of Nigeria's poorest performance against a weak opponent in the group, am all smiles because of one Vincent Enyeama. The dude had a great delivery for the second day of his action in this world cup, ignore the fluffs he had already done enough to save his team, and I hope Arsenal boss Arsene wenger was watching or his scouts did. The comedies of Manuel Almunia now have a solution in Enyeama, he can really stand out if Arsenal can recruit him but some advice to Enyeama, you are one great guy, so value yourself and if Wenger plays his usual economics; may Jose 'the great' Mourinho watched and he'd go for Enyeama's signature.

The African World Cup is just a tragedy for the Africans but if Enyeama can get his job in a top club in Europe ( I see him in Arsenal or at the Bernabeu) - so its a great World Cup for enyema who has never made it to that big European stage before so this opens up for him. So Enyeama for Arsenal or Real Madrid. Wow.................

Shame shame Bafana

How could Bafana Bafana crush in such fashion to Uruguay? They may claim to have a case against the red card and subsequent penalty but that is far-fetched and pushing your luck so far - how luckier can one be?
The game against Mexico was mouthwatering and full of hope for the naysayers and other skeptics who thought the hosts had nothing to offer other than the hospitality and the generosity of those that would care to harvest goals from the squad. That unfortunate view was graduated against Uruguay as they looked clueless and now Africa hosting her first World Cup will be an ignominous thing as the host will, for the first time ever, exit at the group stage; what a shame!

Now, how do you get out having soaked 3 goals with a match against France as the final hope, perhaps the final nail on their coffin? I have a subjective conspiracy theory which must work if anybody cares about the hosts. Please don't hold me accountable - so mark the word 'subjective.'
This is it: France must win tonight against Mexico and convincingly so and by convincing here I mean at least 4 goals so that then 'Les bleus' move to the top on goal difference ahead of Uruguay, who must then loose to Mexico on their final match. Raymond Domenich must then ensure that South Africa wins by more than 3 goals (at least 4) and Mexico should be under instructions to pump in a similar number of goals to cancel out Uruguay's three goals against South Africa. That would mean, all teams will be on four points but South Africa would stand a chance of going through on goal difference and this is how it is gonna work. South Africa would then top of the group having beaten France who would then qualify to the next stage as runners-up with a superior goal difference because Uruguay and Mexico would end up with a negative goal aggregate hence crash out as tail enders of group A.

Now, the only disadvantage to this three-pronged theory may end up in the woods because how can France save South Africa's blushes in such manner considering the record they set in '02? I don't see how France can keep a cleansheet against the offensive Mexico. My subjective theory may not work but hope someone powerful enough in FIFA's corridors would read this and apply it in ruthless fashion. That's it folks, sounds great and complex at the same time but that's what I'd do if I were Jacob Zuma and I have a great friend who believes in my country so much and that pal happens to be the most powerful in FIFA - these things happen or don't they?