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by theshot (2006-01-18 00:33:32)
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PREVIEWS > GROUP A Tags:
PREVIEWS > Group A > Summary
Egypt, Libya, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco.
The first of the so called ‘Groups of death’.
This label indicates that at least one of the three giants Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Morocco will return home before the quarter final.
Côte d'Ivoire because of recent performances and their development to a World class team, and Egypt as hosts, are hot tournament favorites.
Morocco have been unbeaten in World Cup qualifiers and African Nations Cup runners up 2004.
Libya have taken points from all favorites in the World Cup qualifiers.
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by theshot (2006-01-18 00:24:32)
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PREVIEWS > GROUP A Tags: Egypt
PREVIEWS > Group A > Egypt
Almost at every Nations Cup. Have won several Nations Cups. Last time 1998
Clubs: absolute top in Africa
Squad: Mixed. More than half play at Egypt.
Coach: Egyptian.
In an African Nations Cup level Egypt have to be seen on one level with Côte d’Ivoire, at least because they are hosts and have intensively prepared for the tournament
Homefield advantage can be a problem in the first match(es) because of the pressure, but if those can be won, it will turn into a big momentum factor. Egypt are capable to vary the tactics and strategies and play a variable attacking style. Their weakness is nervousness in high pressure situations.
Stars: Mido, striker (Tottenham), Ahmed Hassan. left midfielder (Besiktas)
Promising: Zidan, a skilful young attacker (Mainz, German Bundesliga), an equiliberated squad with a lot of players on a good quality level and from some well performing recent youth squads.
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by theshot (2006-01-18 00:21:51)
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PREVIEWS > GROUP A Tags: Libya
PREVIEWS > Group A > Libya
Rarely seen at Nations Cup level
Clubs: unsuccessful in Africa
Squad: With a few exceptions homebased.
Coach:.
Libya are a dangerous outsider. Not that they can be expected to advance but they will probably steal some points from somebody. During the World Cup qualifiers neither Egypt, nor Cameroon, nor Côte d’Ivoire were able to win 6 points against them.
From a crowded defence the Libyans usually run fast counter attacks with precise combinations.
Stars: Tarek El Taib, the central midfielder. Famous also Saadi Gaddafi, the son of the president, for his ambitions rather than successes. A technically skilful player, but with deficits in other departments. Tried a career at Italy but did not make first team football neither at Perugia, nor Udine.
But will very unlikely be at Egypt.
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by theshot (2006-01-18 00:20:00)
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PREVIEWS > GROUP A Tags: Morocco
PREVIEWS > Group A > Morocco
Not as successful at Nations Cup level as their World Cup appearances would suggest.
Clubs: near top in Africa
Squad: Mixed. A lot of young, promising, but still a little inconsistent professionals at Europe.
Coach: Moroccan.
With the third coach in a few months Morocco have once more deconstructed what had seemed to be one of the most promising constellations of midterm success in Africa. Having failed to qualify for Germany, though unbeaten, was enough to put so much pressure on coach Zaki, who had build an impressing young team that finished runners up at last Nations Cup, to make him resign. His successor, the well known Philippe Troussier only filled the job for two months before disagreements on the size of his staff led to his departure.
It remains to be seen whether Morocco will continue to be the well formed, coherent unit of the recent years or be a fragmented composition, starting all over again.
Stars: Naybet, one of the biggest African players in history, very experienced defender. Chamakh, promising to become a future star striker (Bordeaux).
Conspicious: the fast French based attackers Ziani and Hadji, later the brother of the World Cup star of 1998.
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by theshot (2006-01-18 00:18:40)
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PREVIEWS > GROUP A Tags: Côte d'Ivoire
PREVIEWS > Group A > Côte d'Ivoire
Almost at every Nations Cup. One time winner 1992. Tradition of spectacular football.
Europe comparisons: population and football level: Netherlands
Clubs: near top in Africa
Squad: all professionals at Europe. Most coming from a perfect education plan including an academy system at Abidjan and a second education phase at the Belgian club Beveren.
Coach: European. (Henri Michel, experienced World Cup coach with France, Cameroon, and Morocco).
On World level there are two African teams today which could go real far in a World Cup (considered they have the luck the Côte d’Ivoire did not have at the draw for Germany). Those two are Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire. What the Ivorians lack is only the experience as a world level team. Apart from that they are already short before overtaking Cameroon which have to be ranked that high despite the World Cup failure, but who lack the depth of the academy educated classes the West Africans now have.
How intense the focus of the Ivorian players will be on the African championship with World Cup matches against Argentina, Netherlands, and Serbia on the horizon remains to be seen. Being only a one time winner (1992) it will not be low.
Stars: Drogba (Chelsea), Kolo Touré (Arsenal). Future stars: Yaya Touré (Olympiakos), a huge midfielder, resembling Viera, a little less dynamic but with huge technical and passing skills. Didier Zokora ‘Maestro’ (St.Etienne), defensive midfielder, either in the scope of every big European clubs or at least perfectly marketed by his management.
Conspicuous: Arthur Boka (Strassburg), a Roberto Carlos clone on the left, Yapi Yapo (Nantes), a midfielder with vision, Kalou (PSG), Dindane (Lens) and almost every player in the attacking department which could be easily filled for two World Cup squads (Aruna Koné, Bakari Koné, Kanga Akale, and those who will not be at Egypt like Abdelkader Keita (Lille), Cedric Konan (Lecce), Bakayoko (Livorno), Sanoo (Kaiserslautern), etc, etc).
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