AFCON
‘Let’s do it again’ – Super Eagles on cusp of AFCON glory
BY DANLADI BAKO
The African Cup of Nations is upon us again, this time Cote d’Ivoire, two time winners are the hosts. Nigeria is gearing up to browbeat it’s was into the final and probably win the trophy not because of the strength of its preparation, quality friendly matches, pedigree of coaching crew but more because of the providence nature bestowed on us as a country by having a few top class players in the mould of Victor Osimhen and the rave of the German League Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen.
But winning the African Cup of Nations or indeed major football tournaments go beyond the quality of players and coaches, it also tasks each country’s football administration cascading from the Sports Minister, his drive, personality, charisma, and his hold at the presidents office down to the aura of the Football Federation President to the tactical depth of the coaching crew and very importantly the commitment, passion, grit, energy technical ability and discipline of the players individually and collectively.
Another major factor in winning tournaments is the quality of the opposition. Today in Africa, the reigning champions are Senegal and also FIFA rankings put them ahead of Nigeria. Morocco is another country tipped to excel due to the sterling performance at Qatar 2022 World Cup where they got to the semi-final.
The host country Cote d’Ivoire is a contender simply because they have a legendary youth football culture spewing up such great legends of the past like Didier Drogba , Yaya Toure Omar Ben Sallah and Abdullahi Traore.
Among the contenders for every edition are six time winners Egypt. Not only have they entrenched a solid home-based club football culture, they have the best club-sides on the continent in Al Ahli, former Ahli National and Zamalek football club.
They have midwifed generations of legends like goalkeeper Ekramy Ahmad El-Shahat, Hossam Hussain and today One of Africa’s greatest export to the English Premier league, Mohamed Salah of Liverpool.
One cannot but also mention Algeria and Riyad Mahrez, South Africa and Percy Tau, three time winners Cameroon and Andre Onana along with Chuppa-Mouting of Bayern Munich.
Even with all these great players , no country is guaranteed of excelling without the tactical prowess of it’s coaches.
Here we are talking about the formation and style of play of the team. Gehnot Rohr when he was Eagles gaffer was accused of not being offensive enough in the teams play.
Peseiro has also been criticized for a weak defence and choice of sloppy, error-prone goalkeepers like Uzoho.
But with the abundance of talent we have today , how do we evolve a team that defends well , enforce a good defensive midfield wall and even without the mercurial skills of Jay Jay Okocha create defense splitting passes to feed Osimhen and Boniface.
For want of designing a winning team and strategy together with the coaching crew, I might suggest Nwabili of Chippa United in goal because the South African league tests you enough especially as a first team goalkeeper.
African Cup of Nations football is gritty, rough, and rigorous. Not sure Uzoho is that tough and rugged or if he can maintain optimal concentration throughout ninety minutes of African weather.
Ola Aina, Trust Ekong , Semi Ajayi and Zaid Sanusi hopefully are experienced and will do a good back four for me. Ndidi sits in front of the back four while Iwobi and Kelechi play as 8 and 10.
Of course the three attackers will be Chukwueze of AC Milan , Boniface of Leverkusen and African Footballer of the year Victor Osimhen leads the attack.
Tactically, the definitive transition from defence to attack is not only extremely key it is imperative and on the field of play, Ndidi and “senior man” Iheanacho must assume leadership on the pitch and service the attackers.
Having attended 12 AFCON tournaments and six FIFA World Cups between Spain ’82 and South Africa 2010, I guess one have acquired an intuition and sixth sense that guides one towards who are likely winners , contenders and the pretenders to the title.
I dare say countries like Cameroon , Cape Verde and Ghana might likely be surprise packages of the tournament despite not being top notch during qualifiers.
As a note of caution, I was in Cote d’Ivoire in 1984 when Super Eagles boasted of the likes of Stephen Keshi, Patrick Okala, Muda Lawal, Henry Nwosu and Cameroon knocked us out in the final with a star -studded team of Thomas Nkono, Stephen Tawtaw, Djonkep Bonaventure and Doumbe Lea.
We were overpowered by their stars. The reverse is the case today. We have the stars like Victor Osimhen and Wilfred Ndidi.
Can we overwhelm Morocco, Egypt, Senegal and the hosts Cote d’ Ivoire?
Are dollar issues and greed of officials going to affect and distract the team?
Is there luck associated with Presidents and Sports Ministers in our favour during tournaments?
In less than 14 days the games will begin in Abidjan then the real challenge will start. I dare say the success or failure of the Super Eagles will depend on not only the technical and tactical strategies on the pitch but the diplomacy, the politics, the administration and the positivity of all Nigerians to the team.
As we move to battle I love the new jerseys but the players must know that wearing that jersey means they carry the hopes, dreams and pride of 200 million Nigerians. One can only admonish them and say to them “Fly Super Eagles, fly”.
Dr Danladi Bako attended six FIFA World Cup and 12 AFCON Tournaments and was Chairman Sokoto State Football Association 2000 – 2003.
The Confederation of African Football has announced a major overhaul of its flagship competition, with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to expand from 24 to 28 teams.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe disclosed the decision on Sunday following an executive committee meeting, describing it as part of the body’s commitment to elevating African football to global standards.
Motsepe said the expansion would create more opportunities for countries across the continent while ensuring that top African players worldwide return home to compete at the highest level.
“This is about our commitment to world-class football, bringing together the best African players from across the globe to compete on the continent,” he stated.
However, the CAF boss did not provide details on how the new 28-team format would be structured or when the expansion would take effect, leaving questions over qualification pathways and tournament scheduling.
Continuity for 2027, New Cycle from 2028
Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 AFCON will proceed as planned with co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, maintaining the current 24-team format for that edition.
In a significant shift, CAF also announced that another AFCON tournament will be staged in 2028, after which the competition will move to a four-year cycle—aligning more closely with other major international tournaments.
CAF Nations League Introduced
In addition to AFCON reforms, CAF revealed plans to introduce an African Nations League starting from 2029. The new competition will be held annually, with a 16-team final tournament staged every two years.
The initiative is aimed at improving the competitiveness, structure and commercial value of the African national team football.
“We have to stop this situation where African fixtures are not predictable, consistent and reliable,” Motsepe said. “We must also focus on developing football in regions like East Africa, which has enormous potential.”
A New Era for African Football
The proposed changes mark one of the most ambitious restructurings of African football competitions in recent years, with CAF seeking to expand participation, enhance organisation and create a more predictable football calendar.
While details are still emerging, the decisions are expected to have far-reaching implications for national teams, qualification formats and the overall growth of the game across the continent.
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The Confederation of African Football said it would implement changes and improvements to its statutes and regulations that would ensure that the farcical scenes at January’s Africa Cup of Nations final do not happen again.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the changes would strengthen trust and confidence in its referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies, but did not give concrete details.
The announcement followed a meeting of CAF’s executive committee in Cairo on Sunday and came on a tumultuous day for the organisation as its general secretary resigned.
African football’s governing body has been battling a crisis of confidence after its Appeal Board stripped Senegal of the Cup of Nations title in a decision that has been met with widespread derision.
Senegal were ruled to have forfeited the final in Rabat on January 18 after walking off the pitch in protest at a potentially decisive penalty awarded to Morocco. They returned and scored a goal in extra time to win the game 1-0.
The decision is being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and if Senegal win back their title it will be a further blow to CAF’s credibility.
“CAF has taken extensive legal advice from top African and international football lawyers and experts, to ensure that the CAF statutes and regulations adhere to and implement global football best practices, on and off the field,” Motsepe said in a statement on Sunday.
“This is important for the respect, integrity and credibility of African referees, VAR operators and the CAF Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board.
“CAF is working with FIFA for the ongoing training of African referees, VAR operators and match commissioners so that they are as good as the best in the world… CAF has made significant progress over the past five years in implementing governance, ethics, transparency and managerial best practices,” the CAF president added.
More precise details on the changes and how they would avoid a repeat of the Cup of Nations final controversy were not given by Motsepe, who earlier this month admitted his organisation was struggling with perceptions about its integrity.
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja
The Confederation of African Football may be considering possible disciplinary measures against Senegal following reports that the country’s national team has continued to parade the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy despite being stripped of the title.
The development has triggered fresh debate within African football circles, with CAF understood to be treating the matter as a potential breach of its statutes and disciplinary code.
Sources close to the continental body indicate that Senegal’s actions could be interpreted as defiance of an official ruling, raising concerns about respect for regulatory authority and the precedent such conduct may set for other member associations.
CAF is believed to be weighing a range of sanctions, which could include financial penalties, formal reprimands, or restrictions on the country’s participation in certain CAF programmes and competitions.
While no final decision has been announced, insiders suggest that the governing body is keen to send a strong message on compliance and institutional discipline.
There are also indications that CAF’s disciplinary committee may be tasked with reviewing the circumstances surrounding the continued public display of the trophy, including whether the act constitutes misconduct under its regulations.
The issue is seen as more than a symbolic dispute over silverware. Analysts argue that how CAF handles the situation will reflect its ability to enforce decisions and maintain order among its 54 member associations.
“CAF cannot afford to appear weak on matters of discipline,” a source familiar with the situation said. “If a federation openly disregards a ruling, it undermines the entire governance structure.”
CAF is expected to provide clarity on the issue during an upcoming press engagement, where its president may outline the organisation’s position and any disciplinary steps to be taken.
For Senegal, the situation presents a delicate balancing act between national pride and compliance with continental football authority. For CAF, it represents a critical test of leadership and regulatory enforcement at a time when the credibility of African football governance remains under close watch.
The coming days are likely to determine whether the matter escalates into a full disciplinary case or is resolved through diplomatic engagement behind the scenes.
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