Tears, Tragedy, Tactlessness, Tactics & Togo: African Cup of Nations 2010 in Review

It began in terror and ended in outrage. When history comes to judge the 2010 African Cup of Nations I imagine it will not do so too kindly – a tournament which promised so much but, thanks to a fatal mixture of politics, terror and head-bangingly insensitive executive decisions, became less about the spectacle on the pitch and more about affairs off it.

First of course, days before AFCON 2010 even began, came the deadly attack on Togo’s team bus on it’s way to the team’s base in Cabinda. Three people were killed and nine injured as separatist rebels decided to use human lives as means to make a point. As we later learned, it could all have ended much worse. Were the Angolan army not accompanying the Togo national team across the border into Cabinda, the bus and everyone on it would have been completely helpless against this violent attack and consequences would have been far graver than they already were.

Politics as usual

As if the incident did not burn painfully enough, Togo’s participation in the competition then transformed into a political tug-of-war between the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Angolan and Togolese governments. With each group having it’s own separate agenda (protecting it’s investment, saving face and protecting the safety of it’s people one might conclude – I’ll let you interpret which fits who), the matter descended into a deeply unwholesome conflict, with Togo’s physically and mentally wounded delegation at the centre of the storm.

Ultimately matters came to a head. Togo went home to mourn their dead and CAF disqualified them from the competiton (though CAF president Issa Hayatou had the gall to deny Togo had been disqualified).

It is in the dim light of this saddening background that the 2010 African Cup of Nations began.

Quality control

The tournament, not helped by an often mediocre standard of football, never really recovered. Even the most optimistic, pro-African football enthusiast would be forced to admit the scarcity of real quality on show in comparison with Ghana 2008. Angola’s stunning 4-4 draw with Mali provided a fantastic and much needed spark in the tournament’s opening game, but like the last magnificent firework on an autumn night it only fleetingly lit a sky that would again soon fade to black.

In my opinion the first semi-final provided perfect example of the tournament’s overall vacuum of panache. Nigeria and Ghana scored 8 goals in 7 games between them en route to their last 4 encounter – little better than 1 goal per game. A staggeringly poor ratio. Given the way Cote d’Ivoire totally dismantled Ghana with 10 men and Nigeria’s all round paucity, it was almost an affront to witness two such ordinary sides in the semis. After Algeria scored but one single goal in qualifying for the quarters one could argue likewise with the Desert Foxes. Their one saving grace however, was one of the tournament’s other truly awe-inspiring matches – Algeria’s 3-2 win over Cote d’Ivoire.

In the end, Egypt were head and shoulders above the rest. Perhaps the burden of an impending World Cup campaign distracted the other pre-tournament main contenders? Were Egypt, with no real competitive football to look to beyond AFCON 2010, ever more motivated to ensure they added a 7th star to the crimson red shirt? It appears likely. But for the World Cup quartet of Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria and Cameroon, more questions were asked in Angola than answered.

Although I slighted them earlier, the one World Cup-bound team I feel can hold it’s head up high and reflect proudly on AFCON 2010 is Ghana. The Black Stars’ young squad didn’t ooze quality, but what did emerge was a very real and sturdy gameplan under a studious coach in Milovan Ravejac. Ghana’s Under-20 World Cup winning players came of age in Angola and can now begin to consider themselves serious candidates for first team places, while Rajevac still has the likes of Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari to add spice to an already well-formed unit.

Perhaps they are one class striker away from being a genuinely formidable outfit (I question whether Asamoah Gyan could lead the line against the likes of Germany and Serbia), but the future looks bright. Zambia and Malawi are two other teams who can emerge from AFCON 2010 with real optimism.

Bans, bureaucracy and brainlessness

But sadly, just as we get into a football debate, CAF poke their noses back in. As the tournament progressed and people began to finally engage in football related discussion again, CAF waded back into murky politics with their announcement – the day before the final – that Togo, bruised, bloodied and disqualified, would also be banned for the next two African Cup of Nations tournaments.

The ban was imposed for breaching Article 78 of tournament rules namely – “A forfeit notified less than twenty days before the start or during the final competition.” CAF also cited the inteference of “political authorities” in Togo’s eventual withdrawal.

In my humble opinion the decision was farcical both in execution and timing. As I see it, Togo’s ‘political authorities’ had the right to interfere the moment their coun
trymen were shot at and killed on foreign soil.

And as if the tournament wasn’t already overshadowed enough, as if a bitter taste wasn’t already lingering in the mouths of most right-thinking individuals over the way Togo were brushed aside, CAF then kicked the nation down further. And on the eve of Africa’s showpiece final. Rather than discussing the merits of Egypt and Ghana, we were all talking about bureaucracy and politics again.

Whether or not CAF’s decision was worthy or warranted is an ongoing matter. Togo plan to sue CAF over the ban, which will effectively last 6 years and almost certainly end the international careers of many of the players who less than a month ago, on their way to play football for their country, had to sit through a 20 minute machine gun attack that injured and killed friends and colleagues.

Hayatou out?

Whatever happens from here, CAF’s handling of the affair has put their name firmly in the mud. Togo coach Hubert Velud was incensed, slamming CAF president Issa Hayatou.

“[Hayatou] is an opportunist who serves his personal interests in the name of football. I’m more frustrated than you can imagine. He should have taken into consideration the sentiments of the Togolese people before such a decision was taken. Hayatou proved that he’s not capable of running CAF. He should review himself. “

Many others have weighed in with damning criticism for both CAF and Hayatou. Where FIFA stands on all this, with Sepp Blatter laughing and joking with chum Hayatou from plush directors box seats at the final, is open to interpretation.

And so here we are now. This article, my last on the African Cup of Nations 2010, begins and ends not with discussions over tactics or Africa’s best performers or the joy of the Angolan people witnessing for the first time their heroes in the flesh. Instead we talk about murder and bloodshed, red tape and betrayal. We talk about remorseless judgements taken by men in suits, apparently so high up in ivory towers that the rarefied air they breathe renders them devoid of tact and common sense.

And instead of discussing the rise of the Gedo, Africa’s increasing tactical maturity (and it’s effects on entertainment value), Ghana’s youthful promise, Egypt’s magnificent number 7 or the innocent charm of Zambia and Malawi, we end up talking more about old men behind closed doors making coldhearted decisions for the rest of us.

The greatest irony of AFCON 2010 is that the team most central to the tournament’s overall legacy was the one that wasn’t even there.

Unfortunately for all the good people in Angola, this is what their maiden African Cup of Nations will be remembered for.

African Cup of Nations 2010, Angola, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Politics and Society, Zambia