 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 July 1999 Issue No. 439 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 July 1999 Issue No. 439
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Focus Interview Focus Travel Living Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters Theatre of dreams, pitch of facts
By Nashwa Abdel-Tawab
Team captain Ibrahim Hassan (no.2) leads one of the national team's training sessions before leaving for Mexico
photo: Ossama Abdel- Nabi
From 24 July until 4 August, the stadia of Mexico City and Guadalajara will not just be the theatre of dreams for the eight countries who hope to clinch the fourth Confederations Cup -- they will also be their pitch of reality, where victory will go to the fittest.
Egyptian coach El-Gohari told a press conference in Mexico this week that Group A, bringing together Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Bolivia and Egypt, will be more difficult than Group B (Brazil, New Zealand, USA and Germany), because the four Group A teams are ambitious countries who are all determined to leave their mark on the present football era. That is why they will fight ferociously even though the event itself is seen as a distant second in prestige terms to the World Cup.
With eleven World Cup finals under its belt, Mexico is certainly not a newcomer to the world stage. A fine performance in France 98 reflected their wealth of experience at the highest level, proving that they can compete with the elite teams of the planet, though they are not yet ready to defeat them. Their impressive tactical discipline, maturity and offensive power pose a real threat to the other teams in Group A. Blond striker Luis "El Matador" Hernandez continues to embody the heart and the soul of the Mexican team. He is ably supported by veteran midfield generals Ramon Ramirez and Alberto Garcia Aspe, while Claudio "The Emperor" Suarez and Pavel Pardo anchor the defence. Adolfo Rios and the flamboyant Jorge Campos are expected to share goalkeeping duties. Together, they make up a confident squad that will fight until the very end to win each match.
Saudi Arabia hosted the first three editions of the Confederations Cup. Last year they lost to Brazil and Mexico, but still restored some pride by defeating Australia. Over the past few years they have developed an international pedigree which has seen them regular participants at the highest level. The Saudis' neat technical style has won them many admirers, but they failed to build significantly on the progress they had achieved. Under new Czech coach Milan Macala who has a good track record in the Middle East, they look an impressive unit, working well as a team and showing neat passing in midfield. If they manage to establish some stability among their technical staff, they could still create a surprise.
It is often claimed that Bolivia rely exclusively on the high altitude of capital La Paz to win international matches. At 12,500 feet above sea level, the city's rarified atmosphere certainly gives them a huge advantage in home games. Indeed their sole international title, the Copa America in 1963, was achieved with the help of this home advantage. However, over the last ten years, the national team has made significant progress. Although they went out in the first round of the 1994 World Cup, they gave Germany a difficult time before losing 1-0 in the opening match and were somewhat unlucky to be beaten 3-1 by Spain in their last. These performances were a far cry from the country's previous appearance in 1950, when they lost 8-0 to Uruguay in their only game. The major weakness of recent Bolivian teams has been their inability to convert neat approach work into clear-cut chances, the final pass too often going astray. However, they now seem to be emerging from their long hibernation.
Egypt is the long-standing leader of African football. They were the first African country to participate in the World Cup, as long ago as 1934, and have won more African Nations Cup titles than any other of the 52 members of the Confederation of African Football. As reigning African champions they now have an opportunity to extend their reputation beyond the Arab and African footballing world, where their past performances are so revered. Egypt now have 10 professional players and more experience at their disposal than at any other time in their national team's long history and are capable of creating some surprises in Mexico. Although they played below their recent form in their last three friendly matches against New Zealand and the USA in Mexico, they are optimistic things will go right on the night, especially because Hossam Hassan, Egypt's striker who fractured his leg in a friendly against Croatia a month ago, is making strides with his physiotherapy. It is just as well, as there is no one in the team who can replace him. Hassan has been a pillar of the national team for 12 years. His scoring record in internationals has been prolific, and despite his advancing years he remains the most dangerous player Egypt has inside the penalty area.
While it is not long since Egyptian players could only dream of venturing beyond their borders to ply their trade in other leagues, we now have players in Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands who can be called up. Schemer Hani Ramzi is one of four players now competing in the Bundesliga in Germany. Cool and calculating, the veteran defender tasted European glory with Werder Bremen and is now playing for Kaiserslautern. He is one of the few surviving members of the squad that went to the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
Another player on the books of a German club and a secret weapon in El-Gohari's armoury is Yasser Radwan, a speedy fullback with a propensity for pushing forward. Radwan has had a sensational season with high-riding Hasna Rostock and is certain to keep opposing defenders busy throughout the 90 minutes. He had been tried in the striker position to fill the gap of Hossam Hassan, but failed in the experiment.
Egypt's coach Mahmoud El-Gohari -- the only man to have won the African Nations Cup as both a player and a coach -- is in his third spell at the helm, having also led Egypt to the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Consistency is the key to his policy and it has paid some dividends, illustrated by recent wins over the likes of Belgium and Bulgaria this year in friendly matches. However, since winning the African Nations Cup last year, the team has played unsteady football in 17 international friendly matches, winning three, losing five and drawing nine. Fifteen of those matches have been played outside Egypt to get the players used to playing without their normally frantic fans.
If there is a weakness in the Egyptian make-up, it lies mainly in the poor level of physical fitness, a lack of self-confidence and a temperament that tends to deteriorate when the chips are down. Otherwise Egypt could be a threat.
Brazil, New Zealand, USA and Germany are competing in Group B. Brazil continues to produce players of enormous natural talent. Since France 98, veteran coach Mario Zagallo has been unceremoniously ditched and replaced by Wanderley Luxemburgo, whose record at club level with Palmeiras and Corinthians suggests that he is the one man capable of building a side to compare with the legendary teams of 1970 and 1982. The FIFA Confederations Cup represents the second stage in Luxemburgo's restructuring programme, following the Copa America, which his side won last Sunday after beating Uruguay 3-0. His policy is not to be overdependent on Ronaldo and wear him out, and to coax midfielder Rivaldo into playing more.
Interest in the game has been rekindled in New Zealand following the Kiwis' qualification for Mexico. This is the second time since 1973 that the New Zealanders have been crowned champions of their confederation. The only previous occasion New Zealand played on the world stage was at the 1982 World Cup in Spain, where coincidentally they were also drawn against Brazil, eventually losing 4-0. The make-up of the team in those far-off days was markedly different from the composition of the current squad, in which there are 14 overseas-based professionals and only 8 domestic players. They go to Mexico 99 with the intention of showing the world that football in New Zealand is not confined to the rugby field, and that they fully deserve the honour of representing Oceania in this prestigious competition.
Since head coach Bruce Arena took over a few months after the USA's dismal performance in World Cup France '98, the Americans' fortunes seem to have taken a turn for the better. The team has won three matches (beating Germany, Chile and Guatemala), drawn two and lost only once. But Arena's influence extends beyond his impressive track record. He has rejuvenated the team with an infusion of promising young players, most of whom play in the nations' top professional league.
Germany's experienced coach Erich Ribbeck was appointed to succeed Berti Vogts, whose team for France '98 lacked promising youngsters and relied to much on proven but aging veterans. While the performances were far from polished, the team seems to have regained the traditional German ruthlessness and ability to win without playing convincingly. After the disillusionment of France, the Germans will have a point to prove in Mexico. Injured national pride, the lack of an established first-choice team and the resulting intensification of competition to impress the new coach makes this an interesting period for Germany. It must also be recalled that Germany are the European Champions, and that their current "slump" must be kept in perspective. They are, arguably, victims of the incredibly high standards they have continually set themselves over the years. Players to look out for are AC Milan striker Oliver Bierhoff, whose strength in the air is always a threat, unpredictable but talented midfielder Mario Basler who boasts a ferocious shot, and veteran libero Lothar Matheus who is nearing the world record for first-class caps.
