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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 January 2000 Issue No. 465 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 January 2000 Issue No. 465
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Desperate defence of the cup
By Inas MazharDespite the fact that Egypt goes to Nigeria as the defending champions of the African Nations Cup, both fans and media alike are spewing forth a plethora of reasons why Egyptian players will not necessarily return with the trophy. Critics say Nigeria -- which did not participate in the 1998 event in Burkina Faso -- is too strong and that playing on its home soil makes the task of beating it that much more difficult. They claim that, unlike in 1998 when four African participants were playing in the then upcoming World Cup, this time around they are much more focussed on the African tourney. They point to Egypt's tune-up matches that have garnered modest results at best, including losses to traditional continental powerhouses Ghana and Cote D'Ivoire and home wins against the relatively weak Togo and Gabon sides. And, of course, there are the dire predictions of none other than officials of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), and the coach that the team is not expected to be in the running for the cup, but will instead keep qualifying for the 2002 World Cup as its main goal.
Despite the gloomy prospects, Egyptians still remember former coach Mahmoud El-Gohari's prediction of finishing in 13th place in Burkina Faso. Ironically, Egypt ended up as champions. In an attempt to repeat the feat, Egypt flies to Nigeria armed with a 29-strong contingent, including 13 European-based players, compared to only three when they won the cup in 1998. Head coach, Frenchman Gerard Gili, hired only in November, has tried to apply a 4-3-3 formation of play which has so far realised only moderate success in Egypt but which is used by most advanced football countries. The style, Gili says, needs, above all, a high level of physical fitness which Egyptian players generally lack. Still, Gili firmly believes his players can adapt to it despite not only lack of stamina but also the time required to implement it properly.
Gili's concerns are not limited to tactics. He must also deal with his players' moods. In particular, the Gang of Four -- Nader El-Sayed, Yasser Radwan, Mohamed Emara and Ahmed Hassan -- have not hidden their worry that they might end up as bench warmers in Nigeria. The four, who play for clubs in Belgium, Germany and Turkey, have requested permission to return to their clubs, claiming that playing in their respective leagues was more useful and certainly less demeaning than to be used as substitutes.
The row with the malcontents, which has yet to be settled, has had an unsettling effect on team morale -- a situation which could not have come at a more inopportune time. EFA President Dahshoury Harb has warned the players against repeating the fiasco in Mexico, when Egypt was drubbed 5-1 by Saudi Arabia in last year's Confederation Cup. At the time, several players complained publicly about not being selected in the starting lineup. This time around, Harb has threatened to impose severe penalties on players who contemplate any sort of mutiny. He has demanded that all players display a maximum of team spirit and to put the team first.
Gili also threw a bombshell when he decided to include veteran defender Ibrahim Hassan, who has not played for the national team in more than six months and has not played or trained at all since 5 December following a row over playing time with Ahli coach, German Reiner Tsobil. Rumours flew that team captain Hossam Hassan, Ibrahim's twin brother and a player who has a reputation for getting his way, had forced EFA officials and Gili to take Ibrahim aboard. Gili defended his decision, saying Ibrahim was one of the most experienced players around and at age 33 would be a commanding presence and would have a steadying influence on the newer team members.
Egypt's striker Hossam Hassan holding the 98 Cup, and Field Marshal Abdel-Hakim Amer handing the 1959 Cup to Egypt's captain Saleh Selim Because of the meteoric rise in the level of African football, the African cup -- the three-week event beginning 22 January -- is arguably the third biggest global football event, surpassed only by the World Cup and the European Nations Championship. For the first time, the cup will be hosted jointly by Ghana and Nigeria. The African experiment in double hosting will prove a useful precedent for the other co-hosted football tournaments scheduled: Euro 2000, taking place in Holland and Belgium, and the 2002 World Cup, to be staged in Japan and South Korea.
Ghana last staged the spectacle 22 years ago; for Nigeria, its last role as host was in 1980. Each nation will host two groups of four teams each. Egypt is placed in Group C with Senegal, Burkina Faso and Zambia. They will be playing in Kano, Nigeria.
According to Mustafa Fahmy, secretary-general of the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF), the CAF is expecting a lot from the co-hosts. "Everything is in place so that, at the right moment and in the appropriate place, the best teams on the continent will meet for a great sports festival." Fahmy said that the Ghana-Nigeria rendezvous "will allow for the technical evaluation of African football".
Factfile Line-upGoalkeepers: Nader El-Sayed, Essam El-Hadary, Abdel-Wahed El-Sayed.
Defenders: Hani Ramzy, Hossam Abdel-Moneim, Yasser Radwan, Mohamed Emara, Ibrahim Said, Mohamed Youssef, Abdel-Zaher El-Sakka, Ibrahim Hassan.
Midfielders: Sayed Abdel-Hafeez, Ayman Abdel-Aziz, Hadi Khashaba, Ahmed Hassan, Hazim Emam, Tarek El-Said.
Forwards: Ahmed Salah Hosni, Hossam Hassan, Mohamed Farouk, Abdel-Halim Ali.
Federation: Founded in 1921; joined FIFA in 1923 and CAF in 1957.
Team colours: Red, white and black.
Cup participations: All previous tournaments.
Best achievement: Winners in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998. Finalists in 1962. Third in 1963, 1970, 1974. Fourth in 1976, 1980, 1984.
Total cup matches: 61; won 32, lost 22, tied 7, 99 goals for and 65 against.
