Road to 2010 World Cup Final

Africa in the Olympic Quarterfinals

2008-08-14T13:05:00.003-05:00

While we lament the loss of the Nigerian Super Falcons in the Women's Olympic football tournament, praise must be heaped on the African men, who all swept into the quarterfinals of the men's Olympic tournament.

One thing we know for sure is that Africa will be represented in the semi-finals, as Nigeria take on Ivory Coast in the last eight. Cameroon advanced to play Brazil.

1996 gold medalists Nigeria advanced as winners of their group and were unbeaten after an opening draw with one of the pre-tournament favorites Holland, coupled with wins over Japan and the USA.

The Super Eagles are without several key players following the balmy club-vs. country rows that affected superstars such as Lionel Messi of Argentina/Barcelona.

Russia-based Peter Odemwingie is the only over-aged player in the squad after goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and striker Ikechukwu Uche were not released by their respective clubs.

The lack of an experienced goalkeeper has already cost Nigeria as Ambruse Vanzekin's poor clearance led to a goal for Japan.

The Ivory Coast are making their first appearance in the Olympic football tournament and began their campaign with a 2-1 loss to defending champions Argentina.

The Ivorians bounced back from that defeat with an easy 4-2 win over Serbia and assured qualification with a 1-0 win over Australia.

Strikers Salomon Kalou and Sekou Cisse have lead the way for the Ivorian Elephants with two goals each , while midfielder Gervinho has scored one goal as well as assisting two.

The 2000 gold medalists Cameroon face a tough task in the last eight as they play Brazil.

The Brazilians have won all three of their games so far scoring nine goals and are yet to concede.

Cameroon have struggled to find the net in China with only two goals at the Games.

Georges Mandjeck has been both hero and villain for Cameroon, scoring a late equalizer in the opening game against South Korea that ended 1-1. But he was then sent off in a goalless draw with Italy.

The only other goal was scored by Stephane Mbia as Cameroon narrowly beat Honduras 1-0.

All the quarter-finals are on August 16th.

Good luck, Africa!

2010 African Cup of Nations: Angola Prepares

2008-08-13T18:40:00.002-05:00

It seems like just yesterday we were blogging about the finals of the African Cup of Nations tournament in Ghana.

But things move quickly in the world of football.

Today, news that the host nation of the 2010 African Cup of Nations, Angola, is confident their infrastructure will be ready in time for the tournament.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) seems to agree after an inspection team dropped in and snooped around.

The country sees the football tournament as a catalyst for change.

Much of Angola's infrastructure was destroyed by a 27-year civil war. Therefore, it's seen by some as an ambitious choice to host the Cup.

After only six years of peace, many roads remain poor, some still have land mines in them, there are few hotels and the country is hard to to get to for tourists.

But things can only get better.

If the amount of building that is going on in the capital of Luanda and the other main provinces is anything to go by, the competition is definitely leading to a rebirth of facilities.

Manuel Mariano, Angola's director of information and publicity for COCAN (the Cup's organizing committee), told the BBC: "We are a country in re-construction. We are a country in movement; the war was over six years ago.

"And you can notice what the changes are, that this country is going through, from North to South, from West to East and in the center. Therefore this is a task that the Angolans will perform and, like the President says, we will have a successful Nations Cup."

All over the country, and particularly in Luanda, new hotels are being built, and key roads linking the provincial capitals are being rebuilt, largely by Chinese construction companies.

MY POV: The Chinese have a hand in many public works projects in Africa, don't they? There's been a lot made of this as the burgeoning superpower makes inroads in the last great untouched economic expanse in the world.

The Chinese built the new stadiums and have the contracts to build the four other new stadiums in Luanda, Lubango, Cabinda and Benguela.

The Luanda stadium, which is in a new area of suburban development about 15 miles from the city center, will seat 50,000.

According to the CAF inspectors, this project and the stadiums in Benguela and Lubango are all running to schedule.

The stadium in Cabinda, however, is proving a little trickier.

Cabinda's geographical location, part of Angola but an isolated province within the DR of Congo, has hampered the building work.

The project is running around 20 days behind schedule, although this time is expected to be recovered over the next few months.

More than 4,000 foreign visitors are expected to come to the 2010 tournament and a lot of work is being done to enhance the capacity of the regional airports and rebuild sections of the railway destroyed during the civil war.

One concern is access to visas for visiting fans. COCAN say it is now entering the second stage of tournament preparation and this will look at the logistics for tourists and transportation.

Tickets will be pre-sold, the committee said, and a lot of work is going on behind the scenes to prepare the country for the influx of visitors, the group added.

The CAF inspectors are due back in January. Until then, it's all hands to the cement mixers.

MY POV: Thanks to the BBC for the majority of this article.

Once again, football plays a part in restoring civic pride and establishing a sense of collective unity in a land ravaged by infighting.

One only hopes Angola gets their infrastructure in place before the Cup and everything goes smoothly.

2010 is shaping up to be quite the year in African football, no?

Eto'o to Stay at Barcelona

2008-08-12T20:19:00.002-05:00

Now that Barcelona are done batting their eyes and flipping up their skirt to Arsenal and Togo Emmanuel Adebayor, they've settled into reality: Star striker and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o is staying.

Didn't we know this all along? Did any of us really think he was off to play in Antarctica or whatever place he was rumored to go?

New Barca coach Pep Guardiola made it official today.

"When I was unveiled I said I was not counting on him but I also said we would treat him as any other player," he said.

"During the past two, three weeks, the past month that we have been together I have been very pleased with his performance. I only have words of praise."

Eto'o had been linked with a number of high profile clubs, including Inter, AC Milan and Arsenal.

But Barca couldn't find a suitor. So instead of marginalizing him a la David Albelda of Valencia fame, Barcelona did the wise thing and invited the scorer back.

Ahh, the transfer season ... also known as the 'silly season.'

Can't live with it, can't live without it.

Doesn't it feel that this season, in particular, was way more silly than interesting?

Let's just start the football already!

Nigerian Ladies Out of Olympics

2008-08-12T19:52:00.003-05:00

We had an idea this would happen, but we're sad nevertheless.

The Nigeria women's football team, the Super Falcons, were beaten 3-1 by Brazil on Tuesday at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing in their final group game at the Olympics.

The result left the Nigerian women bottom of the group with three defeats from three matches, and eliminated from the tournament.

They also lost 1-0 to Germany and 1-0 to North Korea besides the Brazil loss.

Nigeria were first to score, with a 19th-minute penalty driven home by Perpetua Nkwocha.

But Brazilian starlet Cristiane went on to bag a first-half hat-trick, as Brazil finished top of the group.

Her first was a powerful header in the 33rd minute, then two minutes later she scored with a stunning overhead kick.

The hat-trick was completed at the end of the first half with a shot after she was unmarked inside the penalty area.

Nigeria tried a few long-range shots after the break, but the best chance of the half fell to Cristiane.

The Brazilian forced a finger-tip save from Nigeria keeper Precious Dede with a shot from the edge of the area in the 65th minute.

Nigeria were dangerous on the break with Sarah Michael and Ifeanyi Chiejine causing trouble for the Brazilian defenders.

The three defeats for the Super Falcons mean that they have failed to improve on the 2004 Olympics, where they reached the quarter-finals.

But in a very difficult group, they performed with credit, though their strikers often let them down.

Despite defeat, Super Falcons coach Jossy Lad said he was satisfied with the performance of his team. However, he blamed the strikers for the defeat.

“Before this event some people called this group the zone of death and you can see it is not easy to play against Brazil, Germany and Korea in the same competition. The girls gave their best.

“Against Brazil the problem was not that of luck but rather our attack failed to click. We created scoring chances but failed to utilize them. I am disappointed with the attackers because I worked so hard in this area.

“The players showed so much promise in training but failed to perform when it mattered most. Football is a crazy game, we gave a good performance but failed to get the results and so we are out.”

Maybe next time, eh?

Women's Olympic Preview: Nigeria

2008-08-06T14:09:00.004-05:00

Africa is sending only one nation to the 2008 Women's Olympic Football Tournament: Nigeria.

Nigeria are a dominant force in African women's football, winning the continental championship seven times. But when it comes to the world stage, the Super Falcons barely register a blip.

In five appearances at the FIFA Women's World Cup finals, two at the Olympic Football Tournament and three at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, the Super Falcons have only managed to progress beyond the opening round on two occasions. Not the best results.

Their star player is Cynthia Uwak, a 21-year old striker.

Uwak, now 21, first burst on to the scene in 2006 when she scored four goals in as many matches to lead Nigeria to the quarter-finals of the U-20 Women's World Cup in Russia. Later that year, the powerful forward, mature beyond her years, went on to be short-listed for the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award. Though she came in 11th in the final votes' tally, Uwak did manage to earn the CAF African Women's Player of the Year award.

She followed up that achievement by scooping the African award again in 2008, after playing a crucial role in a tense Olympic qualifying series against Ghana.

Despite Uwak's striking prowess, the Super Falcons can't seem to put it together.

They made it all the way to the quarter-finals of the U-20 Women's World Cup in Thailand 2004 only to lose out on penalties to eventual champions Germany. The African queens bowed out at the same stage in Russia two years later following a 2-1 defeat to Brazil.

They bowed out early at China 2007, when they drew with Sweden and went down to South Korea and USA. Luckily, the Nigerians recovered their poise to secure a ticket to Beijing 2008.

Their one and only qualifying defeat was a 1-0 loss to Ghana, a setback that did little to dent their reputation as the pre-eminent force on the continent. The aim now is to perform in Beijing.

"Qualifying for the Olympics is not an end in itself," said coach Jossy Lad. "It was only to be expected for a team of our status. We are continuing to make progress and I have a feeling the girls can go on and do great things at the Games. They are hard workers and they pay attention. If we can get our preparations right and set up some high-profile friendlies before the tournament, the fine blend we've got here could cause a real splash in the summer."

"We have a good team," Uwak said. "African footballers like to improvise and play the ball on the ground, and this team is not different. We can beat anyone on our day and we just need to play according to our style and instincts."

2004 and 2005 African Female Footballer of the Year Perpetua Nkwocha remains optimistic.

"I'm not afraid, neither are my colleagues. We are used to being in the toughest groups at the World Cup," she said.

They're in a very difficult group in Beijing, drawn with Brazil, Germany and North Korea in the women's 'Group of Death.'

Things haven't started out as they expected at the Games.

Although the opening ceremonies don't come until Friday, the soccer tournament is upon us.

Nigeria were beaten 1-0 by North Korea in their opening game of the Olympic women's football tournament.

Kim Kyong Hwa scored with a powerful shot inside the penalty area in the 27th minute of a game that North Korea dominated.

North Korea captain Ri Kum Suk put a penalty wide in the 43rd minute, while Ifeanyi Chiejine failed to connect with a cross in second half stoppage-time, an opportunity that could have given Nigeria a point.

With games coming up against Germany and Brazil, who were winners and runners-up respectively at last year's World Cup, Nigeria's chances of getting out of the group seem slim.

Absolutely, Positively Last Olympic Preview

2008-08-06T13:50:00.003-05:00

We've done a few Olympic previews already: one yesterday and one about a week ago.

But with the Beijing Games mere hours away, I'd be remiss not to direct your attention to BBC Sport's Durosimi Thomas and his look at the African sides involved in the men's tournament.

General consensus favors a good showing by the African nations involved. Can they win the gold? I don't know. Thomas seems to think the young guns of the African continent will run out of luck this time around.

Argentina and Brazil must be the favourites for Olympic Gold, with European under-21 champions Holland also holding a big chance.
But the African challenge is strong, and all three teams from the continent can be expected to progress beyond the group stage.
Ivory Coast are the dark horses of the tournament, and they may well get as far as the semi-finals, as could Nigeria.
Nigeria beat Brazil in the semi-finals in 1996, before defeating Argentina in the final - a path that may have to be revisited if there is to be African gold again.

So there you have it. And with that, I promise to stop with the previews!!

But what about the women, you ask? Glad you did ...

Can Africa Win an Olympic Gold Medal in Football?

2008-08-05T13:17:00.003-05:00

The men's Olympic football tournament will be one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the upcoming 2008 Beijing Games.

This year's tournament features three teams from Africa, with Cameroon, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast sending over their young, developing talent in hopes of Olympic glory.

We covered this topic in some depth in an earlier post. Now today, ESPN Soccernet journalist Sulaiman Folarin offers his take on Africa's chances. And really, he's a lot more qualified than I am at this point to offer a worthy opinion ...

Can Africa strike gold? Can the young talent at display in China come up big?

I don't know. I don't see why not ... African teams have won gold two of the last three times.
From my uneducated view, I'd say it's probable.

Folarin is an educated journalist whose opinion I value. He seems to think along the same lines.

Here's a small excerpt of his article. For more, please click here.

Of the three representatives, two teams; Nigeria in 1996 and Cameroon four years later, have finished with a Gold medal. The Ivorians, making their debut appearance this year, will hope to follow them when they send out a young and energetic team for the first game against Argentina.
The West Africans have a few mainstream names, but none in category of the Toure brothers; Kolo and his brother Yaya, and they could certainly use the services of Didier Drogba. But with coach Gerard Gili in charge of the team - a tactician with Ivorian football for over two years at all levels - the young Elephants have the potential to trample their way to the podium at end of the competition.
With the full commitment of young talents like Salomon Kalou pairing with the enterprising playmaker Gervais Yao Kouassi (popularly referred to as Gervinho), the Ivory Coast, up front, will be a threat to teams during the group stages and should be safely through to the knock-out phase.
With key players plying their trade in smaller clubs around Europe, fans should also watch out for Sekou Cisse and Kafoumba Coulibaly; two of the players that exemplify the potential of a team with relatively unfamiliar talent.
There are also the home grown players from some established local clubs; Asec Mimosas and Africa Sports. Both have been known not only to develop quality African players, but also prove themselves as quality opponents in the physical African club competitions.
But you cannot mention anything about physical football without pointing in the direction of Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions parade the most physical team in Africa, and probably the world. This style compliments Cameroon's pattern of play, although the Lions are probably the least skilled of the powerhouses on the continent.

Make Up Your Minds: Eto'o and Adebayor

2008-08-01T13:05:00.005-05:00

Would someone make up their minds about these players already?

One day, Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto'o is not wanted by Barcelona, new manager Pep Guardiola saying, 'We are putting a team together and they (Eto'o and Ronaldinho, who has since moved to AC Milan) aren't in our thoughts but we'll see what happens."

And see ... and see ...

Earlier this week, it looked like he was off to my favorite club team Valencia. But then the sporting director said they didn't have enough money for him. Then, Barcelona thought about it and said, 'Hey, you know? This guy is pretty good.'

As Barca club president Joan Laporta put it, 'At one time we did think the most convenient thing was to change things in order to renew the team, especially in terms of the most important players, but I understand that nothing in this world is set in stone.'

But today, word that Eto'o is attracting interest from "four or five big clubs".

So no clubs in Uzbekistan this time?

As for prolific Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, one day he's leaving Arsenal to replace Eto'o, the next he's signing an extension to stay at the London outfit.

As the lanky scorer puts it, 'Now I can tell everyone that, yes, I will sign a contract," Adebayor told the club's official website.

"I never told anyone I would be leaving this club, never ever. I'm very happy we've found a solution."

Adebayor added: "I have three years left on my contract and I'm putting two or three years more, so I'm very happy being part of this family."

So I guess Barcelona didn't want to pay him the wages he wanted?

Compound the Eto'o and Adebayor rumors with the never-ending, mind-numbingly boring Cristiano Ronaldo transfer to Real Madrid and you have a bevy of ... nothing.

Don't you wish the football would start again and the transfer rumor nightmare would just end??

Premier League Destroying African Football?

2008-07-29T16:13:00.004-05:00

Cause and effect. It's something we learned about as young kids.

Now, we get to see cause and effect in motion in the world of professional football.

The cause: The rise of African football, coupled with the advent and wide use of satellite teleivion.

The effect? The crippling of the African game.

What causes one to be so successful is also it's eventual downfall.

This report by Andrew Walker of the BBC draws light on the strange conundrum of African soccer.

Matches between English Premier League sides are widely watched across Nigeria.
But as the popularity of the English game goes up, the domestic game slips.

As an executive for a local club says, "Whenever we play at the same time as an Arsenal game, nobody shows up."

In a country of 140 million people, where crowds will stop and watch amateurs playing in the park, professional league games struggle to get more than 20,000 paying fans to come on match days.

What can be done?

Please read the entire article by the BBC here. Here's a small preview.

Tony Collins is from Anambra State in south-eastern Nigeria - and he supports Manchester United. "I like Man Utd because they're winners. Actually I like any club that wins in Europe. Nigerians like winners, we're simple people. Nigerian clubs? Can you really compare? They're rubbish, I don't waste my time with that."

Only one or two teams have the following to sell out their home grounds, says Ismaila Lere, sports editor at the Daily Trust newspaper.

"When you look at the stadiums you'll find that the stands are virtually empty, while the bars and the joints that have satellite TV are full. People will pay to watch the Premier League on TV but not to watch Nigerian football live," he says.

The trouble started back in the early 1990s, he says.

Economic reforms meant many teams went bust and were not able to pay their players.

Those players started looking towards Europe for employment.

Initially, they went to Italy and Germany.
Most Nigerians first got wind of the Premier League when Celestine Babayaro joined Chelsea in 1997.

"In the 1980s, I was the only person in my area who was watching English football," Mr Lere says. Now Nigerians are, like most of the world, obsessed with the English Premier League.

But in Nigeria the obsession is now going too far - after the Champions League final in May, seven people in Nigeria died in clashes between Manchester United and Chelsea fans.

African Football at the 2008 Olympics

2008-07-23T13:38:00.004-05:00

The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China are but a few weeks away.

The men's Olympic Football Tournament looks like it will be a hotly contested competition, with countries like Argentina, Holland and the United States seeking Olympic gold.

Africa will be well represented with three formidable squads in the 16-team tournament for the gold medal.

Former gold medalists Nigeria and Cameroon are joined by newcomers the Ivory Coast.

Cameroon and Ivory Coast were assured of qualification as far back as November 2007, with victories in their penultimate games to ensure that they couldn't be overtaken by the other contenders in their respective groups.

Cameroon triumphed in a tough section in which Morocco were their major rivals, finishing their campaign with a 1-0 win at home over Botswana, surprise qualifiers from the preliminary knockout rounds.

Serge Ngal, the Portugal-based striker knocking on the door of selection to the national side, got the only goal for Cameroon's U-23 side in their win to ensure they finished four points clear at the top of Group C.

Cameroon were the last African side to win men's football Olympic gold, winning at the Sydney Games in 2000. This time around, they're considered the weakest of the three African representatives at Beijing 2008.

Ivory Coast are the team to watch.

They finished a comfortable five points clear at the top of Group B. The Elephants' U-23 side boasts several players who are also part of the star-studded senior Ivorian squad, which reached the last four at the recent African Cup of Nations in Ghana.

They lost their opening Group B game against Zambia but then won the next five to stride into the Beijing Games.

Captain Gervais Yao Kouassi, better known as Gervinho, a regular in French side Le Mans, has been an impressive performer along with Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou, who was drafted in for the key qualifier against Zambia last year, when he scored to help ensure qualification.

Meanwhile, Sekou Cisse, who plays his club football in the Netherlands, scored both goals in the Ivorians' last match, a 2-1 away win over Senegal in Dakar in March.

Yet it is Nigeria who are expected be the most charismatic of the African representatives.

The Eagles stormed into the 2008 Games after a 3-0 win over South Africa on Wednesday. The Group A match in Abuja marked the return of Olympique Marseille defender Taye Taiwo and the debut of Everton striker Victor Anichebe, who came off the bench to score Nigeria's third goal.

Taiwo had earlier broken the deadlock in the first half before South African defender Thapelo Tshilo put through his own goal to double the Super Eagles' lead in Abuja.

The African squads won't have an easy go at it.

The Ivory Coast is in Group A along with Argentina, Australia and Serbia.

Nigeria sinks their talons into Holland, Japan and the USA in Group B.

And Cameroon tries to get past Italy, South Korea and Honduras in Group D.

Here are all the teams scheduled to be at the 2008 tournament for Olympic Gold. The competition begins August 6th with the champion crowned August 24th. Men's teams are allowed to augment their squad with three players over the age of 23.

Qualifiers for Beijing 2008
CONMEBOL: Brazil and Argentina.
UEFA: Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Serbia.
CAF: Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Nigeria.
OFC: New Zealand.
CONCACAF: Honduras and the United States.
AFC: Australia, Japan and Korea Republic.
Host nation: China.

Please click here for groups, standings and schedules.

Witchcraft Rears Its Head Again in African Football

2008-07-22T13:54:00.004-05:00

We talked about juju, the art of African witchcraft about a year ago on this blog.

Back then, we stated that

it has long been common for soccer teams to turn to witchcraft, or juju, to gain a competitive edge. Teams might, for example, summon witch doctors to cast spells on opposing teams. Because of the secrecy surrounding such practices, it's difficult to tell how widespread they are in Africa today.

Today, news that the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) has promised to wage a battle against the use of Juju by member clubs.

"Any team that tries to express or show signs of practicing witch-craft or juju will be penalized, because we do not believe such practice can improve football in our zone," a news release stated.

For as long as anyone can remember, juju has been prevalent in African football and there is no sign of it going away.

Incidences of the use of external forces, other than the true science of football are a common feature in African football.

A vivid example occurred in Rwanda in a league match between club sides Rayon Sport and Atraco.

During the match, one player spent the entire game not only protecting his goalkeeper but also his 'magic stick' that he had planted in the goal.

MY POV: I'm not touching this subject with a ten-foot cattle prod.

But it's certainly an interesting subject and one feature of African football that fascinates me.

Surely there are interesting rituals in Western sports?

In the United States, ex-baseball player Wade Boggs of the New York Yankees used to eat chicken at a specified time every day. Every day, no matter what!
Can anyone think of any other strange rituals from sports?

Egyptian Derby: Al Ahly v. Zamalek

2008-07-18T11:11:00.005-05:00

African football often gets pushed aside in the international footballing press.

It's either too foreign to most journalists or not interesting enough for their tastes.

That's one reason today's piece about the Al Ahly-Zamalek derby in the Guardian was such a pleasure to see.

The article doesn't paint the most flattering image of Egyptian football, the reigning kings of Africa. It describes senseless violence, nationalism and a deep hatred between the clubs.

But it also exposes what football means to many people: an escape from the hum-drum of every day life.

As many of you know, Al Ahly is the most successful club in African football. They've won the last four league titles (33 in all), two of the last three African Champions Leagues and enjoyed a record-breaking 55 match unbeaten run.

Zamalek are pretty successful themselves, having also won 5 African Championships (tied with Al Ahly for most on the continent).

Reporter James Montague braved the insanity to cover the most recent contest between the two squads, which is set to be contested again this weekend in the African Champions League group stages this weekend.

Not that he wasn't dissuaded from going. Upon arrival to the Cairo airport, a cherry taxi driver asked where he was going. When told he was off to the derby, the driver said "Do not go. You will be killed."

Heady stuff indeed. To read the article, click here. Here's a free sample.

When I arrived at the Cairo International Stadium, it was clear the authorities weren't taking any risks. The concourse leading to the stadium was swamped with black-clad riot police and plain-clothes officers, randomly hauling out supporters and taking them away to be searched. It felt more like temporary, localised martial law than a football match. Inside, Ahly's Ultra group was already in fine voice, hours before the kick off.

"Ahly was the first ever [football club] to be 100% Egyptian so it is very nationalistic but Zamalek has changed their name so many times we sing: 'You used to be half British, you guys are the rejects'. In Arabic it's the plural of 'Small dirty houses,'" explained Asad, the organisation's leader. "The two biggest political parties in Egypt are Ahly and Zamalek. It's bigger than politics. It's more about escapism. The average Ahly fan is a guy who lives in a one bedroom flat with his wife, mother-in-law and five kids. And he is getting paid minimum wage and his life sucks. The only good thing about his life is that for two hours on a Friday he goes to the stadium and watches Ahly. That's why it is such an obligation to win every game. It makes people's lives happy. We are probably the only club in the world where we [the fans] expect to win every single game."

West Ham 'Keeper's Holiday in Kenya

2008-07-16T09:23:00.004-05:00

It's not often that a professional footballer uses his time off from the game to give back to the community.

Much too often, the footballer is involved in a transfer saga, a money dispute or something worse.

So it was with great respect and admiration that I read this article in Saturday's Independent newspaper about the exploits of West Ham goalkeeper Ron Green's volunteering holiday in Nairobi, Kenya.

Instead of 'boring myself on different beaches' as Green puts it, he wanted to explore and see parts of the world he might not otherwise see.

So he made off to Kenya, a country recently embroiled in political violence.

Once there, Green's view on life changed. His perspective shifted and one might say he grew great admiration for the people in the slums of Nairobi.

Here's a small excerpt of the article. For the entire article, please click here ...

I would be able to experience something different, something that I could learn from, appreciate a whole different level of life. And, most importantly to me, perhaps I could even use the status of a Premier League footballer for some good.

Playing professional football you surround yourself in a bubble. For 11 months of the year you don't have a choice of truly experiencing real life. Having left school and gone straight into football, I have played almost every day of my adult life. As far as lives go, I admit I have a pretty great one. But as far as life experiences go, it has been of fairly limited scope.

In a similar way, life as a footballer is self-focused. It can be easy to take for granted the life that you lead. Focusing on the negatives, not appreciating what you have, things that anyone in the western world could be guilty of. As a footballer you live on challenges, whether they are set by fans, managers, media, the opposition or yourself. This summer I wanted something to challenge the habits, thoughts, and beliefs that I had built into myself after 12 years of full-time football.

So around Christmas last year I approached a number of charities with my thoughts on how I wanted to use my summer break. Amref (the African Medical Research Foundation) came across as positive and active and saw my interest as an opportunity they could make something of: to use football and, in particular, the popularity of the Premier League as a vehicle to spread their Aids, HIV, health and peace messages.

Eto'o to Play in Uzbekistan? Huh?!?

2008-07-14T16:23:00.002-05:00

Ok, here's another news item you'll need to sit down to read ... and no, this isn't an April Fool's joke.

According to news reports, Uzbekistan League side Kuruvchi claim to have reached a deal to sign Barcelona and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o.

The Catalan giants have laughed off the news.

Eto'o, who has been told he is not part of new coach Pep Guardiola's plans, is expected to leave the Nou Camp this summer and has been linked with moves to Serie A and the Premier League.

On Monday morning, though, the Uzbekistan League leaders announced in an official statement on their website that they had landed the 27-year-old forward on a six-month deal.

The news was confirmed by Kuruvchi sporting director Bahtier Babayev, who said Eto'o will sign with the club later this week.

"Eto'o will arrive in Tashkent on Thursday and he will sign a contract with our club, at least up until the end of 2008," Babayev said.

"The term of the contract will depend on our performance in the AFC (African) Champions League. We will play Saipa in the quarter-finals and Eto'o is our main purchase before the knockout stage of the tournament. If we can agree with the player, he will continue to play for our club in the future."

Babayev also insisted that the seemingly unlikely transfer had been made possible due to good relations between the Primera Liga side and the Tashkent club.

"The defining moment of the transfer was not money, but the friendly mutual relations between the management of our club and Barcelona," he said.

"The personal friendship between presidents of the clubs has noticeably lowered the transfer fee."

Barcelona denied any knowledge of the move.

An official spokesperson for the Nou Camp side said: "Nobody at the club knows anything about this. I don't think it's very likely."

MY POV: So wait, Eto'o won't play for Tottenham Hotspur because they're ‘a mid-table club and I need more’ but he'll play for the Uzbekistan super powers, who finished second in last year’s national league??

No offense, but who is making this stuff up??

2 Years to 2010 World Cup Final

2008-07-11T13:11:00.003-05:00

Time flies when you're having fun!

I'm still not over the euphoria of Spain winning Euro 2008 and what do I see?

That today is July 11th.

Which means we're a mere 2 years away from the World Cup Final, a game that will decide the world champion of professional football.

Time flies.

I have a more concrete idea of how to get there. Definitely more concrete than I had this time last year.

Now, I better get my butt in gear! There's no time to waste!

Check back for more updates on my journey to the Final ... two years away!!! I can't wait!

Free Tickets to 2010 World Cup?!?!?!

2008-07-10T14:00:00.003-05:00

Sit down before you read this ... This made my mind boggle this morning.

According to this website, whose information has been substantiated by the FIFA website, 120,000 ordinary African soccer fans will receive free tickets to all games during the tournament, including the World Cup Final itself.

WHAT???

I need to file for citizenship NOW!!

According to the website, 'World Cup 2010 tickets go on sale in early February 2009 and will be offered in a succession of "phases," designated by categories. ... Category 4 tickets will comprise 15 percent of total World Cup tickets and will be sold only to low-income residents of South Africa. The 120,000 complimentary tickets will be drawn from the Category 4 inventory, enabling unprecedented numbers of South African residents to attend the mammoth event.

The South African local organizing committee (LOC), together with groups and organizations such as FIFA and various commercial partners, will distribute the free tickets as part of a program for social initiative. "All South Africans contributed to bringing the FIFA World Cup to our country. So it is only befitting that we make tickets available to the ordinary fans at affordable prices," CEO of the LOC, Dr. Danny Jordaan, said in a statement.'

Wow. I didn't know about this. What does FIFA have to say about this?

As part of the overall ticketing operation, 120,000 category 4 tickets will be allocated to this ticket fund, which will offer them on a complimentary basis to fans in South Africa so that they can witness the world’s largest single-sport event at first hand. The ticket fund will consist of a certain number of tickets for all matches, from the opening game right up to the final.
The tickets will be distributed free of charge by FIFA, the South African LOC and FIFA Partners adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates, Hyundai/KIA, SONY and VISA to South African residents through a special programme that will form part of a social responsibility initiative and act as a “catalyst" for sustainable change.
David Will, the chairman of the ticketing sub-committee, expressed his satisfaction with the overall ticketing strategy: “Together with the South African local organising committee, not only have we managed to provide a low-price category and a well-balanced price range but also to innovate by creating a special ticket fund. These arrangements take account of the importance of the FIFA World Cup and cater at the same time for the needs of fans in South Africa.”

Consider yourselves informed ... now who is going to help me get South African citizenship????

FIFA FINALLY Says Something About Zimbabwe

2008-07-09T18:30:00.003-05:00

Leave it to FIFA to wait for the most opportune time to condemn a despot.

Today, South Africa 2010's organizing committee finally came out and said the 2010 tournament and the continent need peace in Zimbabwe. You think?

FIFA general-secretary Jerome Valcke and Danny Jordaan, the chief executive officer of the South African organizing committee discussed the economic and political crises in neighboring Zimbabwe.

South Africa is the main regional power and has been accused of doing too little to push for reform in Zimbabwe. Some activists have even threatened a campaign similar to the pressure Olympic host China has faced over Tibet.

MY POV: Read this great editorial from the New York Times for more about this movement.

Jordaan, though, said Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, accused of killing political opponents and ruining a once vibrant economy, was resisting South African President Thabo Mbeki's "quiet diplomacy" as well as more vocal international criticism.

"It's clear that Mugabe has ignored everyone, including Mbeki," Jordaan said. "Why must South Africa be singled out when he ignores the whole world?" MY POV: Because you're the regional power and your influence could stifle Mugabe's dictatorial ways.

He said he hoped for a diplomatic breakthrough soon.

"Before we come to 2010, we must have a stable Zimbabwe," Jordaan said. "It's in all our interests." MY POV: Sorry for being cynical, but it sounds like once their bank accounts are involved, they finally care about the Zimbabwe situation. SA officials know that if the situation in Zimbabwe continues to persist, their World Cup could be affected. So now they care ...

Tournament organizers have already felt the impact of Zimbabwe's turmoil, he said. South Africa needs all the hotel rooms it can get, and Jordaan envisions some soccer fans spending their nights in neighboring Swaziland and Mozambique. High-end hotels in Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls area would also be ideal, but Jordaan said they aren't on the list because of Zimbabwe's predicament.

Valcke was asked whether FIFA was using its influence to encourage Mbeki on the Zimbabwe question.

"The World Cup is a huge leverage, but there are limits," Valcke said. "The World Cup doesn't give you the power to push President Mbeki to say anything other than what he wants to say .... We can just say that we are concerned ... and we have to find a solution."

MY POV: I don't think this is the last we'll hear of this situation. Football is the people's game and something is bound to boil over should this Mugabe situation persist. The Zimbabwean people, the South African people and anyone that cares about the situation there will make their voices heard loud and clear.

More Trouble for South Africa 2010

2008-07-08T15:07:00.003-05:00

With today's news that the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth has been removed as a venue from the 2009 Confederations Cup schedule on the heels of FIFA president Sepp Blatter's comments last week, the South Africa 2010 project has lived through a bad week.

Regardless, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke seemed optimistic after the 2010 Local Organizing Committee's Board meeting held in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

"We (FIFA) are happy with the progress made by South Africa so far," said Valcke.

"All the deadlines we set have been reached and met. We are confident that South Africa will be ready to host a hugely successful event in 2010."

He stated that remarks made by FIFA president Blatter during the recent Euro 2008 Championships were not meant as a threat to South Africa.

"The president (Blatter) made it clear that only a catastrophe would prevent South Africa hosting the 2010 spectacle. We had a problem in 2003 in China when an earthquake forced FIFA to move the Women's World Cup to the United States. Only that type of disaster will force FIFA's hand on South Africa. One must realise that FIFA organize 20 world cups in four years."

"The main event is the men's World Cup which is the diamond that pays for all the other events and we cannot allow anything to happen and lose out as the other tournaments which are mainly used for development of soccer will suffer."

Valcke declined to disclose which country had been chosen should South Africa suffer a major tragedy. MY POV: USA? Or as one commentator on the last post indicated, Germany??

"There are only two people at FIFA who know the name of that country. One is the president and the other is me. I am not at liberty to disclose any details."

Unfortumately, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will not be ready for the World Cup dress rehearsal, the 2009 Confederations Cup. South Africa's 2010 World Cup Local Organizing Committee chairperson Irvin Khoza said the stadium would be ready in time for the 2010 Cup.

"We were forced to remove the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium from the Confederations Cup as we could not get a guarantee that it would be ready by end of March 2009 despite phenomenal progress being made," said Khoza.

"It was the only new stadium we intended using for the Confederations Cup. It will definitely be ready well ahead of schedule to host the 2010 World Cup."

Valcke agreed: "There was only one decision we could take after listening to the report on the progress of Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium today and that was we could not take a risk.

"Therefore the stadium will no longer be part of the Confederation Cup. The event is a big test and allows us to correct any faults before the hosting of the World Cup."

MY POV: It still sounds like these guys are talking out of both sides of their mouths.
Again, I think confidence in the SA project is what is needed, not veiled threats.

USA World Cup in 2010?

2008-07-03T10:23:00.010-05:00

Since the time FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced that the 2010 World Cup would be staged in South Africa, people have wondered whether the Cup would actually be held in the African country.

Will South Africa be able to host the World Cup? Will people travel to a country riddled with crime problems for the biggest sporting event in the world? Will companies invest in the African nation?

2010 World Cup organizing committee chief Danny Jordaan has worked hard to squash negative assumptions, assuring everyone the World Cup in South Africa (SA) will be a huge success.

Still, Blatter has again stirred controversy by saying that SA could still lose the rights to host the 2010 World Cup in the event of a catastrophe. MY POV: What catastrophe?

However, Jordaan downplayed the concerns.

"I have spoken to Blatter and he reaffirmed that only God can prevent South Africa staging the World Cup in 2010," Jordaan said. "Blatter has gone out of his way to bring the 2010 World Cup to South Africa. It makes no sense for him to say he has another plan. Obviously FIFA must have a plan if we suffered a major natural catastrophe, but that is all."

Yet, Blatter keeps talking about a contingency. And there are problems.

According to the Zimbabwean, 'a group of committed and professional Zimbabwean journalists and friends from around the world who have come together to start the first physical newspaper for Zimbabweans in exile', there are growing fears that Zimbabwe's economic and political crisis could impact negatively on the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

This is the warning of analysts who believe the problems in President Robert Mugabe's country could spill into South Africa and the rest of the region, and thus make the region volatile ahead of the global football fiesta.

Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) director Gabriel Shumba said the prevailing situation did not bode well for the hosting of a successful event.

"The possibility of a civil war is very high (in Zimbabwe), which can only mean that the Zimbabwe issue will in practice impact massively on the region as a threat to regional peace," he said.

So where does the USA fit into all this?

According to boston.com, the USA could step in should South Africa be declared unable to host the Cup. (Yes, I'm having a little fun with the picture above ... I am American, by the way.)

"I would be a very negligent president if I didn't have a Plan B ready for the 2010 World Cup," Blatter said in an interview in Vienna Sunday.

A decision on confirming South Africa as the first African country to play host to the World Cup will be made following the Confederations Cup, scheduled for June 14-28, 2009.

Eight countries will participate - Brazil (South American champion), Egypt (Africa), Iraq (Asia), Italy (World Cup), South Africa (host), Spain (Europe), the US (CONCACAF), and an Oceania representative.

Stadium construction delays and security fears have raised concerns that South Africa might not be capable of hosting the event.

"We will decide after the test of the Confederations Cup and only a catastrophe would put the alternative plan into effect," Blatter said. "The World Cup is a logistical challenge and South Africa wants to shows the world it is able to do it."

The US is among the few countries capable of hosting a World Cup on short notice.

MY POV: I understand Blatter's need to make contingency plans for the Cup. But does he need to talk about it every month?

Does he really think this instills confidence in the people of South Africa?

Look, we all know the problems hosting a World Cup in South Africa present.
From SA crime to regional difficulties, everyone involved knew hosting a Cup in SA wouldn't be easy.

But as Jordaan has said many times in rebuttal to Blatter's comments, the money is streaming in, the stadiums are being built and the infrastructure is growing.

Why harp about the need for contingency in every public comment about the 2010 Cup? How come Blatter didn't do this with Germany 2006 or Korea/Japan 2002? Why haven't we heard criticism of Brazil 2014? Brazil's soccer federation and soccer infrastructure is in shambles. Crime is just as rampant in the South American nation. Why no talk of a contingency there?

If FIFA wanted SA to prove their worth in 2009 with the Confederations Cup, I wish they had just named the USA the host of the 2010 Cup from the beginning.

I see SA having to pass a 'quiz' in 2009 as a slap in the face. They're doing what needs to be done. Why keep examining every fiber of their build-up? Does anyone in FIFA have confidence in SA?

What do you think? Please leave comments and opinions.

Eto'o's Shirt Costs a Lot of Money

2008-07-03T10:10:00.002-05:00

Who knew that obtaining Samuel Eto'o's shirt would cost so much money?

The story begins here: Tanzania lost a hard-fought encounter against Cameroon 2-1 in recent World Cup qualifying. Tanzanian defender Nadir Haroub gave away his jersey to Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o after the game in Yaounde. It's tradition, you know?

The local media praised Haroub and said his performance was the reason Eto'o was keen to swap jerseys with him.

But the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF) didn't see it that way. TFF bosses were clearly not amused by the gesture and told Haroub that part of his allowance would be used to replace the jersey.

The team's management insisted that Taifa Stars players were not allowed to give away jerseys as the federation could not afford a new set of jerseys for each match.

But following criticism from the media and fans alike, the TFF has backtracked and said the player would not be punished. The decision has been reversed ...

"It's obvious he couldn't say no to Eto'o," said TFF president Leodegar Tenga.

"It was a wise decision to give his jersey to such a famous player. This will make our country known," he added.

A fund-raising drive was already underway with fans donating money to help Haroub meet the cost of replacing the jersey.

MY POV: Times are tough around the world these days. Even the simple football tradition of swapping shirts isn't exempt.

African FIFA Rankings

2008-07-02T12:06:00.003-05:00

FIFA have just released their new world ranking table and there are some surprises.

Coming in at first place is newly crowned Euro 2008 champions Spain, who knocked former #1 Argentina off the top with their exceptional performance in Austria/Switzerland.

Argentina had held the top spot since October 2007. This is Spain's first time at the top of the table.

How did our friends in Africa do?

The African table tells an interesting tale.

Cameroon retained their place as Africa's highest ranked side in the latest rankings.

The Indomitable Lions are still ranked at 13 in the world while Ghana, who are second in Africa dropped four places in the overall ranking to the 20th position.

This follows the Black Stars 2-0 defeat at the hands of Gabon in the World Cup qualifiers last month.

There were some big African movers on the global rankings after a month of 2010 World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Swaziland leapt 38 places overall and Cape Verde are up from 109th to 85th. Big movers!

But the biggest movers are Burkina Faso (flag above), their 100% record in the 2010 qualifiers so far has taken them from 111th in the world to 64th - a move of 47 places.

Some other countries and their rankings include Angola, who slipped 6 places to 61st, Kenya, who leapt 23 places to 92nd in the world and Sierra Leone, who are now 137th in the world after going up 26 places.

The ranking system is based on international results over the past four years with more points awarded for wins in major tournaments.

Africa's Greatest Ever Player Retires

2008-07-01T13:47:00.005-05:00

We've had this debate many times before: Who is Africa's Greatest Ever Player?

I haven't a clue, although I could list the usual suspects.

One of the men who would make most everyone's Top 10 list has just called it quits: Jay-Jay Okocha.

On Thursday, more than 20,000 fans came to pay their respects to one of the greatest African footballers of all time at his testimonial game.

Okocha, who twice won the BBC African Footballer of the Year award, is retiring after 18 years in football.

Despite torrential rainfall a big crowd witnessed a star-studded game that saw a Super Eagles XI beat a World XI 2-1.

Stars including Nigerian star Kanu, Joseph Yobo, El-Hadji Diouf and Benjani Mwaruwari all played in the game at the Warri Township stadium in Delta State, Nigeria.

The 34-year-old Okocha played for both sides during the match and scored for the Super Eagles XI, which also included Taribo West and John Utaka.

"It's a day of joy considering the achievements and adoration in my football career but also one of sadness as I am leaving a game that brought me fame and fortune," an emotional Okocha said after the match.

"I thank the clubs and fans where I have played as well as team-mates and of course the Nigerian public for their love and support throughout my career."

Current Nigeria coach, Shaibu Amodu, who coached Okocha at the 2002 Cup of Nations in Mali, was full of praise for the talented midfielder.

"Okocha is a model professional on the pitch, on the training field and off the pitch," Amodu said.

"The national team have missed him as he has such a huge influence in big games. The fact that the stadium is packed is a total reflection of how much he is loved in the country."

Former South Africa and Leeds United captain Lucas Radebe revealed that he had to leave his sick wife behind in South Africa to honor Okocha.

"I pleaded seriously with my wife to let me be here. Okocha was a recognised maestro in African football and the continent will surely miss him," he said.

After footing the bills for the testimonial, the Delta State government in south-western Nigeria have also renamed the Ogwashi-Ukwu stadium the Jay-Jay Okocha Stadium.

A fitting end for a classy player ... I doubt I'll get a testimonial at my current job when I'm handed a pink slip.

Adebayor's Triumphant Journey

2008-07-01T10:08:00.003-05:00

Now that the Euro 2008 championships are behind us (thank you Spain!!!), it's time to look forward to the wacky season, otherwise known as the summer transfer period.

Players will be moving left, right and center with big names rumored to be going to new clubs and bigger names actually making the moves.

One of these names is Arsenal striker and Togo superstar Emmanuel Adebayor.

The 24-year-old is now a household name in the football world, his meteoric rise aided by a string of scintillating displays for English Premier League side Arsenal.

Now Barcelona want him and if the news is to be believed, he's on his way to Spain.

Today, we present an article posted on the BBC last week about Adebayor's stunning rise to the Premier League and his triumphant return to Togo last month.

It's an interesting look at the modern footballer but also a glimpse into Adebayor's soul. As article writer Farayi Mungazi puts it, 'for a man with little education, he projects himself with consummate ease and is unfailingly polite. He reminded the cynic in me that not all professional footballers are arrogant millionaires with egos that match the size of their pay packets.'

Please read the article here and take a look at this snippet here ...

I think a lot of people know me just on the pitch," Adebayor says.

"They don't know where I come from and they don't know how I began."

"I put in a lot of hard work to be where I am today, but I'll never forget what it was like when I was young.

"Life was very difficult, and I told myself that I only had one chance to survive and that was to be a footballer."

Adebayor did not enjoy school, skipping classes to play football - though now, on his "tour of hope", he encourages children to stick to their studies.

He sees it as his chance to give something back to Africa's youth.

When he left Togo for France to embark on a professional career in 1999, not many would have foreseen that a football superstar had been unleashed.

"When I was going to Europe, I remember what my mother told me at the airport; she said: 'Manu, you see where we're living, you must go to France and do something good because we need your help.'"

He has now built her a huge, double-storey mansion in Lome, which is surrounded by shacks and run-down buildings.

Mugabe, Soccer and the World Cup

2008-06-28T15:04:00.006-05:00

As many know, the runoff election in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe and it's social and political implications have caused a wide amount of fervor in the world press.

Many see the runoff election against opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as a front, citing the violence and intimidation tactics used by Mugabe's supporters as a testament to the ruined democracy in the former Rhodesia.

The violence became so bad that Tsvangirai dropped out of the race last week, saying the runoff election was a joke and that his dropping out would prevent the deaths of many more people.

It's a very sad situation in Zimbabwe these days. So what does soccer have to do with all this?

Think of the protests taking place in Tibet and around the world in opposition to the Chinese human-rights record ahead of the Beijing Summer Olympics and you get an idea where we're headed with this.

Here, an Op-Ed article that appeared in this Tuesday's New York Times where author Peter Godwin argues that maybe 'Zimbabwe should become to the South Africa-hosted World Cup what Tibet has been to the Beijing Olympics — the pungent albatross that spoils every press conference and mars every presentation with its insistent odor.'

He makes an interesting, thoughtful point. Take a read at the article here or click the link above for the enlightening read.

Soccer 1, Mugabe 0

by Peter Godwin

IN these last few weeks, the full nature of Robert Mugabe’s repressive regime in Zimbabwe has been cruelly exposed. With his increasingly brazen resort to torture and hit squads to terrorize his own people, Mr. Mugabe has crossed a moral line. Some United Nations lawyers now say there is enough evidence to charge him with crimes against humanity.

Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change and Mr. Mugabe’s opponent in Friday’s runoff presidential election, had little choice but to pull out of the race. (Mr. Tsvangirai has taken refuge in the Dutch embassy in Harare.) Proceeding with elections would have ensured the murder of even more of his supporters. Any middle ground in this conflict has disappeared.

Standing amid the ruins of Zimbabwe looms the vacillating, dithering, morally compromised figure of Thabo Mbeki, the president of South Africa — hitherto the point man in the region — who was supposed to help ensure a free and fair outcome in the Zimbabwean election. Even at this late stage, with death squads on the move, Mr. Mbeki is still trying to persuade the Movement for Democratic Change to participate as a junior partner in some sort of Kenya-style unity government.

Mr. Tsvangirai and his followers — who have remained nonviolent, participated in three rigged elections and tried to inhabit “democratic space” as it diminished to a sliver — are understandably loath to join in an administration with the very people who have been attacking them. What’s more, joining would only reward Mr. Mugabe for his violent repression. The solution for Zimbabwe is simple: a free and fair election.

The international community has no choice but to delegitimize Mr. Mugabe’s regime. For a start, the “results” of Friday’s election should not be recognized. In effect, the world should no longer acknowledge Mr. Mugabe as Zimbabwe’s president. And should the opposition set up a government in exile, the West should move to deal with that government instead, based on the results of the March election, in which Mr. Tsvangirai drew more votes than Mr. Mugabe.

Of course, South Africa could use its economic power to draw Mr. Mugabe’s rule to an end in weeks rather than months. Yet Mr. Mbeki has steadfastly refused to act, providing a protective cloak for Mr. Mugabe’s repression. And just a few weeks ago, even as opposition members were being tortured, Mr. Mbeki visited Zimbabwe, allowing himself to be garlanded at the airport and displayed on state-run TV with a broadly grinning Mr. Mugabe. In the United Nations Security Council, where South Africa currently has a seat, Mr. Mbeki has opposed attempts to put the political situation in Zimbabwe on the agenda.

If Mr. Mbeki’s cost-benefit calculus has been such that he hasn’t seen it necessary to take tougher action, perhaps it’s time to change that calculus. Perhaps, for example, now is not the time for you to book a safari to South Africa. Or for you, or any institution that manages your funds, to make new investments in the country.

Most important, there is the FIFA soccer World Cup, for which South Africa is to act as host in 2010. That may seem like a long way off, but South Africa is already investing huge amounts both financially and politically, for what is supposed to be its triumphal coming-out party. Maybe Zimbabwe should become to the South Africa-hosted World Cup what Tibet has been to the Beijing Olympics — the pungent albatross that spoils every press conference and mars every presentation with its insistent odor.

Perhaps it’s time to share the Zimbabweans’ pain, to help persuade Mr. Mbeki to bear down on its source by threatening to grab the world’s soccer ball and take our games elsewhere.