January 8, 2008
Ghana Star Micheal Essien
If Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien ever needs a PR agent he need look no further than France-born Ghana coach Claude le Roy.
“Michael is not a normal player, he is from another planet. I told him there was no other footballer of his level in the world,” said Le Roy as he praised the humble workaholic.
The greatest assets of a star who arrived at Stamford Bridge via French clubs Bastia and Lyon are phenomenal fitness and strength that enable him to relentlessly roam midfield.
Guinea star Pascal Feindouno
Serial smiler Pascal Feindouno from French club Saint Etienne is the midfielder who makes Guinea tick.
The 26-year-old can operate wide or in the centre, dribble, strike long-range goals, set up team-mates with millimetre-perfect passes, all while favouring the No 2 shirt usually reserved for defenders.
Many feel the sometime captain of ‘Syli Nationale’ would become a household name if he switched to England, Italy or Spain, and that beaming smile is a natural for toothpaste advertisers.
Morocco star Youssef Hadji
The Hadji family has contributed greatly to the advancement of Moroccan football.
Mustapha reached his personal summit when voted 1998 African Footballer of the Year and now 27-year-old younger brother Youssef is carrying on the good work at international level.
The attacking midfielder with French club Nancy possesses a deadly cocktail of pace and vision, enabling him to deliver a constant supply of crosses guaranteed to spread panic among defenders.
Namibia star Collin Benjamin
Midfielder Collin Benjamin plays for Bundesliga club Hamburg, making him the most high profile Namibian footballer.
The ultimate versatile footballer, the injury plagued 29-year-old has played at fullback, as a defensive and offensive midfielder, and as a striker during his career.
Never shy to criticise Namibian football officials when he feels they let down the national squad, Benjamin played for Civics before moving to Germany where he performed for lower league clubs before joining Hamburg.
Coaches
Ghana coach Claude le Roy
France-born Ghana coach Claude le Roy holds two African Nations Cup records.
The widely travelled 59-year-old with flowing blond locks and a fondness for straight talking has coached at 22 matches spanning five editions of the biennial tournament.
His finest hour came in Morocco 20 years ago when Cameroon edged Nigeria 1-0 to win the title and he also guided the ‘Indomitable Lions’ (1986), Senegal (1990 and 1992) and the Democratic Republic of Congo two years ago.
Guinea coach Robert Nouzaret
Robert Nouzaret succeeded fellow Frenchman Patrice Neveu last year and transformed Guinea from strugglers to table toppers in the African Nations Cup qualifiers.
After collecting just one point from two matches under Neveu, Nouzaret delivered ‘Syli Nationale’ 10 of a possible 12 to confirm a solid reputation in the region.
Although he did not achieve great results with Ivory Coast and lost his job after failing to take them to the 2004 finals, he won respect for developing talent and maintaining discipline.
Morocco coach Henri Michel
The elder French football statesman enjoyed a glorious 2006 with Ivory Coast, guiding them to second place in the Nations Cup ahead of a brave World Cup showing in Germany.
Now the widely travelled coach makes a third attempt to lead Morocco to African glory after a quarter-finals exit 10 years ago and a first-round departure two years later that triggered his exit from the Atlas Lions.
He has also coached Cameroon and Tunisia plus leading clubs Raja Casablanca of Morocco and Zamalek of Egypt during a career of mixed fortunes on the field and several acrimonious departures off it.
Namibia coach Arie Schans
Dutch coach Arie Schans took charge of Namibia just two months before the African Nations Cup kick-off.
Zambian Ben Bamfuchile guided the ‘Brave Warriors’ to the finals against all odds, pipping regular qualifiers Democratic Republic of Congo after a dramatic triumph in Ethiopia.
But ill Bamfuchile quit amid confusion during November and died last month in his homeland, leaving in charge a coach whose only previous experience of African football was as technical advisor to the Mozambican federation.
source: AFP
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