Sinkala Ruled out of the Season
January 29th, 2008
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Phiri to make tactical Changes
January 29th, 2008
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CHANGE is inevitable to our defence, Zambia national soccer team coach Patrick Phiri has said.
In a telephone interview ahead of tomorrow’s deciding Group C match against Egypt at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, Phiri said players with fresh legs would be introduced in the team.
He said a team that did not perform well in certain departments would always be subjected to changes.
Phiri said the Zambian defence was the worst department when the Chipolopolo Boys embarrassingly lost 5-1 to an average Cameroonian side on Saturday.
“We have to give confidence to the players who played well.
That is why we need to bring fresh legs in the team,” he said.
Phiri said he was not too pleased with the Chipolopolo midfield too.
“I can’t single out any player but if you don’t play well, there must be change,” he said.
Wingback Clive Hachilensa was among the worst players of the day with midfielder Ian Bakala playing below par in consecutive assignments.
Zanaco’s Kennedy Nketani was another poor figure on the pitch.
Zesco United defender William Chinyama, South Africa-based hard-tackler Chintu Kampamba and Francis Kasonde are Phiri’s options in defence.
Phiri is hopeful that the changes would give the Chipolopolo Boys a lifeline ahead of the tie with Egypt at Baba Yara Stadium.
“We are desperate for the three points because they will give us chance to qualify to the next round,” he added.
Phiri said his side had shown great amount of recovery from the 5-1 bashing at the hands of the Indomitable Lions.
He said the Christopher Katongo captained side was looking forward to tomorrow’s match.
Zambia needs to beat Egypt and hope Cameroon draws or loses to bottom placed Sudan.
“The boys were very much down yesterday (Sunday) after the result on Saturday.
But they looked brighter in training today (yesterday) and they are focusing on Egypt,” he said.
Phiri conceded that the match against Egypt is an uphill battle.
“Egypt is a strong team… they have played well so far and they look sharp,” he said.
Phiri is confident the team that would line up against the Pharaohs will be equal to the challenge.
Zambia are placed third in Group C on three points like Cameroon but goal difference separates the two sides
No deal with Ivory Coast, insists Mali skipper Diarra
Mali captain Mahamadou Diarra insists there’ll be no arrangement to produce a mutually convenient draw with Ivory Coast in their final African Nations Cup Group B tie here on Tuesday.
With tournament favourites Ivory Coast already qualified and Mali only requiring a draw to book the second quarter-final ticket there has been speculation on whether or not these neighbours have the desire to go all out for victory.
But Diarra, who is suspended after a rough tackle in the dying minutes of Friday’s goalless draw with Nigeria, brushed the notion aside.
“If it’s 0-0 with 20 or 25 minutes to go there won’t be any ‘deal’, but perhaps the two teams will want to stabilise the game and break the rhythm in a certain way,” he said.
“But the most important thing is to remain ourselves and to show to people that we’re not there for nothing and that we play good football. And with our desire, we can go far.”
The Real Madrid midfielder reckons Mali are three-quarters of the way to a last eight berth, which will earn them a match-up against the winners or runners-up in Group A, possibly against hosts Ghana who play 24 hours earlier.
Assessing Tuesday’s game Diarra added: “It won’t be as open and spectacular than if both teams really wanted to get three points, for Ivory Coast already have six, they’re through.
“And we’re 75 percent there, but that doesn’t mean that it’s wrapped up.
“We won’t be playing at full speed, at 100 or 150 miles an hour, but remember it’s still a match between Mali and (regional rivals) Ivory Coast!”
Turning to his enforced absence and how that might affect Mali’s prospects he said: “It hurts not to be able to play, but when I look at our squad, I’m confident.
“The team works well without Diarra.”
Loooking to what lies ahead in the knockout round, presuming Mali make it, he added: “The most important thing is to qualify, after we’ll see what fate hands us. I’m not afraid of any team, whether it be Ghana, Guinea or Morocco.”
Mali have never won the continental title, and the prospect of lifting the trophy aloft in Accra on February 10 excites Diarra.
“Every player, every person, has an objective in life. What’s mine? It’s soomething which I’ve never had, like everyone from Mali.
“We’re getting there step by step, and ‘Inshallah’ (‘God willing’) we’ll do it!”
The crowds will be out in force at Accra’s Ohene Djan stadium to welcome Ivory Coast’s captain Didier Drogba who scored the opening goal in the smooth 4-1 win over Benin.
After an openinig 1-0 win over Nigeria, Ivory Coast are on six points, and appproach this match with the comfort of being the first team to qualify.
For Drogba though it could be a tough match, for personal rather than professional reasons, as his wife is from Mali.
While Drogba will be there Kolo Toure, the Arsenal full back, will miss the tie after picking up a right leg injury against Benin-AFP
Remorseful Zambian soccer squad speaks out
‘ We’ll do better in remaining preliminary match against Egypt and in future games ’
AFTER a disastrous 1-5 defeat to Cameroun on Saturday, Zambia soccer team members have renewed their confidence and are now aiming at redeeming themselves in the last MTN African Cup of Nations Group C match against defending African champions, Egypt.
The players said in separate interviews that they were remorseful and found it difficult to explain their poor show against the ‘Indomitable Lions’, Cameroun and hope to surprise Egypt when the two clash at the Baba Yara sports stadium here on Wednesday.
Defender Clive Hachilensa, after the team’s morning training session at the Prempey College football ground, said while he thought it was difficult to say sorry to the fans at this stage, it was equally important to reflect on the match and ensure the inexcusable mistakes commited in defence during the match against Cameroun were not repeated.
“We know we disappointed the fans, but the only thing we can promise them is that we will do better in the remaining preliminary match against Egypt and in future games.
“We can only promise the fans that we will try to play better so that we pay back for the disappointing performance. Generally we played well, although we made a lot of mistakes and we were punished, but that is not what we planned for. We came here to win, but things turned out the way they did,” Hachilensa said.
He said miracles happen in football and that they were now ready to make amends and put Zambia back on track, though it would be an uphill battle against the Egyptians.
Asked if they were intimidated playing against most of the renowned names in European football, Hachilensa siad the players were not scared nor intimidated, but that he could not find the right words to describe how the mistakes were commited.
“The loss is history now. We are focusing on the next match and hope we remain in the competition. No team is unbeatable,” said Hachilensa, who was one of the culprits in defence against Zambia’s humiliating defeat.
And 21-year old African Cup debutant, Felix Sunzu, who came on as a substitute for striker James Chamanga, said the team seemed to have been demoralised after Cameroun scored the first goal and that Zambia could have won if the Indomitable Lions had not scored first.
Midfielder Clifford Mulenga, rated Zambia’s chances of beating Egypt as ‘very high’.
Mulenga attributed some of the lapses in defence to communication break-down among the defenders and the goalkeeper. -Times of Zambia
With South Africa facing exit, Parreira looks to future
South Africa’s African Nations Cup fate is out of their hands after 
Sunday’s crushing 3-1 loss to Tunisia, prompting coach Carlos Alberto Parreira to look to the future.
South Africa came to Ghana intent on showing the world and their continental neighbours they could put up a stout showing when the World Cup comes to town in 2010.
But after an opening 1-1 draw with Angola, South Africa, brutally exposed at the back against the Tunisians, seem destined to make a third consecutive first-round exit.
Bafana Bafana’s only hopes of continuing their stay in Ghana rests on their Group D rivals – if Tunisia and Angola draw on Thursday they will both go through at the expense of South Africa and Senegal.
Parreira, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994, reflected: “There’s still a mathematical possibility that we can qualify even if a draw between Tunisia and Angola means they go through.
“But we just have to get down to work and try to win our next match.”
Parreira, appointed on a 250,000 dollars a month salary, stressed that his side’s experience at this African Nations Cup would stand them in good stead as they build up to the World Cup in two years time.
“My players are young and what’s important is what they are going to do in the future.
“There is hope for this team.”
I don’t have any record of indiscipline-Tana
ZAMBIA soccer team defence kingpin, Elijah Tana, has refuted claims by FAZ that he is indisciplined and instead charged that his omission was a pre-conceived move.
Tana said in an interview yesterday that he had excelled in his football career because of his serious approach to the game. .jpg)
“Football is my life, I started playing football a long time ago and I don’t have any record of indiscipline. I am what I am because of my attitude towards the game. I love soccer and I love playing for my country. I always yearn to play for Zambia,” he said.
Tana said the fact that he missed the flight on Christmas Day when the team travelled to Spain for a training stint should not dent his image and that dropping him from the squad was a pre-conceived idea.
“How many times have I missed flights? I am always there when called for national duties. Every player’s dream is to play for the national team and missing the flight to Spain was just blown out of proportion,” he said.
Tana added that it was not his intention to miss the flight and that it was unfortunate that he was dropped from the squad for his alleged indiscipline.
He said the reason why he missed the flight was due to the change of schedule as the team was initially earmarked to travel in the afternoon but the flight was changed to 07:30 hours in the morning.
All flights on December 25 were cancelled and the only available flight was the early morning Zambian Airways flight that the national soccer team used.
“It’s not that I wanted to miss the flight, no. It’s the change of schedule that caused that. I was only informed that the flight had been changed late in the night and I was in Chingola by then. I started off from Chingola the same night and by the time I reached Kabwe, it was raining heavily so I couldn’t continue driving. I parked for a while and
started off slowly in the rain but by the time I reached Lusaka International Airport around 08:00 hours the flight had already taken off and I couldn’t get on another plane because all the flights were cancelled that day,” he said.
Tana said despite his alleged indiscipline by some FAZ officials, he had not been summoned to appear before the disciplinary committee.
“Up to now, no one has called me for a disciplinary hearing. I wonder if this is the way an association that runs football on behalf of the 12 million soccer loving Zambians should behave,” he said.
The defence maestro who could not hide his rage at being dropped from the Africa Cup squad said he was very fit and ready to die hard for his country. -TIMES OF ZAMBIA
Unwanted Pfister set to steer Cameroon closer to glory
Otto Pfister, a coach Cameroon did not want, is poised to lead them into the 2008 African Nations Cup quarter-finals Wednesday.
The unpredictable ‘Indomitable Lions’ face Group C basement dwellers Sudan in this northern town knowing maximum points would guarantee a slot in the knockout phase unless third-placed Zambia stun leaders Egypt.
Four-time champions Cameroon bounced back from a 4-2 opening-match loss against title holders Egypt to humiliate Zambia 5-1 while Sudan suffered 3-0 defeats by Zambia and Egypt.
And the man masterminding the Cameroon revival is white haired German Pfister, at 70 the oldest coach in Ghana for the biennial showpiece of African football.
While superstar striker Samuel Eto’o chases a record 15th Nations Cup goal, Pfister wants to prove he is capable of leading Cameroon back the promised land after two quarter-finals exits in a row following back-to-back triumphs.
When football officials in the central Africa state sought a coach after comfortably winning a qualifying group last September, Pfister did not make a short list of five that included Frenchman Philippe Troussier.
But sports minister Augustin Edjoa intervened and offered seasoned African campaigner Pfister a three-year contract, a 40,000-dollar salary, and six months’ pay in advance.
Cameroon Football Federation president Mohammed Iya attended the signing ceremony, but did not initial the contract, and the government decision drew widespread media criticism.
After his late appointment and considerable public hostility, problems mounted for Pfister when a training camp in Kenya was cancelled owing to post-election violence in the east Africa country.
A training camp was hastily arranged in Burkina Faso, including friendlies against leading local clubs, but Cameroon were the only qualifiers for the 16-team Nations Cup not to stage at least one warm-up international game.
Although Pfister publicly accepted a seven-day delay in the arrival of Barcelona star Eto’o for pre-tournament training, it clearly did not help an already severely harassed coach with experience in numerous African nations.
His previous stop was Sudan, where he guided Omdurman giants Al-Merreikh to the 2007 African Confederation Cup final before quitting to become the latest in a long list of foreigners to coach the ‘Lions’.
With Merreikh supplying 11 of the 23-strong Sudan squad, and Omdurman neighbours Al-Hilal the other 12, Pfister will not require any pre-match scouting reports on their final group opponents.
Tipped by Egypt coach Hassan Shehata as potential champions, Sudan have been the flops of the tournament with a much-improved showing against Egypt diluted by a late collapse in which two goals were conceded.
A Ritshard Lado-led defence has not looked comfortable under pressure, captain Haitham Mustafa has failed to stamp his authority on midfield and leading scorer Faisal Agab was axed after a woeful showing against Zambia.
Tamale may have been the scene of the biggest upset to date as Angola stung Senegal 3-1 last Sunday, but only the bravest of punters would bet against Cameroon avenging a 1970 loss in the only previous clash with Sudan.
Categories: Headline
Essien ensures Ghana’s Cup Party Continues
January 29th, 2008
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Essien ensures Ghana’s Cup party continues
Ghana, to the general relief of this fanatical football nation, are through to the African Nations Cup quarter-finals after a 2-0 win over Morroco here on Monday.
Michael Essien was at the heart of the success, scoring the first and setting up Sulley Muntari for the second.
With Guinea booking the other last eight berth from Group A defeat left Morocco heading home in a repeat of their first round exit in Egypt in 2006.
This was Ghana’s third opening round win after Guinea (3-1) and Namibia (1-0) and it was received with raucous delight by the near capacity crowd at the 45,000 seater Ohene Djan stadium.
The Black Stars’ reward for finishing as table toppers is a quarter-final date with the runners-up in Group B in Accra next Sunday.
Essien, after picking up his third consecutive man of the match award, said: “That was the best performance in this competition. For me I just want to do the best for my team, for my friends. Hopefully we can achieve something for the nation.”
Ghana coach Claude Le Roy described his side’s performance as “the best since I took charge”.
The Frenchman, who led Cameroon to the 1988 title, added: “I want to say thank you to my players. They applied perfectly the way we’d decided to play. They were so dedicated, played so well, it was peprfect.”
For his Moroccan counterpart Henri Michel defeat was hard to bear.
“We slipped up when we lost to Guinea. We failed but I’m not standing down, I haven’t been in the job so long. We’ll go away and reflect on what’s happened here and prepare for 2010 World Cup qualifying.”
Ghana were without their influential Hearts midfielder Laryea Kingston, suspended after picking up a second booking against the Namibians.
Michel made four changes to the side that fell to Guinea, including a switch of keepers, with Khalid Fouhami making way for Nadir Lamyaghri.
Le Roy insisted before the game that despite his side only needing a point it wasn’t in his team’s nature to play for a draw as he eyed a top of the table finish for the 2008 hosts.
And with words of encouragement from Ghana President John Kufuor ringing in their ears the Black Stars went into attacking mode from the start, Essien leading the charge from midfield.
Ghana went into a deserved lead on 26 minutes when Muntari neatly chipped in a freekick over the wall from the right for Essien to volley past Lamyaghri.
Morocco had the ball in the back of the net shortly after with a little help from Ghana defender John Paintsil but the West Ham defender’s blushes were saved as the Gambian referee Modou Sowe had already blown for a foul.
Down at the other end it was Asamoah Gyan’s turn to trouble Lamyaghri.
The Udinese striker, who had been set to quit the squad after taunts and threats about his nervy display against Namibia, hit low and hard from the left, his effort edging wide of the far post.
Morocco were putting together some decent moves but the Ghana defence marshalled by captain John Mensah ensured they came to nothing.
Ghana capped a fine first half with their second goal, with this time Essien charging through midfielder to flick the ball on for Muntari to shoot from the left of the box on 45 minutes.
It was always going to be a tall order for Morocco to come back from two goals down, not least with 45,000 vocal fans against them, and a Ghana side that bore little or no resemblance to the unconvincing model that edged past minnows Namibia.
There was a worrying moment in the 65th minute when Essien was stretchered off but the Chelsea star was quickly back on his feet, to the relief of Le Roy, his teammates, and the partisan crowd.
Only a fine reflex save from Lamyaghri to keep out Gyan’s header from point-blank range stopped the Black Stars making it three, but the job had already been done.
Essien urges support for Gyan
Ghana midfielder, Michael Essien has pleaded with a section of the booing home fans to lay-off his Black Stars teammate, Asamoah Gyan.
Gyan has been a recent target of abuse from a section of the fans at the on-going African Cup of Nations after enduring a difficult start to the tournament in Ghana’s first two matches in Group A.
Essien fears Asamoah Gyan has been made a scapegoat for Ghana’s fair performances in the first two games of the tournament and is urging fans to rather rally behind Gyan and the team to enable them win something for the country.
Essien said: “To be honest, I think it’s really unfair for the fans to go against Asamoah, who is one of our best players in the team.
“I don’t think it’s good to insult him because he’s a young lad coming up and he’s been doing really well for the team. I would plead with the fans; they should not insult us because we’ve got families as well.
“All we are doing is to do our best for the country so they should forget about the past and stay behind us, keep praying and supporting us and hopefully we can actually win something for the nation.”
However, Essien has no doubt Gyan will rise above the situation as Ghana enters the last eight stage of the competition.
“I think he is been doing really well. It happens. He’s been missing chances but that’s not the end. He’s a great player and they have to be behind us. And today (against Morocco), he showed a great potential of trying to do something.”
Michael Essien, who scored his debut goal at the tournament against Morocco in Ghana’s 2-0 win says Monday evening’s performance is his best so far in the tournament.
“This is one of my best performances during this competition and I think all I am doing is to do my best for the team and help my country to win something,” Essien says.-Ghanafa
Namibia draw earns Guinea quarter-final ticket
Guinea drew 1-1 with Namibia here Monday in a 2008 Africa Cup of Nations Group A tie to qualify for the quarter-final of the competition.
Naby Soumah opened the scoring for Guinea in the 62nd minute when he fired past the impressive Namibia goal tender Athiel Mbaha from inside the box but Namibia drew level in the 81st minute through a low shot from outside the area by Brian Blendel. It was his second goal of the tournament.
Guinea thus recorded five points from three matches to join hosts Ghana, who topped the group with the maximum nine points courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Morocco, into the knockout stage of the tournament. Morocco placed third on three points.
The Guineans also made it to the last eight of the biennial competition two years ago in Egypt.
“It was good to qualify for the quarter-final but we did not play well and we conceded a goal,” said Guinea defender Bobo Balde.
“We missed Pascal Feinduno, who was suspended, and we were a little bit tired.
“We have to play far, far better if want to progress further in this tournament.”
It took the Syli Nationale of Guinea about an hour before they found the back of the Namibian net. Soumah got onto the end of a Dioulde Bah’s through ball before he slotted home to put Guinea in front.
Namibia, appearing in only their second Nations Cup finals, made three changes to the starting team against Ghana while Guinea came into this decisive Group A match without their influential skipper Feinduno after his red card against Morocco.
Favourites Guinea pressed forward against the Brave Warriors of Namibia from the blast of the whistle. Ismael Bangoura first volleyed wide before Daouda Jabi tested Mbaha with a 30-yard shot, which the Namibia goalkeeper saved.
On 15 minutes, Namibia also create their own chance on the break but Muna Kaupose failed to make the most of a six-yard cross from the hard working Brian Blendel.
Guinea kept going at Namibia and in the 31st minute Mamadou Dioulde Bah came close to opening scores only for Mbaha, who is clinically deaf, to deny him with a good save.
The Brave Warriors looked dangerous on the counter attack and almost caught out their west African foes three minutes later but Germany-based midfielder Collin Benjamin hit his shot against the side netting from a difficult angle.
The Namibians restored some pride when they cancelled out Soumah’s 62nd minute goal nine minutes from the end through a Blendel low strike from outside the area.
With a little bit of luck and better finishing the lowest ranked team at the tournament would even have won this encounter as they finished the game the stronger of the two teams.-AFP
Pfister backs Cameroon defence
Coach Otto Pfister Monday put up a stout defence for Cameroon’s backline, insisting they have not let down the rest of the team despite letting in five goals in two games at the Africa Cup of Nations here.
“We don’t have any real problems in defence as much as we all agree that there is no perfect team in the world,” he countered.
“The defence is more the responsibility of the midfield because this is a team sport, we attack together and we defend together.”
Pfister, who took over the Indomitable Lions barely weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations kicked off, also said he has now spent some time with the team and so can pick his starting eleven against Sudan in Tamale days ahead of the Wednesday kick-off.
“At first it was difficult to know my first team but I have now spent more time with the team and so can confidently say I know my starting team for our next game against Sudan,” said the much-travelled Pfister.
“Overall, Cameroon have a good mix of players, experienced players and some young, upcoming players. There is an excellent atmosphere in the team and we showed we are very strong mentally when we bounced back from the defeat against Egypt to beat Zambia.”
Cameroon will need a result against Sudan Wednesday to guarantee their place in the last eight and the former Ghana coach warned that the Nile Crocodiles will not just surrender against them.
“The Sudan match is tricky because in the last few years there has been a great improvement in the football in that country. We all know what Al Hilal and Al Merreikh did in continental competitions last year,” he said.
“In football, each game is different. And I expect a very difficult game because even though Sudan started the tournament poorly, we have to take them seriously.”
In the meantime, team officials have given Bochum midfielder Joel Epalle a clean bill of health even though he has in the past two weeks battled against a toe injury.
Team doctor Guilaume Atchou said even though Epalle was nursing a toe complaint, it was not serious enough to stop him from starting the match against Egypt.
Three-quarters of Premier League clubs have sent scouts to the Africa Cup of Nations as the chase for the continent’s finest talent intensifies.
Scouting for African talent
A BBC Sport survey has discovered 15 of the 20 clubs are scouting at the Ghana tournament despite calls for it to be switched to the summer.
“You know when you’re buying an African player that’s the rule,” Chelsea chief scout Frank Arnesen told BBC Sport.
“You have to deal with that and it’s a must for us to be at the Nations Cup.”
The Nations Cup is now on a level with the South American and European Championships
Portsmouth’s Harry Redknapp, Arsene Wenger of Arsenal and Chelsea’s Avram Grant are just three of the Premier League bosses to have criticised the Nations Cup’s timing between January and February during the middle of the European season.
Yet only five of the 20 clubs BBC Sport contacted said they would not be sending scouts to the tournament.
Portsmouth do not have scouts in Ghana, but former Arsenal defender Gilles Grimandi is in Ghana for Arsenal, while Arnesen has sent two scouts to monitor the tournament.
The likes of Redknapp, Wenger and Grant believe it should fall in line with the world’s other major football competitions and be staged in the summer, when tournaments like the European Championships or the Copa America are held.
Clubs with scouts in Ghana: Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa, Man City, Blackburn, Spurs, Newcastle, Reading, Boro, Bolton, Wigan, Fulham, Derby
Clubs with no scouting representation: Liverpool, West Ham, Birmingham, Portsmouth, Sunderland
“It’s not fair for the European leagues to lose players in a period that’s very important,” admitted Arnesen, a former director of football at PSV Eindhoven and sporting director at Tottenham.
But for all their moaning, clubs appear equally determined not to risk missing out on future world-class players.
Whereas just eight Premier League players travelled to the 2002 Nations Cup in Mali, a staggering 35 made the trip to Ghana in 2008.
“It’s an exceptionally high quality tournament and there’s some great, great players there,” said Reading’s director of football Nicky Hammond.
“Over the last few years Africa has really come to the forefront of producing some top, top players, so for us it is a very good tournament to cover.”
Middlesbrough are understood to be monitoring Yassine Chikhaoui
“We’ll be monitoring the Nations Cup very closely,” said Newcastle’s first-team coach Steve Round.
“There are specific players playing in the tournament, who are also playing in Europe and domestically in England, and we will keep an eye on them, target them, get them into our radar and keep progressively looking at them over the course of the next few months.”
Arnesen insists Chelsea are already aware of every player competing and that the tournament is not a place to uncover fresh talent, rather monitor players for the future.
But Bolton’s chief scout Colin Harvey and his assistant Terry Darracott have gone to Ghana with “a blank sheet of paper”.
Middlesbrough have travelled with both specific targets – BBC Sport understands FC Zurich’s Tunisian forward Yassine Chikhaoui is one – and an open mind.
Either way, Premier League clubs seem to need little convincing of the value African players can provide and it appears the continent will be viewed as a key scouting destination for many years to come.
“Over the past 20 years the progression of African players has been explosive,” said Arnesen.
“They’re playing on the highest level and they’re doing well and that’s why everyone is looking at them.
“Maybe 10 or 15 years ago you knew a few players from every team but not 11.
“Now you go out and see Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and you know all 11 players and even the bench.
“The Nations Cup is now on a level with the South American and European Championships.”
AT the end of the 19th Century, European countries, in what became known as the scramble for Africa, sought to carve up the continent between them.
In 2008 the scramble is to secure the continent’s finest footballing talent.
The regard in which African players are now held by Premier League clubs is plain for all to see.
When Mali hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 2002, England’s top flight was stripped of just eight players.
Fast forward to the 2008 edition in Ghana and that figure has risen to a staggering 35.
And, despite many a manager’s criticism of the tournament’s mid-season scheduling, it appears likely that the trend will only continue to grow.
BBC Sport understands that all bar five Premier League clubs have sent scouts to the Nations Cup, not only to spot potential recruits for the here and now but, more importantly, for the future.
Arsenal: Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, Alexandre Song
Birmingham: Richard Kingson, Mehdi Nafti, Radhi Jaidi
Blackburn: Aaron Mokoena
Bolton: El-Hadji Diouf, Abdoulaye Meite
Chelsea: John Obi Mikel, Didier Drogba and Saloman Kalou, Michael Essien
Everton: Joseph Yobo, Ayegbeni Yakubu, Steven Pienaar
Fulham: Diomansy Kamara
Liverpool: Momo Sissoko
Manchester United: Manucho
Middlesbrough: Mohamed Shawky
Newcastle: Obafemi Martins, Geremi, Abdoulaye Faye, Habib Beye
Portsmouth: Papa Bouba Diop, Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka, Sulley Muntari
Reading: Andre Bikey, Emerse Fae, Ibrahima Sonko
Sunderland: Dickson Etuhu
Tottenham: Didier Zokora
West Ham: John Paintsil, Henri Camara
“We already know the players and I don’t think any clubs of our calibre go there to sign a player – they should know who they want a long time before,” said Chelsea’s chief scout and head of youth development Frank Arnesen. “We are monitoring for the future.”
Chelsea’s four players competing at the Nations Cup – Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou and Jon Mikel Obi – were purchased from other European clubs at a total cost of more than £50m.
Part of Arnesen’s job is to ensure the club secure the best possible talent at the best possible price.
If a club can identify and buy talent before African players make their name in the major European leagues, there are huge savings to be made.
But even if they have made a name for themselves, BBC Sport found a widespread belief in the Premier League that African players offer excellent value for money.
“Look at Habib Beye, who we signed from Marseille for £2m,” said Newcastle first-team coach Steve Round.
“For a full international of his pedigree and the amount of games he has played in Europe and the Champions League, to get an English player of the same pedigree could cost you in the region of £8m-10m.”
Just as important as the financial advantages are the physical and technical perks.
“One of the most significant changes to the Premier League over the past five years is how much the high intensity output has improved – it has gone up about 2.5km in the last five years which is a colossal amount,” added Round.
When you have millions of kids playing street football all day long, players will come through, exactly like in Brazil
Tottenham sporting director Damien Comolli
“That is partly due to better training methods and better athletes being produced but also because of the influx of a lot of these African players who, physically, are very good.”
Tord Grip, a member of the Manchester City coaching staff under Sven-Goran Eriksson, added: “They seem to be well-suited to the style of play in the Premier League.
“African players are strong, athletic and good technically. You also find that they are very motivated, because they have come from a difficult and poor background.”
Arnesen insists individuals from any background can make it to the top, but the Dane concedes the amount of football played by Africans as they grow up is key to their development, a point echoed by Damien Comolli.
“When you go to any country in Africa, people, especially kids, play football from eight in the morning until late at night,” said Tottenham’s sporting director.
“When you have millions of kids playing street football all day long, players will come through, exactly like in Brazil.”
Scouting is a time-consuming and expensive business and BBC Sport has learned that one major Premier League club’s scouting wage bill runs close to £1m.
If monitoring players in Europe is a difficult logistical exercise it is even harder in Africa, given the sheer size of the continent – Nigeria’s population alone is more than 130 million.
Arsenal, who have former player Gilles Grimandi scouting for them in Ghana, have had an advantage over many of their Premier League rivals because of manager Arsene Wenger’s close relationship with compatriot Jean-Marc Guillou.
As well as giving Wenger his break in management – the two worked together at Cannes – Guillou helped set up an academy in the Ivory Coast, run in co-operation with the local team ASEC of Abidjan.
Graduates of that Academy include Arsenal’s Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue, Chelsea’s Kalou, and half the Ivory Coast 2006 World Cup squad.
“They are now well-coached because some of them are coming through various coaching systems or development centres that are producing quality players now,” said Wigan assistant manager Eric Black.
“The indiscipline that was there maybe 10 years ago is disappearing. They’re being coached by European coaches who are in Africa, or when they are at clubs in Europe.”
With players from just four Premier League clubs – Derby, Aston Villa and Manchester City and Wigan – not present in Ghana and the country awash with their scouts, England needs little convincing of Africa’s worth.
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