Colorful Times » Football

History of Football – Africa

Jack Dee — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:13:44 +0000

Pele had said that an African country would win a World Cup by the turn of the 21st century. From colonial intervention, poverty and segregation, to independence and dictatorship, this programme measures Africa’s huge potential against its continued failure to succeed at an international level.

Through the eyes of its surviving members, this episode charts the spectacular rise, then fall of the 1974 Zaire World Cup Final team, and tells the story of Cameroon’s memorable 1990 World Cup campaign, when a thirty-eight year old became Africa’s first football superstar.

Interviews include Roger Milla, Abedi Pele, Thomas N’kono, Neil Tovey, Pierre Kalala and Issa Hayatou.

Segregation was obligatory in colonial times. It was separation. The blacks didn’t have citizen status, so they couldn’t play against teams made up of whites, who were French citizens. So the whites played amongst themselves, and the blacks said to themselves “We will also try.”

So they began their own teams. In Douala, the first indigenous team was Oryx-Douala, which was made up only of black men. In Yaoundé, the first team called the “Grand Superiors.”

History of Football - Africa (Jomo Sono).

The North African Cup was a competition which united all the clubs of North Africa. There was Algeria, Tunisia, Oran, Constantine and Morocco. This competition woke up the African players. Those were unforgettable matches.

The success of this championship and its popularity amongst the Sudanese encouraged the African Federation to organise a tournament on a biennial basis, to be played in a different country each time.

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Jack Dee

I've been an IT consultant for over 15 years. Strange to get paid for doing what you love. May be in danger of being called a geek... but who cares? I actually enjoy every opportunity to drive through the concepts, design, and creative framework on even personal web-based projects. My other passion is travel: 72 cities in 35 countries at the last count.

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99 Problems IS England Football Anthem

Paul Boakye — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:45:00 +0000

Former FA executive director David Davies has called for an inquiry into England’s dismal performance at the World Cup. Really?

Sweet F.A.

What in their previous performance had justified the level of misplaced confidence that England showed in its home grown team?

Judging by their standards, four games in the World Cup is doing rather well. An inquiry now can only be asking for more of the same lame excuses, and we already rather like this reworking of the Jay-Z classic, 99 Problems as a new anthem for the England football team. Now where’s that other prat, Dizzee Rascal, when you need him?

Fabio Capello reveals the new England shirt.

99 Problems

I got, 99 problems but the pitch wasn’t one
If you havin’ Vuvuzela problems
I feel sorry for you son

I got 99 problems but the pitch ain’t one
John Terry, sleeping with his team mate’s girl
Now that’s sumthing he shoulda never done
And then holding his own press conference and suggesting that Cole should be playing…
You ain’t the Captain or the Manager
Terry… What you really saying?

I got 99 excuses but the pitch wasn’t one
Okay the ball crossed the line… not like in 1966
But they would have still beaten us
Ain’t that Karma a bitch.

I got 99 excuses but the pitch wasn’t one…
We had no attack and the defence didn’t have a clue
How you planning to win the World Cup
Playing 4-4-2?

I got 99 excuses but the pitch wasn’t one
The two hottest strikers in the Prem, were Defoe and Crouch
But instead they played Heskey and Cole and left the Tottenham boys out

I got 99 problems but the pitch wasn’t one
Half the team were injured
The other half were tired
And as for the Manager being paid £6 million a year!
Sir Alan would say – Fabio… you’re fired!!

I got 99 problems but the pitch wasn’t one
Stop thinking that you’re better cause you’re English
And be prepared to work hard
And admit they can’t play together…
I’m talking about Lampard and Gerrad

I got 99 problems but the pitch wasn’t one
Excuses don’t win matches and we got plenty of them
Right now we’ve got boys, making excuses, trying to act like men!
Germany, Argentina, Spain & Brazil are the better teams in the World Cup
So stop with all the excuses – its time to wrap it up!
Time to come home, to your booze, cars and WAGs
Why not take them out shopping to buy a few more expensive bags

I got 99 excuses but the pitch wasn’t one
I got 99 excuses but the ref wasn’t one
I got 99 excuses but the Vuvuzela’s wasn’t one
I got 99 excuses but the WAGs wasn’t one
I got excuses, excuses, excuses…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W80Ae5hEOA

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Paul Boakye

Writer, editor and marketing specialist who sat on The Power Inquiry. Former editor and CEO of the consumer lifestyle magazine, Drum (UK), and author of five plays published for an academic audience by Alexander Street Press, USA. Recipient of business and writing awards, including prestigious accolades such as advising British government, BBC radio and TV commentator, and invitation to meet Queen Elizabeth II in 2007. Currently works as a communications professional, creating contagious ideas to help great brands change the conversation to their advantage, across the entire Central and West African region.

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Black Stars for World Cup Victory in Short Ghana Film

MissMarshall — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:02:05 +0000

2006 saw Ghana’s first entry into the world’s most prestigious football event.

This short film captures some of the passion and excitement West Africans at home and abroad feel about the international sporting competition known globally as The World Cup.

The Black Stars of Ghana on the Road to Victory?

The film was made off-the-cuff as a bit of fun. A holiday movie interviewing Ghanaians on the Black Star’s chances of bringing The World Cup home in 2006. I still enjoy it. I hope you do, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWGFA3EOak8

“Come on, you Black Stars! Bring home the cup in 2010!!!”

Will it be The Black Stars? Or will it be your team? Who do you think will win The World Cup? Leave a comment below.

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MissMarshall

Best Black England Football XI, Ever

J Hill — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:03:47 +0000

The FA scored an embarrassing and costly own-goal in 2005 after they were forced to scrap thousands of copies of a DVD entitled The Pride of the Nation – a retrospective look at the finest players to represent England over 40 years, which failed to acknowledge any of the 48 black men to represent their country in that time.

They hurriedly put together a new edition, featuring several black players but the damage was already done. So, here we present an alternative look at the history of the England team – the greatest black players ever to wear the Three Lions. And in the spirit of diversity, we’ve even thrown in Bobby Robson as a token white manager. See what you think.

GK: David James
48 appearances; 0 goals

Something of a forced choice, given that he is the sole black goalkeeper to play for England. Best known for being the only public figure to rival Prince Philip for the number of occasions on which his name has appeared in the press preceded by the words ‘gaffe prone.’ Earned the nickname ‘Calamity James’ after a series of high-profile errors while playing for Liverpool, and has found it hard to shake off. However, fans of Aston Villa and Manchester City will tell you a different story – of a reliable, gifted goalkeeper who inspires confidence in his defence and fierce loyalty from the supporters.

RB: Viv Anderson
30 appearances; 2 goals

The first ever black player to represent the full England side, Anderson was a key member of Brian Clough’s legendary Nottingham Forest team, earning domestic and European honours in the late 70s and early 80s. He went on to play for Arsenal and Manchester United, but was unlucky to find the likes of Phil Neal ahead of him in the England set-up. One of the few black players to make the leap into management when he became Barnsley boss, Anderson has been a proud moustache-wearer for much of his career, even taking it bravely into handlebar territory during the early 90s. Talks candidly about his football years in an explosive autobiography out now: First Among Unequals.

LB: Ashley Cole
77 appearances; 0 goals

Promising young Arsenal defender cuts his teeth on loan at Crystal Palace and returns to push Brazilian international Silvinho out of the side. Goes on to establish himself as a mainstay for club and country, felt by many to be the finest left back in the world. Comes to represent everything that is vaguely distasteful about the modern game, acquiring a pop-star wife, getting ‘tapped up’ in a dodgy move to Chelsea FC and constantly being pictured in the tabloids for having cheated on his wife or falling out of celebrity night-spots with obligatory blonde ‘stunnas’ in tow and a hand thrust aggressively at the camera lens.

CB: Sol Campbell
73 appearances; 1 goal

Former-rock at the heart of the England defence alongside Rio Ferdinand and just edges out the turtle-faced Man United player for sheer dependability. Strong in the challenge, dangerous at set-pieces, and exuding a quiet confidence in everything he does, Sol faced a challenge in winning over the Arsenal crowd after his high-profile defection from Spurs. But went on to become absolutely indispensable, a point proven by the Gunners’ willingness to take him back after a three year stint with Portsmouth and about the same number of months with Notts County. Faced down persistent rumours about his sexuality by…well, by not being gay. Has had a series of high-profile relationships, including former Wimbledon champion Martina Hingis, and bland, seal-voiced pop-tomaton Dido.

CB: Des Walker
59 appearances; 0 goals

Scowly-faced former Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday stopper. Walker had an unhappy ‘It was like a foreign country’-style interlude in Italy with Sampdoria, but was an automatic choice for England for 5 years. Played out of position by the Italians, at leftback, he scowled so hard that he ended up spending a fortnight on the physio’s table with a self-inflicted facial injury. Perhaps. Feted, in his prime, for his lightning-quick pace, but now best remembered for ‘switching off’ against Holland in a 1993 World Cup qualifier. Marc Overmars scored, England didn’t go to the World Cup, no more caps for Des.

RM: Laurie Cunningham
6 appearances; 0 goals

Shot to prominence as arguably the most talented of West Brom’s ‘Three Degrees.’ Under the tutelage of Ron ‘lazy, thick nigger’ Atkinson, Cunningham became the first black player to wear an England shirt when he turned out for the Under-21 team in 1977, going on to win 6 full caps. Could mesmerise opponents with his pace and tricks, and earned himself a move to Real Madrid in 1979. Never quite fulfilled his potential in the Spanish capital, and his career wound down with spells at Man United, Leicester City, and Wimbledon. Cunningham died in a car crash in Madrid on the morning of 15th July, 1989, aged only 33. The BBC did not report his death.

LM: John Barnes
79 appearances; 11 goals

One of the most breathtakingly gifted players ever to pull on an England shirt. The scorer of perhaps the greatest England goal of all time (against Brazil in the Maracana). However, was never able to reproduce his best Liverpool form for his country, and ended his England career unfairly targeted as the fans’ whipping boy. Had a bad time as manager of Celtic, where he presided over a cup defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and had the misfortune of signing an unknown Brazilian defender by the name of Scheidt who was shite. Barnes took over as manager of the Jamaica national team on 1 November 2008 but resigned six months later to take over at Tranmere. He was sacked by Tranmere on 9 October 2009 after a series of poor results.

CM: Paul Ince
53 appearances; 2 goals

Best described as ‘niggly’ during his top-flight playing career. First black player to captain the England first team. His defining moment in the Three Lions came when he put in a battling performance against Italy, helping England to a draw that put them into the 1998 World Cup Finals. Ending the game with his head swathed in bandages after sustaining a nasty head wound in the first half, cheeky Geordie wife-beating funster Paul Gascoigne brought the world to its knees with helpless mirth by likening Ince to ‘a pint of Guinness’ because Ince is black, and the bandage on his head was white. And Guinness is black, with white on top. See? Amazing.

CM: Carlton Palmer
18 appearances; 1 goal

Some may disagree with the idea of Carlton Palmer earning a place in any ‘best of’ list. However, Palmer was unfairly maligned throughout his career, and suffered from being part of a singularly uninspiring Graham Taylor-era England team, and the fact that he wasn’t Paul Gascoigne. But he was a hard-working, effective player, and a godsend for cliché-happy commentators, who could always find an excuse to refer to his ‘telescopic legs’. To some he will always be an Argos catalogue version of Patrick Vieira. To me he will always be the man who made me cry with laughter at his pitch-perfect Graham Taylor impression in the classic ‘Impossible Job’ documentary about the beleaguered England manager.

CF: Cyrille Regis
5 appearances; 0 goals

Another of Ron ‘after everything I’ve done for black players’ Atkinson’s ‘Three Degrees.’ Regis terrorised defences in the 70s and 80s with his muscular forward play and explosive shooting. Built like a middleweight boxer, he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year in 1978, and went on to win five full England caps. Never truly reaped the rewards in terms of medals that his incredible natural gifts should have brought him, despite playing a key role in the Coventry City team that won the FA Cup in 1987. In the team for his sheer charisma and physical presence. Also, he looks a bit like my Dad and signed a programme for me at the 1995 Coca Cola Cup Final.

CF: Ian Wright
33 appearances; 9 goals

The irrepressible, near-hysterically excitable Arsenal forward had a frustrating England career. Finding it nigh-on impossible to recreate his super-prolific club form in a white shirt. All the same, the fact that he remained an automatic choice for much of his top-flight career reflected his undeniable class, and the quality of his all-round game. Has moved on to forge a successful career in the media, and no international is complete now without footage of Wright punching the air and climbing all over Alan Hansen in the commentary box when England score. In time, it may be that Wright’s greatest contribution to the national team is his son. What odds on him wildly over-celebrating a Shaun Wright-Phillips winner in the 2010.

Over 32 years and all of 58 black faces have appeared for England after Viv Anderson made his début through to the match against Brazil on 14 November 2009, it now seems that colour is no longer a factor when the national squad is selected (even though a England manager, rumoured to be Graham Taylor, once disclosed that he was approached by two senior members of the FA and advised not to select ‘too many’ black players). But I imagine that bookies would give you long odds on there being a black England boss any time in the next 10 years. Les Ferdinand recently spoke out about club chairmen’s seeming reluctance to give black men a chance in management, regardless of their playing pedigree.

Viv Anderson and John Barnes had unhappy spells in the sheepskin and are now pursuing other careers. Carlton Palmer was briefly in the Mansfield hotseat, and Paul Ince is currently manager of Milton Keynes Dons for the second time in his managerial career having managed Blackburn Rovers and Macclesfield Town, nevertheless we are yet to see a black Englishman really make his mark in management. But what’s a glass ceiling if not to be smashed?

Who would be in your best ever Black English XI? Would you favour the skills of David Rocastle in midfield over the grit of ‘Crazy Legs’ Palmer? How about giving Jermaine Defoe the chance to link up with his childhood hero, Ian Wright, up front? Or would you rather just be perverse and give Michael Ricketts a chance to reprise his excruciating one-cap walk-on part in the England story?