Kid's Football in the Heart of Africa

After today's shocking 2-0 USA victory over top-ranked Spain, only three matches remain at the 2009 Confederations Cup.

We'll be back next summer for the big one, the 2010 World Cup.

Today, the excellent Guardian news paper of England is taking a look at South Africa's culture of football through a series of 'stunning photographs taken in the Erasmia and Soweto townships near Johannesburg.'



Do yourself and check out this series of wonderful, smart photos by photographers Vladimir Rys, Jamie McDonald, Christof Koepsel, Jeff Mitchell and Shaun Botterill of Getty Images.

822 Days to Go and a Change in Direction

For some time now, we here at '2010' have talked about change.

I've often said I'm tired of the current format. Cutting and pasting someone else's work doesn't do the reader or the poster any justice.

Just a few months ago, I talked about this very thing.

Well, I'm here to say that after much internal debate, I'm making a move.

The first thing you'll notice is the new design of the site.

Nothing extraordinary. I simply got tired of the dark look of the pages. I needed something more vibrant. Hopefully in the next couple of months, I'll have a more professional layout up.

Next, I want to rededicate myself to the original purpose of this blog.

As the caption above says, this blog is about 'My journey from Brooklyn, New York January 4, 2007 to the World Cup Final match July 11, 2010 in South Africa. How will I get there? I have no idea. Join me as I travel around Africa, write a book, make some friends and watch the beautiful game!'

I'm not in Brooklyn anymore. I've yet to go to Africa. I'm not even sure I have a book in me. But I'm passionate about the game. I love football now more than ever.
And I still want to get to the Final.

And more importantly, I want to help some people along the way ...

I'm not entirely sure how to do this.

But I'll figure something out very soon.

So some may ask: Why do it this way? Why not just buy a ticket to the game?

I stated some reasons for this in a previous post.

Unfortunately I may have to pay, especially if my original intent doesn't pan out.
But where's the fun in that? Where's the sense of adventure?

I want the experience of it. I want to face this challenge and know I can do it.

I've thought about this long and hard.

Cutting and pasting other people's work here doesn't work. You can find that news anywhere. Why come here for it?

So I'm looking for more original content, more feature pieces about football personalities, more fresh commentary about the sport I love.

I've said this before. But I think you'll find I'm staying truer to my pursuit this time around.

Simply put, this is my journey from a passive fan to an active participant in a sport I cherish.

I love this game. But watching isn't enough. I want to affect it, too.

How can I leave a mark and satisfy my passions as well?

How can I get to the Final game in July 2010 and also help people along the way, while having a blast and enjoying the Beautiful Game?

Another way of saying it: This is not just a blog about African football. It was never intended to be. Of course, the focus is on the continent's action as the 2010 Cup is stationed there.

But really, this is a personal journey. About how I love the game and how I want the game to move me in some way.

I hope this doesn't sound too selfish. I suppose in some ways it is.
Maybe that'll change in time.

I think you'll find the purpose isn't that selfish in time to come.

I've struggled long and hard on this. I think this is the right way to go ...

822 days to go. I have a LOT of work to do!

Wish me luck.

Refocus and Some Personal Musings

I've been away from the blog since the African Cup of Nations ended, tending to some personal business.

But I'm back, thinking of ways to take this particular blog in new directions.

I love the fact I've become somewhat knowledgeable about the African game thanks to this website. I've gained an intimate appreciation of the quality of African football and seen the grandeur and spectacle the continent's football can bring.

But I believe I'd do a disservice to make this an African football blog. First of all, I don't know much about the African game. I'd love to learn more. But for now, copying and pasting Mark Gleeson's articles from Reuters news service doesn't cut it.

Second, without being in Africa, how can I honestly report on the state of the African game? Sure, the Internet and technology have brought the game closer to home. But until I get myself there, I'd be foolish to say I'm providing any real service.

The entire medium of a blog is wonderful. Someone like myself, some guy in New York who fancies football, can write my musings and thoughts about events I've not even seen. And for that, I get people all over the world coming on my page, reading my posts, reading my thoughts. It's wonderful.

So how can I make this better? How can I be of value to the people that read this site?

Basically, how can I grow this thing into something more than copying articles?

I could go to Africa. I WILL go to Africa. One day. I simply can't afford it now.

I could write about European soccer or the USA's Major League Soccer.

But lots of people do that. I already do that on my other website. So that's a negative.

I guess I need to come up with another angle.

Let's reiterate the focal point of this blog: It's about me, a crazy American football fan in New York City, trying to get himself to South Africa in 2010 to watch one game, the Final of the World Cup.

Now, I could buy a ticket and just go. But where's the challenge in that?

No, I need to find a way there through some other route. It could be through sponsorship, it could be through press credentials, it could be as South African president Thabo Mbeki's guest!

But I want to get there based on something other than my wallet. Personal connections, etc.

Also, I'd like to write a book about my experience. And on top of that, I'd like to assist some people involved with the game of football along the way. Meaning, I'd like to shine a light on people doing good work through the game of soccer, trying to uplift people using football as their voice.

Maybe that's the angle I should take. I don't know ...

Until then, I'm learning a great deal about the African game, watching lots of great UEFA Champions League games and getting ready for another season of David Beckham's Major League Soccer.

I'll end this now, but I'll say this ... expect to read things here you won't read anywhere else.

As long as I keep that edict in mind, the blog and the writing will take care of itself ...

My Cup of Nations Final

So the Cup's been over for a few days now and I'm left wondering, 'When's the next Cup?'

I know it's in 2010, when I'll most DEFINITELY be in Angola for the matches. What I'm getting at is that I'm missing the tournament.

I only saw two matches live. But I came away with a sincere appreciation of the African game, the passion of the fans and the style of the attacking play on exhibit.

I managed to watch the final between Egypt and Cameroon at two locations in Harlem, New York City.

The first place was a small, nondescript restaurant on 116th St. They had a huge, widescreen TV with a blurry signal, some delicious smelling food in the back kitchen and a room full of people from all corners of Africa watching the match. I only imagine they were all from Africa, because I couldn't understand what they were saying and they were deeply involved in the match.

People yelled at the TV, people threw their hands into the air. But beyond that, they smiled. They offered us seats. They kept looking back to see how we were doing. That doesn't often happen at the bars I frequent to watch football. Most times, I'm stuffed next to some drunk brute who wants to bash my head in because I support a different club. Not so here.



After the restaurant, we found a smaller cafe to watch the 2nd half. This wasn't really a cafe, more a 'greasy spoon' you find in nondescript neighborhoods. But the passion emanating from the place was exquisite. One lad had a Cameroon shirt on, one on his body, another wrapped around his head. He motioned us in while jumping up and down to the hip hop beats of his beat box.

Hardly anyone in the place spoke English. But the place was hopping in anticipation of the second half. The Cameroonian lad with the shirts kneeled down to pray, constantly putting his hands to his face, the pain in his stomach on exhibit for all to see.

Finally, I felt like I was somewhere I could watch the game among true African fans! Motioning with our hands, we somehow got the waitress to serve us lamb stew over white rice. Very delicious! People smiled at us, some in bemusement as to why two Americans would want to watch the African game, others just happy to have us.

The place was packed full of men, some cheering for Cameroon, others for Egypt. They oohed and awwed every time a slicing pass came to an Egyptian striker. They jumped up and slapped the counter when Cameroon came close to scoring. And they cheered wildly both in support and opposition when Egypt found the back of the net.

The game ended and the arguing ensued. I don't mean arguing in the sense that glasses were thrown and knives were unsheathed. I mean the footballing debates started.

'Why didn't Song defend better?'
'What happened to Eto'o?'
'Ivory Coast should have won!'
(I'm guessing this was said. I bet it was. Football has a language all its own and one doesn't need to know another's language to know what's being said.)

On it went in a strange tongue for half an hour. Finally, the trophy was presented. We paid our check and said our goodbyes.
'Merci' said the gentleman at the door as held it open for us, letting us out into the cold Harlem afternoon. Outside, some of the men from the restaurant stood and argued some more, each with a smile on his face and a pat on the back.

They waved goodbye. We smiled and made our way.

I can't wait for the next Cup of Nations.

And I Thought the Super Bowl Was a Big Deal: More Ghana-Nigeria

The Super Bowl was an amazing game for gridiron fans.
Drama.
Intensity.
A story line of good vs. evil that couldn't be believed.

Still, this pales in comparison to the match-up that took place in Ghana on Sunday between Ghana and Nigeria.

Here, a taste from Jeff Klein of the New York Times' Goal blog about the fall out from Ghana's 2-1 victory over Nigeria.

There were two Super Bowls happening in the world on Sunday — the one in America with the Giants of gridiron football, and the one in Africa with the two giants of African football: Ghana vs. Nigeria. Both games were amazing.

No rivalry anywhere on the continent is as intense as the one between the Black Stars of Ghana and the Super Eagles of Nigeria, and when they met Sunday at a packed Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra, a berth in the African Cup semifinals was on the line. Nigeria went ahead 1-0, but Ghana rallied on goals from Chelsea’s Michael Essien and, while down a man, from Nottingham Forest’s Junior Agogo to beat the Super Eagles for only the second time in tournament history, 2-1. Highlights are here:



The victory was not only huge for Ghana in the tournament, it was huge in the Ghanaian imagination. As the Accra Daily Mail put it, “Wow!“, and within hours of the Black Stars’ triumph over their West African rivals, this song was cooked up (“These Nigerian suckas think they can come here and score, so we discipline them”). That was a response to this Nigerian joint, which was recorded before the game and told how “When Nigeria catch Ghana we go hammer them”.

As it turns out, it was the Super Eagles who got hammered, or, as The Guardian of Lagos put it, the Super Chickens.

Meanwhile back in Ghana the celebrations went on unabated. In Tamale, according to Ghana News Agency, citizens “of all ages went into joyful celebration with the noise pervading the air as though the people of Dagbon were celebrating their annual fire festival“, even as, elsewhere in the country, “Fans go gay in Sekondi”. Finally, if you think Ghanaian news organization are above gloating over knocking off Nigeria, have a look at this page and think again.

I tell you, I am falling in love with the majesty of the African game. It's intense on so many different levels than the European or even South American game is.

From my uneducated perspective, African football is on the verge of making a MAJOR breakthrough. I'm not saying a 2010 World Cup victory. But more fans will be more aware of the quality of this continent's football. It's right around the corner.

I hope I can shed even a small light on the beauty that is African soccer.

State of African Football

Today's BBC World Service's African sports program Fast Track featured three legends of the African game debating the state of African football before a live audience.

Host Komla Dumor spoke to Segun Odegbami, 1980 Cup of Nations winner with Nigeria (nicknamed "Mathematical", for his precision in front of goal), Ghanaian three-time African Footballer of the Year Abedi Pele and Zambia's Kalusha Bwalya (pictured, left), who captained his team to the runners-up spot in 1994.

Here's some of their discussion as it took place today ...

HOW DO YOU RATE THE STANDARD OF PLAY NOW AND THEN?

Odegbami: "The game is more technical now, but we had some terrific individual players in those days. I think there's too much passing in the game these days and that buries individual expressiveness on the ball. I see us lamenting the absence of so many of yesterday's stars, like Jay Jay Okocha (Nigeria) and Kalusha Bwalya."

Abedi Pele: "He's said it all. There were greater players before, I don't believe that technically the players of today are better than us. But Africa is showcasing itself on the continent and globally, and things are changing for the best."

Bwalya: "The game has come very far, and we're glad for that. The platform was set by the older players. Like types of cars change, we are the old models and they are the new models, a new generation of African players."

YOUR GREATEST NATIONS CUP MEMORIES?

Bwalya: "Just reaching the Nations Cup finals used to be an achievement, there used to be only eight teams that qualified. Then of course, losing the 1994 final to Nigeria is my greatest memory, after the team died off the coast of Gabon a year before. We rebuilt the team and came back."

Abedi Pele: "Good memories or bad ones? My worst memory is watching my team-mates lose the 1992 final on penalties to Ivory Coast, when I was suspended. The best is from 1982, when I was just 17. I tormented the Tunisia defence and dribbled from our 18-yard area to theirs and gave a pass for a goal."

Odegbami: "It must be 1978. You know, we Nigerians like to beat Ghana! Ghana had a very big reputation then, but I was given so much respect and I did whatever I liked on the field, and I scored. Then of course, winning the 1980 Nations Cup - we almost walked through the tournament."

YOUR PERSONAL AFRICAN LEGENDS?

Odegbami: "Mohammed Polo, Abdul Razak (both Ghana) and Philip Omondi (Uganda) were all great. Then if you want a demonstration of how to play central midfield, Adolf Armah of Ghana is one of the greatest footballers I've ever seen."

Abedi Pele: "I remember watching Segun Odegbami and Philip Omondi back in 1978 when I was 12 years old, and I was amazed. Then there was Tarek Diab of Tunisia, a magician. But there are too many to mention, Africa is blessed with so much talent and we're going to make it big in the future."

Bwalya: "Just to mention one of today's legends, Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon is the quintessential striker. He's supremely confident and his Nations Cup scoring record justifies his place in history. And it's a pity that Stephen Appiah of Ghana hasn't been playing here."


FOREIGN COACHES OR LOCAL COACHES FOR AFRICA?

Bwalya: "The future is in our own hands, it's our responsibility as we develop football. The calibre of foreign coaches is important, they have to be able to add something and understand the culture. But I think that sometimes in Africa we have little patience with our own coaches, and also our coaches can be unprepared to learn, and to do coaching courses."

Odegbami: "I disagree a little, I think that our administrators don't respect African coaches, so the great players don't want to coach, and the game loses. These players, the likes of Stephen Keshi of Nigeria can take African football to great heights."

Mark Gleeson - The Man I Want to Be

Everyone aspires to be like someone else.

For some, it's wanting to be Michael Jordan, shooting silky jumpshots in the NBA.
For others, it's Didier Drogba, shooting lasers into English Premier League goals.

I want to be Mark Gleeson.

For those that don't know, Mr. Gleeson is the pre-eminent African football journalist. He writes for Reuters and his encyclopedic knowledge of the continent's football is a virtual gold mine for football aficionados around the world.

Why do I want to be like Mr. Gleeson? For one, he's a working journalist. Two, he's writing about football in Africa. More than that, he's doing something he loves (or at least I think he does).

I think we'd have a lot to chat about. I'd just love to pick his brain for a few minutes (hours?).

Today, an article in the Guardian Unlimited about his work and his attempt at writing a history of African football.

I'll be the first to buy that book when it comes out!

Mark Gleeson is a living legend of African football, and probably the only man at the African Cup of Nations who has been photographed naked for the Serbian edition of Playboy. It was not full frontal, which is just as well as he's taller than Peter Crouch. It was just a picture of his big toe, with a palm tree in the background, but it was important to the editorial staff back in the Balkans to establish that Mark Gleeson was in fact a real person.

Why? Gleeson features in a couple of books by the former Observer columnist and renowned football author Simon Kuper, who wrote in particular of a wacky trip to Swaziland with Gleeson, who describes himself as "the anorak's anorak". Kuper's article was translated for Playboy in Belgrade and they wanted a number for Gleeson.

"They called and asked me 'Are you a real person?' I said yes, and they wanted photographic evidence. So that's where the big toe came into the picture."

He tells me this story during one of the highlights of any Cup of Nations, the biennial dinner with Gleeson. Fifteen years ago he started out on a quest to do what nobody has ever done, and build a record of football on this continent. His efforts are recognised by Fifa, for whom he is the official archivist for Africa, and without him nobody would know how many caps they have, how many goals they have scored in the African Champions League, and so on and so on. This sort of thing is taken for granted in Europe and elsewhere, but in Africa next to nothing is known. Or was, until Gleeson stepped in.

As an example, I tried to find out what I could about the first tour of Britain by a team from Ghana, then the Gold Coast, back in 1951. The only mention of that historic visit is a minute of an FA committee meeting in the Soho Square archives which reads "It was agreed to pay the Gold Coast AFA 17s 6d (87p) towards the costs of their tour." In Ghana there is nothing. When a researcher once visited the Nigerian FA records section/library he found a grand total of three publications.

Much of the evening's conversation revolved around Gleeson's garage back home in Cape Town. It holds his drum kit and other unimaginable treasures - if you like that sort of thing. He has photocopied team line-ups from years and years of matches in the top African club competitions. "CAF [the continental federation] burned the rest when they moved offices in Cairo recently," says a horrified Gleeson. He went with his wife to copy as much as he could before CAF moved.

He also has the complete record - and there is plenty of it - of the 'whites only' FA in South Africa that was suspended from world football, and piles of information, which took many hours of difficult research to unearth, on the 'blacks only' league, which was scarcely reported. He wants to compile a record of every game played in that league before football became 'mixed' in 1976.

He knows everything, and everyone. He tells of the Brits who played in South Africa years ago. "I saw George Best play at the Rand Stadium, a full house. Bobby Moore made plenty of visits, Johnny Haynes, Budgie Byrne. In one season, I think it was 1999, Budgie Byrne, his two sons and his son in law all coached teams in Cape Town in the SA League. He was at Cape Town Spurs, his son David at Santos, Mark at Hellenic, and Gavin Hunt, who married Budgie's only daughter, Karen, was at Seven Stars. Nine weeks in, David was sacked."

"Didn't David win a cap for South Africa," asks one of our well-informed dining companions. "No," says Gleeson. "He got an Under-23 cap at the age of 35, against the US."

Did you also know that Lucas Radebe played in goal for Bophuthatswana against a South African amateur XI? That Eusebio's dad was Angolan? That two brothers currently playing international football turn out for different countries, Uganda and Rwanda?

And did you know this: no team in world football is compelled to send its team lists to Fifa for archiving. There is no record of the line-ups for senior international matches - just scores and the venue.

"It's scandalous," says Gleeson, who is not your normal dysfunctional football nerd. He is a family man with children (most unusual in nerdland) and great company. "Now it's even worse than it used to be. Surely Fifa should recognise the value of this information. What are they playing at?"

He's invited me to see his garage during the 2010 World Cup. How can I say no?

African Football Can Shine

As the action progresses in Ghana and the infrastructure settles into place in South Africa, there's more talk about the state of African football.

Gabriele Marcotti is one of the world's preeminent football journalists. He's an Italian sports journalist and presenter who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of world football. He has also written two books.

In Monday's London Times, Marcotti wrote a small piece about African football that's a very good read. Basically, he talks about how passionate Africans are for the game and how far they could go if the playing field was level.

Below, a small excerpt. Please click here to read the rest of the article.

There is a passion for national teams in Africa that easily surpasses most of Europe. Part of this is because most top African players are based abroad, which leaves the domestic leagues to serve as perennial feeder clubs. They know not to fall too deeply in love with their clubs because, if they do well, they will be raided by European teams.

At the same time, satellite television brings football from all over the world into African homes. And with domestic football often on the periphery, African viewers soak it up, to the point that they are easily as knowledgeable as, and usually far less parochial than, their European counterparts.

The other big factor is socio-historical. Forget the facile stereotypes, Africa is easily the most heterogeneous continent on earth, a place where more than 1,000 languages are spoken, where Islam and Christianity share the stage with hundreds of indigenous faiths and where, until recently, mass migration was limited, which meant that local communities tended to grow and endure independent of each other.

With all this passion comes pride. Pride that football is one of the few areas where Africa can go head-to-head with anyone in the world. Stripped to its essence, the game consists of men in boots kicking a ball. It is about as level a playing field as you can get in any pursuit, with the possible exception of athletics. And, with African teams coming close to matching the best in the world, you have to wonder what the continent could achieve if the fields were level in other areas as well.

Best African Footballers

Today's Guardian Unlimited has a great article about the best players to come out of Africa.

This is a debate that sparks up every so often. Most of these players plied their trade in Europe, so this is one reason they're listed on so many 'Best of' lists.

What about the footballers that didn't play in Europe? The footballers that stayed on the continent and achieved fame there? I'd be interested to see that list.

I'll post the player's names here. Check out the article to see what's said.

1) Eusebio (Mozambique)(pictured)
2) Rabah Madjer (Algeria)
3) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon)
4) Abedi Pelé (Ghana)
5) George Weah (Liberia)
6) Roger Milla (Camerooon)

Happy Holidays!!

So many different ways to say it ...

Alur - Wafoyo Kado Oro & Wafoyo Tundo Oro manyeni
Alutiiq - Spraasnikam & Amlertut Kiaget!
Acholi - Mot ki Yomcwing Botwo Me Mwaka Manyen
Adhola - Wafayo Chamo Mbaga & Bothi Oro Manyeni
Aeka- Keremisi jai be
Afrikaans - Geseende Kerfees en 'n gelukkige
Yoruba - E ku odun, e ku iye' dun!

Zarma - Barka da Issa hay-yan hann & Barka da djiri barey-yan
Zaza - Newroz'a tu Piroz be
Zia - Kerisimasi wosewa
Zime - El ma ka bar vra aso vei Lu & El ma ka kim na mireu
Zulu - Sinifesela Ukhisimusi Omuhle Nonyaka Omusha Onempumelelo
Angami - U kenei Christmas mu teicie kes a-u sie teicie
kesa-u sie niepete keluo shuzaie we
Apache (Western) - Gozhqq Keshmish
Urdu - Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Uvean - Italo fa ide tau fou nei eseke
Uyghur - YanghI yiling ahlqIs bolgey!
Valencian - Bon Nadal i millor any nou
Tshiluba - Diledibua dilenga dia Mfumu - Tshidimu tshipia - tshipia th silenga
Tswana - Keresemose o monate le masego a ngwaga o montsha
Tubetube - Yayaliyaya Yesu sikabi kaiwena
Vespi - Rastvoidenke i Udenke Vodenke
Vietnamese - Chuc Mung Giang Sinh - Chuc Mung Tan Nien
onga - Kristo abe anduwe muciindo ca Christmas
Tongan - Kilisimasi Fiefia & Ta'u fo'ou monu ia
Toraja - Salama' Natal & Selama' taun baru
Trukese - Neekirissimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Tagalog - Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon
Tahitian - Ia ora i te Noere e ia ora na i te matahiti 'api
Tagakaulu - Madyaw Pagsalog sa Pagka-otaw ni Jesus & Aw mauntong na bago Umay!
Tala Andig - Maayad ha pasko daw bag-ong tuig
Surigaonon - Malipayon na pasko sanan bag-on tuig!
Swahili - ºKrismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº
Swazi - sinifisela khisimusi lomuhle nemnyaka lomusha lomuhle
Swedish - God Jul och Gott Nytt År

But whatever way YOU may say it, have a nice holiday!
And keep on watchin' the Beautiful Game!

ASEC Mimosas' Impressive Record

I'm a regular reader of the Guardian Unlimited's weekly The Knowledge articles. The editors attempt to answer interesting questions about world football, like 'has a journalist ever won an international cap?' or 'who is the most prolific corner goalscorer of all time?'

Along the way, they manage to deliver witty bits of football intelligence that make you go, 'Hmmm ...'

This particular question-and-answer definitely made me tilt my head and rub my chin some.

"What is the longest run of league games undefeated in world football?" wondered Jamie Ainge back in early 2005. "I ask because I saw Piers Morgan on TV suggesting that Arsenal were the best team ever because they went a season without losing. I thought the AC Milan side of the mid-90s went something like three years undefeated?"

So what do you think the answer is?

I guess I gave it away in the headline, but it had to do with ASEC Mimosas, also known as ASEC Abidjan, especially in international club competitions.

Here's the answer:

Milan's unbeaten Serie A run lasted a massive 58 league games, and took place between May 19 1991 and March 21 1993, before they lost 1-0 at home to Parma. That, however, is still a long way short of the world record, which is held by Asec Abidjan of the Ivory Coast.

Boasting a side featuring numerous Ivorian internationals, Asec went 108 matches unbeaten between 1989 and 1994. For most of that period they were managed by Philippe Troussier. When their winning streak did eventually come to an end - via a 2-1 defeat by SO Armée - the backlash was immediate: they crushed their next opponents 11-0.

108 matches ... 108 MATCHES! That's amazing.

When Will Africa Win a World Cup?

This, an interesting, thought-provoking article from the BBC about Africa's expectations regarding the World Cup.

Pundits have long said it was a mere matter of time before an African nation lifted the World Cup trophy. But so far, expectations haven't been met.

No one's really sure why. Maybe the infrastructure isn't there. Maybe the players don't gel well when they come together in a huge international tournament. Maybe they're just not good enough at the moment.

It's a wonderful topic of debate. What do you think?

Read the article and post your comments.

Pele's prediction that an African team would win the World Cup before the end of the last millennium never materialised.

And recent experience has dampened expectations of African glory as the continent prepares to host the tournament for the first time.

"We need to lift the expectations but maybe 2010 is too early... Maybe in Brazil," said France's World Cup winning captain Marcel Desailly.

Cameroon's progress to the quarter-finals of the 1990 tournament in Italy raised hopes that Africa would be the next force in world football.

However, only one team, Ghana, managed to get past the first round last year in Germany.

The semi-finals still remain unchartered territory for African countries.

Desailly, who was himself born in Ghana, believes they are likely to remain so when South Africa hosts the world's finest in three year's time.

"The tournament in South Africa? It will not change anything," Desailly said ahead of this weekend's draw for the qualifying rounds.

"I am not happy at all about the performances of the African teams since the US in '94."

That was when Nigeria knocked Argentina out in the first round before taking eventual finalists Italy into extra time."

Carlos Alberto Parreira, who coached Brazil to victory in 1994 and is now in charge of South Africa, believes Africa will put up a better showing with so many players now turning out regularly in Europe's top leagues.

However, he acknowledges the continent's teams face a huge challenge.

"I believe this time, when you see the African players in Europe, in the big teams, they will do well. I am sure they will raise their performance," Parreira said.

"If we had one or two African countries reach the quarter-finals, it would be a huge success. If it was the semi-finals, it would be fantastic.

"We have to raise the barrier ... but it's very difficult.

"For three months they play (in Europe), then suddenly they've only got two days before a match. That's difficult for the team and for the coach."

Parreira said that inexperience was less of an excuse than in the past.

"I don't think it's inexperience. They were naive in 1986 and 90. Then they had the skills and technique but they were naive," added the Brazilian who has also coached Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in the finals.

"Now 80 percent of some of the squads' players are in the big leagues."

Lucas Radebe, a former captain of South Africa and fallen English giants Leeds United, said teams in the past had been intimidated by the whole experience of playing in the world's most popular sporting event.

"The stage is so huge, you are playing against massive teams and you get stage fright," he explained.

However Radebe said such an excuse would no longer wash.

"We have been gaining that experience. There are no excuses, we have got the players," he added.

While individual African players may have benefited from playing abroad, their absence has undermined the quality and development of the local leagues.

Desailly said that too many African players were being shipped off to Europe at too early an age and found themselves surplus to requirements and greater emphasis should be placed on developing players at home.

He said: "We have to increase the level of the leagues in Africa."

"There are some players who should be outside of the country, they should be staying inside as when they arrive in Europe they find they are second choice."

Radebe, however, said there was no reason to be too despondent.

He believes African football was definitely on the upturn, pinpointing the emergence of countries such as Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

"The continent is improving in terms of quality. This is the time to showcase that talent, to show them that we can compete."

An African team's qualification to the final "would electrify the continent," he added.

2010 Status Update

Every now and again I like to update everyone on my progress towards my original goal of getting to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup.

So how am I doing? Good, I suppose.

The World Cup's a few years away and although I have time, the steps need to be taken now in order to assure I'll be there cheering on Brazil, Spain and the USA.

That's what I'm focusing on right now: How do I get to South Africa?

In the meantime, I'm working on getting to Ghana for the African Cup of Nations in January. That's proving to be a tough cookie. My thinking is that a trip there can boost the blog from a straight rhetorical of the African football world to a true narrative from a soccer lover's point of view of the inner workings of the African game. In other words, instead of cutting and pasting the news, I'll actually be there to report it. That'll make a world of difference.

I'm also still thinking of assisting a children's charity through my work. There's one in particular I'm thinking about but I'll keep that to myself until the time is right. I'm not quite sure how to tie the two together. Does anyone have suggestions?

The rest is just cosmetic:
How do I make the blog look nicer?
How do I tighten the writing?
What's the theme of the writing?
How do I get more people to read the work?
How can I make some money to get to Ghana and South Africa through the writing?

There's so much I want to say and so much I'd like to write about. The question is, how do I get to that point?

This blog writing process has been amazing. I've learned a great deal about Africa and its football through the posts. I'm amazed at the number of people that read the blog and befuddled to see the different places my writing goes. It's all so surreal at times.

I love football. It's a game that's strangely put its talons into my soul and refused to let go. Try as I might, the game seeps into my thoughts, my language, even my dreams. I can't escape it. People may say I'm trying to direct my life to involve football more closely. I'd say that's true. But on top of that, I'd like to use my writing ability (I'd like to think I have a small amount) to inform, educate and entertain.

I'd like to inform you that African football is vivid, colorful and wonderful.
I'd like to say that Africa isn't a sad sack continent as is often depicted in Western media. From the people I've met from there, it's a unique, lively continent, full of joy, full of passion, full of hope for the future.
And of course, I'd like to make you smile, carrying you along with good humor and a smile on my face as we all make our way to the Final game July 11th, 2010.

So I'd say the journey's going as good as it can so far. I'm certainly enjoying the ride. Can't wait to make it to Africa.

Will 2010 Stadiums be Ready?

This isn't new news, but it's discouraging nonetheless.

Word is 2010 World Cup organizers are saying two of the stadium being built for the tournament face "very very tight" deadlines to be completed on time.

Is this cause for concern? Or just more non-news?

Every major construction project faces delays and overruns. Regrettably, the eyes of the world fall on South Africa and their staging of the 2010 Cup as an indication of Africa's business viability. I say regrettably because it feels like Africa's being tested with this Cup. 'Pop quiz, folks!'

It's a little unfair. Contingency plans weren't being talked about in 2004 while Germany faced their own delay worries en route to a smooth 2006 World Cup finals.

Regardless, these are the stakes. The stadium sites causing concern are in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth (mock-up pictured above).

"Things are on course generally, but with two stadiums the timelines are very, very tight," said Tim Modise of the tournament organizing committee.

As a result, plans for Port Elizabeth's Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to host the 2009 Confederations Cup, a sort of mock-run of the Cup finals every hosting country stages, may be shelved.

The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the Cup is confident that it will be able to successfully deliver the tournament according to the schedule it has set for itself, says international affairs organizing committee communications manager Tumi Makgabo.

Consistent Euro-Afro-pessimism, in which many people doubt the capabilities of an African country to host a large-scale, world-class sporting event, is largely due to ignorance, Makgabo says, adding that the country has a good record of hosting major sporting events.

She accepts, however, that South Africa has not hosted an event of this magnitude before, but says that this does not mean that the country will not be able to host the tournament. Communication of information is the best way to overcome the pessimism, she says.

I fully expect South Africa to host a wonderful, successful World Cup. Why such pessimism from the football press? Let's give South Africa a chance, stadium delays or not.

Many Winners in WC 2010

One of the many positives of staging the 2010 World Cup in Africa is the potential economic windfall South Africa's neighboring countries could stimulate.

One such neighbor is being very aggressive in trying to get that money into their country: Mozambique. (Above:Wimbe Beach, Pemba, Mozambique)

You can't really blame them. Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world. If they can garner come much-needed cash from residual tourists in South Africa during the Cup finals, why not go for it? They may be poor, but one thing they do have is pristine sandy beaches (as you can see above) and quaint colonial cities. The former Portuguese colony also has a low crime rate unlike South Africa, which is grappling with one of the world's highest levels of violent crime.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Rosario Mualeia told Reuters that the impoverished southern African nation hoped to lure at least 150,000 tourists to its shores, or about one third of those expected to visit host nation South Africa during the World Cup.

Mozambique is also negotiating to host training and base camps for some of the teams that will qualify for the finals.

"We are near to South Africa and the crime rate in Mozambique is not as high as the host nation," Mualeia said in an interview in the northern Mozambican city Pemba.
"Many fans would be prefer to be in a quiet place and Mozambique has the environment for that."

The Mozambican government plans to spend at least $600 million on hotels, casinos and other leisure facilities as part of an effort to capitalize on the tourism boom expected during the one-month World Cup, which begins on June 11, 2010.

Mozambique is experiencing an economic boom. Tourism revenues have provided crucial foreign exchange for the government's public works programs.
The bulk of Mozambique's infrastructure, particularly its roads and ports, were destroyed during a 17-year civil war that ended in 1992.

"We expect to earn more than $150 million from tourism this year and to double that in four years as more Europeans discover sand and sun in Mozambique," Mualeia said.

Tourism generated $144 million for the former Portuguese colony in 2006.
The bulk of the country's visitors come from South Africa, Italy, Germany and a handful of other nations.

I think Mozambique is going about this the right way. Why not try and get some of the treasure the World Cup promises? Why not try to bolster their image through the spectacle of the Games? Remember, these are Africa's games, not just South Africa's.

I think I'll have to pencil in Mozambique in my travel itinerary. A nice day on the beach after watching some world-class football sounds about right to me ...

New African Soccer Magazine

In my time blogging about the world of African football, I've found resources to be limited.

Finding information can be like looking for clues in a crime case, piecing one bit of information with another to fit the puzzle together.

I'm proud to say there's a new resource for fans of African football on the Internet: New African Soccer magazine.

The magazine started some time ago and faded away. Now, it's back strong with a new team of writers and editors, eager to report on the fascinating world of African soccer.

Here's writer Jake Brown's take on the re-launch of New African Soccer magazine:

New African Soccer Magazine is the only monthly English language magazine and ezine dedicated to African football.

We provide all the news and views, twists and turns of the beautiful game from an African perspective. As the football world turns towards the 2010 World Cup in South Africa we want to show how much Africa has to offer, from the Premiership superstars in England and the biggest leagues in Europe to the vital grassroots of the African leagues.

We have experienced correspondents throughout the world and we deliver exclusive interviews, contributions from star players, intelligent discussion and all the latest news and views from club and international football in Africa.


It's a good magazine and long overdue. Much of the focus of football journalism has to do with Europe or South America. It's time for Africa to have a voice.

I'm proud to associate myself with New African Soccer magazine.

Support this voice of African football!

Kenya's Passion for the Game

I found this article on The Offside.com, where I'm the proud author of the Valencia CF blog.

It's from Kenya's 'Standard' newspaper and speaks about not only the peculiar viewing habits of Kenyan fans, but also the extreme passion Kenyans have for the game.

Have a read at the article here or on Standard website. It's well worth it!

Although critics may deride football as a game of 22 (grown up) men chasing an inflated piece of leather for 90 minutes, ardent fans do not regard it as a mere game. To them, it is a way of life.

Football lovers in Kenya, especially the younger generation, have taken to the game with so much passion that one would be forgiven for thinking the game was invented by Kenyans. And nothing brings out the best and the worst of the fan like foreign games broadcast on TV, especially the English Premier League.

Indeed, one of the most underrated peculiar habits of Kenyans, apart from their use of the mobile phone, is their application of personal pronouns like ‘I’, ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’ to identify themselves with their favourite foreign teams.

"Sisi Arsenal ni wanoma, tutashinda game zote zimebaki," says one loudmouth with a replica ‘Emirates’ polyester jersey tailored in Nairobi’s Industrial Area. (We, Arsenal, are skilled and will win all the remaining games.)

"Wewe wacha, mimi ni Man U damu na tutachukua ligi. Nyinyi hamuwezani," another one in a faded red T-shirt says. (Forget about it, I’m a die-hard Manchester United fan and we will win the league title. You are not up to task.)

"Mazee, jana tulipoteza mechi ya maana, hata sikulala," a fan of a losing team would chip in. (Yesterday, we lost an important game and as I result I could not sleep.)

Wrecking marriage

A medical doctor in Eldoret who wishes only to be identified as Dr Dorothy, is struggling to keep her marriage intact due to differences with her husband over her zeal for English soccer.

"I am a die-hard fan of Liverpool, while my husband is disinterested in soccer," said Dorothy, whose husband is an engineer.

She says that her friends, five married women, usually come over to her place to noisily urge on their favourite teams while her husband watches documentaries on another TV in the bedroom. For Dorothy and company, hurling a few choice words at opposing players and the referee is all part of the game.

Late last month as Premiership sides Liverpool and Arsenal were sweating it out in a 1-1 draw, Dorothy’s husband came over to the sitting room and switched off the TV. He was apparently angered by the noise Dorothy and her friends were making, as they cheered.

"We argued in front of my friends and did not talk to each other for four days after the incident," says Dorothy, 35.

She adds: "Football is an integral part of my life. Some men think this is weird, but the truth is that there are more and more women football enthusiasts so we cannot be dismissed. Besides, countries like Germany and US have strong women soccer teams."

The medic says she was so excited last season that she was unable to sleep or eat properly for three days after Liverpool beat Barcelona 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League, at the Camp Nou, Spain.

A former MP from Western Province says he usually bets with his wife over results of Manchester United and Chelsea games.

"I am a Man U fan, while my wife supports the Blues (Chelsea). Last season when we lost the FA Cup, I had to part with Sh10,000 after our bet. She even teased me, saying the loss was a sign of what was to transpire come the December General Election," says the former MP, who sought anonymity.

However, like the politician he is, he did not take kindly to the comment about losing the parliamentary seat: "I was livid when she suggested I could lose the seat. The situation was so bad that we were not on talking terms for a whole week."

Another soccer fan, James Omondi, separated from his wife last year after he started ignoring her and got ‘married’ to the Spanish La Liga.

"I usually stay up late to watch the likes of Raul, Ronaldinho and Messi show their magical skills. Mid-last year, my wife of five years told me to choose between soccer and her," says Omondi, whose former wife left with their two children.

His wife walked out in a huff, as he spent most nights glued to the TV screen watching clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid.

A Nairobi resident, Joseph Wafula, claims that one of his neighbours parted ways with his wife for good during the 1998 Fifa World Cup because Nigeria lost a game.

"Those were the days when Nigeria was very popular in Kenya. When the husband came back home, his wife taunted him saying, ‘N’goo, you have lost.’ The man was so angry he beat his wife and chased her away. The wife never came back," claims Wafula.

Drowning sorrows in beer

Nothing relaxes graphic designer Julius Juma, 31, more than communicating with an online network of fans. "The Mafans Soccer forum has over 1,000 members. We communicate frequently and I get about 50 emails per day, including ‘friendly insults’ from opposing fans," says Juma, a Chelsea fan, adding that the forum involves hundreds of Kenyans in the Diaspora.

Jimmy Aol, a journalist, says that in such forums one might find Manchester United being referred to as ‘Man Useless’ or ‘Manure,’ Arsenal as ‘A**h*le’, while Chelsea rivals refer to it as ‘Chelski’ or ‘Blue band boys’ and Liverpool fans are taunted as ‘Liverfools’.

Like many Kenyan fans, Aol knows the finer details of the players of the top Premier League players, including their former and current clubs, their pay and in some instances, details about their families.

"I know what each player earns. I even know the names of some of the players’ parents," said Aol with a grin.

For Richard Okiko, a business executive, visiting the Arsenal website, www.arsenal.com, is a good way to spend free time. "I check on news of injured players, our next opponents and even visit the blogs to read comments made by Arsenal fans about the club," says Okiko, 30, who started supporting the team while at the university in the late 1990s.

He explains: "This is because Nwankwo Kanu, currently a Portsmouth player, was playing for Arsenal and scoring many classic goals."

He says some students used to get into fights and there was widespread betting. "The betting would sometimes be in terms of buying alcohol for whoever won the bet," he says.

He adds that by the time he completed his studies at the University of Nairobi, the institution had not installed satellite TV. "We used to watch the Premier League in pubs and restaurants in town," he says. "After the matches fans would ululate, shout and wail along the streets."

Most fans Crazy Monday talked to said when their teams lose, they drown their sorrows in beer and when their teams win they celebrate with even more beer.

Mercy Atieno, 29, says she is an Arsenal die-hard. Her husband of one year also supports the same team. However, her two brothers are fans of Arsenal’s archrivals, Manchester United.

"I started supporting Arsenal in 1997. I guess I had to be inclined to a team that was a bitter rival of Man United," says she.

Atieno’s younger brother, Allan Odongo says he supports Man U because its manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, does not discriminates against any player.

"If we lose I get distressed and can go without meals for a day," said Odongo.

Beverly Kaluli, an accountant, is a Blues supporter. She cannot stand a Blues player missing a penalty.

"Every time a Chelsea player is about to take a penalty, I rush out of the room as I cannot stand watching him missing. And when we win a game, I proudly put on my Chelsea jersey," explains Kaluli, who started supporting the club after Jose Mourinho took over as coach. Although Mourinho’s departure ‘broke her heart,’ she continues supporting the club.

"He is a resilient coach who works hard. I will support any club he will move to but at the same time I will continue supporting Chelsea," says Kaluli, whose best player is the Ivory Coast and Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba.

Many Kenyans believe they can influence the results of games played on TV by crossing their fingers, putting on particular clothes or tightening the muscles of their buttocks.

It is also baffling that some Kenyans can simultaneously support two different teams in the same league or defect from a team that is performing poorly to one that is having a good run. Generally, fans of English teams are born supporting one team and die supporting the same team. In Kenya, like our politicians, some fans move from one team to another at will. "Mimi ni wa Bolton (I support Bolton FC)," somebody would say today. After noticing Bolton’s poor performance, the same person would say a few weeks later, "Haki ya mungu mimi kutoka leo ni Arsenal for life. I can’t support a losing team."

But is this Premier league craze good for Kenyan football? The local league is now in the homestretch yet few fans seem concerned.

One of Kenya’s soccer legends, Joe Kadenge, says that football in the country is dead. He cites the apathy to local football as illustration of how the sport has gone to the doldrums.

Kadenge told Crazy Monday that during his heydays, the game was in the hearts of many Kenyans."Mashabiki walikuwa wanapenda mpira na hata ghasia zikiwua mingi," he says (Fans loved the game and there were frequent fights between them).

Kadenge, 72, argues that soccer hooliganism was part and parcel of the game about 30 years ago, since every team played to win.

"Gor and AFC Leopards were the main clubs. The two clubs’ fans used to be emotionally charged," he says.

David Ochieng, 50, recalls the 1980s local soccer scene with nostalgia. "We used to carry stones in coats and socks. And when police started frisking us, we started carrying the ‘missiles’ in briefcases while we were dressed in suits," says Ochieng, with a hearty laughter.

The briefcases and immaculate dressing hoodwinked the officers, thus letting the soccer fans into the stadium with their ‘missiles.’ Ochieng, a Gor Mahia supporter, says police often wondered where the stones whizzing past them at the end of the match came from.

Traders would close their shops before the end of the game and motorists would avoid the road from either City or Nyayo stadiums.

Although the rivalry used to leave some people injured, it made the game more popular. Gor versus AFC always created a carnival atmosphere. The throbbing sound of the isikuti galvanized ingwe (Leopard, AFC’s nickname) supporters as Gor fans chanted "Gor biro yawne yo" (Gor is coming, give way), among other chants. ‘Travelling fans’ were also a reality.

"We used to hire vehicles to transport us to Nairobi from Kisumu. For AFC fans, they travelled all the way from Kakamega and other parts of Western Kenya to the capital city," he says.

Sport as a Tool for Unity

This isn't so much news as a reminder of the power of sport, especially one as popular as football.

Last week, the United Nations said sport is much more than competition and winning trophies. This came out at the UN Headquarters in New York during a meeting that was considering the role of sport in achieving development and consolidating peace in post-conflict societies.

Developing countries and sport organizations have been urged to devote resources to sport activities as part of the global drive to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.

The UN says in many societies, sport could prevent children from being used as soldiers in armed conflicts. It insists sport delivers hope in countries ravaged by war and enhances national reconciliation. Governments are urged to put more resources on sport activities to consolidate peace and expedite socio-economic development.

Sports associations have also been asked to emphasize the nation-building aspects of sport as their contribution to the UN's Millennium Development Goals. The forthcoming 2010 World Cup in South Africa has also been highlighted as another good opportunity to enhance development in the African continent.

China has undertaken to highlight issues of development when it hosts the Olympics next year.

Football in particular, due to its popularity and ease of play (all you need is a ball or a piece of cloth) can do so much more than make a crowd roar or bring joy to the masses. It can also provide hope, peace and a chance to share commonality with your fellow brothers and sisters. It's so much more than just a game.

No More Bafana Bafana?

We talked a few months ago about some of the interesting team names in Africa. Names like Ten and One Young Dribblers and Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs dot the continent.

One of the more interesting monikers for an African national team is 'Bafana Bafana' for the South African national team. The term means 'The Little Boys' and can be used as a cheer or as a representation of the team itself.

Now, South African president Thabo Mbeki has called for the national football team to drop its nickname, saying it's unsuitable for the hosts of the 2010 World Cup.

"What kind of a name [Bafana Bafana] is it? I don't think it is fit for a senior national team or for the hosts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup," Mbeki told a South African radio station.

"We need to revisit the names of teams like Bafana Bafana, Banyana Banyana (The Girls football team), Amaglug-glug [the under-23 football team]."

Springboks was the pseudonym used by South Africa's national teams during the whites-only apartheid era which ended in 1994, but most of the teams have since adopted new monikers such as the Proteas in cricket.

The one notable exception has been the rugby team but even their name is under threat after the ANC (Mbeki's ruling African National Congress party) passed a resolution at a conference earlier this year for the Springbok title and emblem to be scrapped.

Mbeki's call received support from former Bafana Bafana coach Jomo Sono who agreed the name was inappropriate.

Sono also urged a rethink on the team's strip which has changed color on a number of occasions since apartheid.

"I support the president 100 percent. We also need to change the colors of the team and get something close to, or similar to the Boks, which is a source of national pride and represents the country," Sono said.

"Everyone knows the Springbok is an African animal, and green is our grass in the fields here. But what does Bafana Bafana mean?

"The name came from a journalist as a nickname in an article [when South Africa was readmitted to world football] and it stuck.

"It was relevant then, but now we need a name that is representative of the country."

However Banyana Banyana's manager Fran Hilton Smith was cooler on the idea.

"It will be difficult to change the names and colors of the teams ... because they are synonymous with the team. People already know them by those names," she said.

Mbeki said it was important the public was involved in the names debate.

"The public should participate in a plan where we look for new names for our national teams," he said.

"I'm not saying we must call all our national teams Springboks, but we have to change the names, the emblems and the colors the teams wear, so that they can be recognized as representatives of South Africa."

Football's Impact on Iraq

This is an article by Steven Wells printed in today's Guardian, the wonderful newspaper from England which in my opinion also boasts one of the best football websites around.

It's about football being used as a weapon in the war on terror. As the byline says, The battle for hearts and minds has taken on a sporting dimension, but the US army has found soccer is more than just a load of balls.

It's not the nicest piece in the world, but it states the fact of the matter: football is being used as propaganda in the war on terror. But it's not really working.

Have a read and see how impactful football can be in people's daily lives, war or otherwise.

Iraqis love soccer. Just how much they love soccer stunned some US troops. "Forget bowl season, the World Series, March Madness, and the Super Bowl, they don't care," wrote Michael, a pro-war soldier blogger in 2005. "They have more passion for the game of soccer than we ever thought of having for [American] football or baseball... In every mission I've been on, I've never once failed to witness a game of soccer."

Then Mike had a great idea. The US military should hand out soccer balls. Thousands of soccer balls. Soccer balls with names of US corporations or the faces of wanted terrorists on them. "Imagine thousands of Iraqi kids kicking around a ball with [Abu Musab al] Zarqawi's likeness on it. That would be a beautiful sight."

But Mike - a self-described "big dreamer" - didn't stop there. If soccer balls could win ordinary Iraqis over to freedom and democracy, then why not to Title IX style sports feminism as well?

"We could start an Iraqi women's soccer movement. Why not? I want to be able to give a soccer ball to that shy little girl standing behind the boys, watching her angelic face become a bright shining light as I reach over the boy's heads to place a ball into her hands. Of course there will be so many balls that the boys standing in front of her will have already received one. Maybe one day they can field an Iraqi women's Olympic soccer team. They could make their entrance onto the world stage at the 2012 Summer Olympics in New York City."

We need now to skip quickly over the inconvenient fact that women's soccer actually flourished under Saddam Hussein (and that the 2012 Games were awarded to London). And that women's games were shown regularly on Iraqi TV. "No one thinks that sports are just for men", Nadia Yasser, the captain of the Iraqi women's soccer team, told the New York Times in 2002 a year before the invasion and occupation.

Anyway, blogger Mike then googled "operation soccer ball" and - well blow me down - was amazed to discover that (kinda like at the end of the song Tie A Yellow Ribbon) hundreds of his fellow grunts had already had exactly the same idea.

After all, if the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton, could not the War in Iraq be saved on the soccer fields of Baghdad? Give them balls - the theory ran - and their hearts and minds will follow.

As a result there are now probably more US-donated soccer balls in Iraq than there are depleted uranium shells - and that's a hell of a lot. The Pentagon was quick to jump on the soccer bandwagon. There are countless Department of Defense press releases and armed-forces newspaper articles, all written in a relentlessly upbeat Catch 22-speak in which victory is always and endlessly just one free soccer ball away.

On YouTube you can watch: troops with mad skills banging balls about with Iraqi urchins. Troops slinging balls out of choppers, and handing out balls to thrilled children. You can also read about troops handing over out-of-date Ipswich Town shirts to obviously delighted villagers.

Soccer even seems to have been integrated into the basic training of some units. "Our marines have to be able to be aggressive and hostile one moment and the next moment be able to play soccer with the kids on the street," said Lt. Gen James Conway, commander of the US Marines' First Expeditionary Force in 2006. Curiously those war-supporting neo-con wingnuts who'd previously bashed soccer as foreign, un-American and socialist, noticeably failed to condemn this soccerfication on the US war effort. Still, it must rankle with the die-hards.

The Greeks and Romans left us with athletics, boxing, wrestling and the Olympics. The British Empire gave the world cricket, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, competitive skiing and all the footballs. But the new American empire - despite dominating world culture in so many other ways - looks likely to leave as its sporting legacy the square root of bugger-all.

The US attempts to use soccer have met with mixed results. And it's not just the fact that every single time an Iraqi soccer player sees a microphone, they use it to condemn the US occupation, including the captain Younis Mahmoud.

A blogger for wired.com recently witnessed a ball giveaway that turned sourin Fallujah.

In Afghanistan donated balls caused outrage when it was discovered they were emblazoned with a quote from the Qur'an contained in the Saudi flag.

And in an article published on salon.com in February, a veteran described how a 2004 attempt to hand out balls went awry when it was discovered that all the balls were deflated. The troops were ordered to hand the balls out anyway, the officer in charge reasoning that recipients should be damn grateful to be getting any balls at all. Unfortunately, the Iraqis were not terribly impressed with the gesture. "They were like, 'What are you doing? What are we supposed to do with this?'" says Garett Reppenhagen. "Kids were wearing these soccer balls as hats. They were kicking them around. They were in trees. They were floating in canals. They were everywhere. There were so many soccer balls."

"Wow" wrote one reader. "Talk about a sorry metaphor for the whole stupid war."