Algeria team in crisis after captain Yazid Mansouri is axed for Group C Slovenia start

By BEN LYTTLETON/DAILY MAIL UK


Algeria's quest to sabotage England's World Cup dream is being wrecked by an astonishing dressing-room row which almost saw their captain walk out.
The north Africans, who play Fabio Capello's men in Durban on Thursday, are in disarray on the eve of their Group C opener against Slovenia.

The upheaval started last Wednesday when captain Yazid Mansouri was told by coach Rabah Saadane that he would not be in the team to play Slovenia - and he furiously threatened to quit the team.

The 32-year-old midfielder stormed off to his hotel room and was packing his bags before desperate team officials managed to persuade him to rethink his decision after an hour of heated chat.

'It's hard to accept the decision,' said Mansouri. 'I've been in this side for 10 years and that is why I'm struggling to digest the news.' Saadane's decision was also greeted with dismay by Mansouri's team-mates. Portsmouth defender Nadir Belhadj said: 'It will be difficult for us without Yazid because we listen to him all the time.'
The bust-up comes at a terrible time for the North Africans but is music to the ears of England players and supporters.

Mansouri, meanwhile, has vowed to stay and fight for his place. The one-time Coventry player said: 'I am not used to sitting on the bench for Algeria, especially since I have been captain for several years. That's why I am confused. But the coach has made up his mind. I just have to accept it. It has hurt me a lot, that's true, but I will fight to regain my place in the other two games. I want to play at least one game in this tournament.'

An unrepentant Saadane said: 'It was difficult for Mansouri because he is such an important player in this team. But I am at the World Cup and I have to make a decision based on tactics and football. He is not the best at the moment.'
The spat comes at the end of a difficult few months for Algeria, who were shock qualifiers for the finals after beating bitter rivals Egypt last November.
Then came a traumatic African Nations Cup campaign which ended in three players getting red cards, including Belhadj, in a woeful 4-0 demolition by Egypt.

Their build-up for the finals was also below expectations - a 3-0 hammering in Dublin against Ireland was the low point - and Mansouri was among several players who were jeered by frustrated fans.

But Belhadj said: 'We have been waiting 24 years for this moment and now we have nothing to lose.

'I hope the African fans show solidarity with us as we won't have many fans there, but this is the first time our group of players have been at a World Cup and we are all hungry for some success.'

Saabane has sprung another surprise by dropping striker Abdelkader Ghezzal against the Slovenians, who aim to punish the lack of harmony in the Algerian camp.

Coach Matjaz Kek said: 'It would be unfair to talk about Algeria's weaknesses. I can say my staff and I have detected them and we are confident that we can chalk up three much-needed points.'

2010 World Cup: The Top 12 African Players Expected To Shine (Part 1)

By Angela Asante/Live Soccer TV

For the first time in the history of the World Cup, as much as six nations will represent the African continent. They are Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Algeria, and the tournament’s hosts South Africa. Among those six teams is a bunch of big names and of rising stars.

Today, LiveSoccerTV.com looks at the top 12 African players that are expected to shine during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Check out the list of the 12 African players that should rock the stage in South Africa and carry the hopes of the Black Continent. Now the list doesn’t only contain aged experience players. There’s also room for fresh faces like FIFA U-20 World Cup’s best player Dominic Adiyiah. But in the first part of this coverage, LiveSoccerTV.com contemplates six players – two of which come from the Ivory Coast.

1) Didier Drogba - Cote d'Ivoire

The Chelsea and Cote d’Ivoire striker is regarded as one of the world’s finest striker. Drogba is fierce in front of goal and even though he cannot compare his pace to Cristiano Ronaldo or Arjen Robben’s, he can boast about his accurate shots in open play and set pieces. Didier Drogba can score from any distance and from any angle.

People will just need to remember his goals against Hull City on the first day of the 2009/10 English Premier League season. Free-kicks, penalties, headers; Drogba is good on the ball in all these three categories. He will enter the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament as England’s Golden Boot winner and as Africa’s Player of the Year titleholder. With the support of Cote d’Ivoire’s numerous talented players, Didier Drogba could embody the fighting spirit of Africa.


2) Samuel Eto'o - Cameroon

He’s broken records over records in Europe like in Africa. The former Barcelona star has won almost anything a player could dream of in club football. His historic days with the Blaugrana are gone but he has experienced something new in Inter Milan under Jose Mourinho.

Samuel Eto’o seems to have lost the goal scoring touch he had five years ago and which saw him achieve a high status at the side of Ronaldinho. Still, Eto’o is a good passer and a humble national team captain for Cameroon. The 2010 World Cup will offer him the chance to emulate the legendary Roger Milla.


3) Kadeir Kaita - Cote d'Ivoire

This is a player who proves his patriotism for Cote d’Ivoire in each game he plays. He is fast, full of tricks, and he is physically strong. He is the type of midfielder who can turn defenders into school boys with his attacking instinct. He is great on both wings and dangerous in counter attacking situations.

Goals? Kader Kaita can stun goalkeepers with his long range firing shots. The only regret he might have felt in 2010 was during the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. He certainly thought that his 88th minute screamer against Algeria would put the Elephants through to the semifinals of the competition on a 2-1 score line. However, Cote d’Ivoire’s sloppy defense and Algeria’s resilience made the difference. The Elephants surprisingly lost 3-2 after extra-time and Kader Kaita’s wonder goal subsequently proved meaningless. Kaita will surely come back more dangerous than ever at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.


4) Peter Odemwingie - Nigeria

His playing style is quite similar to Fernando Torres’ or Cristiano Ronaldo’s. He has quick feet, a flexible body which he uses to dance his way through defenders. He doesn’t have the best of goal scoring records as a winger/striker in the Nigerian national football team. But the 2008 Beijing Olympics (where Nigerian finished second behind Argentina) and the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments have certainly offered him immense experience as a captain ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.


5) Andre Dede Ayew Pele - Ghana

He is arguably the most exciting midfielder in the Ghana’s Black Stars squad but his hard work is yet to be recognized by the fans back home. Rumors suggest that the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup winning captain got his place in the Ghanaian squad through bribery as he is the son of the legendary Abedi Pele.

But Andre Dede Ayew Pele prefers to talk on the pitch through his aggressiveness and his commanding play. Above all, he often comes to the rescue of his team during crucial moments. A proof: his equalizer against South Africa in the knock out stages of the 2009 FIFA U-20 tournament and his lone goal in Ghana’s do-or-die group stage match against Burkina Faso during the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. A trademark performance during the 2010 FIFA World Cup could see him enjoy international recognition.


6) Benny McCarthy - South Africa

Do you remember the guy from the 1998 African Cup of Nations who scored four goals in a space of 13 minutes against Namibia and eventually topped the tournament’s goal scoring chart with seven goals alongside Egypt’s Hossam Hassan? The name is Benny McCarthy; Bafana Bafana’s all time goal scorer.

The 32-year-old striker is arguably the most controversial football personality in South Africa. His commitment to the national team has been an issue for the past 10 years. McCarthy even retired from international football in 2002 before returning to the squad in 2004 on a irregular basis. But current coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has guaranteed him with trust. Statistically, Bafana Bafana have a feeble goal scoring record. Benny McCarthy will try to solve the hosts' problem in front of goal.

England must be on their guard for Algerian game of bluff

Even allowing for his legendary attention to detail and knowledge of the game, the name of Luis Gabelo Conejo is unlikely to prompt anything other than a bemused look from Fabio Capello.

By Mark Ogden/Telegraph/UK

Call your bluff: Algeria looked woeful against Ireland but could it have been an act? Photo: GETTY

After all, Costa Rican goalkeepers are probably not Capello’s strong suit, but a scouting trip involving Conejo prior to Scotland’s unsuccessful Italia 90 campaign ought to serve as a timely warning to the England manager and his coaches as they prepare to dissect the underwhelming performance of World Cup opponents Algeria during their 3-0 defeat against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Friday.

Three weeks before Andy Roxburgh’s Scots were due to begin their World Cup campaign against Costa Rica in Genoa, the central American minnows suffered a 1-0 defeat against Wales in their final warm-up fixture.

Word reached the Scotland camp that Costa Rica possessed a goalkeeper who could best be described as ‘vampirical’ when it came to crosses, so unconvincing was Conejo’s performance at Ninian Park.

Yet when Scotland tackled the Costa Ricans at the World Cup, Conejo caught everything, devouring every Scottish delivery from the flanks, in a match-winning display that provided the foundation for his eventual selection, by France Football, as the goalkeeper of the tournament.

Costa Rica inflicted a humiliating 1-0 defeat on the Scots, who had been hoodwinked by Conejo’s erratic display in Wales.

It was the ultimate bluff and, with Algeria so poor against Ireland, Capello will be mindful to wonder whether Rabah Saadane’s team were really as bad as they appeared at the Royal Dublin Showground, or merely attempting a con trick similar to that played by Costa Rica 20 years ago.

Franco Baldini, Capello’s right-hand man, sat among the horn-blowing Algerian supporters at the RDS, but his notebook will be full of observations about the North Africans’ frailties.

The Wolves defender Adlene Guedioura proved himself to be a glaring weak-point at right-back, abandoning his post so often that Damien Duff virtually had Ireland’s left-flank to himself.

Baldini will also have noted the propensity of the Benfica centre-half Rafik Halliche to dive in at every opportunity with bruising and, often reckless, challenges.

The goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi, while appearing a solid shot-stopper, punched and waved at a series of crosses, with one misdirected punch contributing directly to the first of Robbie Keane’s two goals.

Algeria are likely to be bolstered by the return of the Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra, who missed the Ireland game with a calf injury, by the time they face England in Cape Town on June 18, however, and the former Charlton centre-half will add much-needed experience at the back. Yet despite their obvious weaknesses and an apparent inability to deal with crosses that led to the first two goals, Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has warned Capello not to underestimate the Desert Foxes.

Trapattoni said: “Algeria are a strong team and they have good technique, but in a World Cup, every nation is like this.

“When you look at their team, though, Algeria have many players who play in France, in Italy and in England. This is a sign of the quality of their players.

“Playing in the big leagues in Europe makes players more experienced and Algeria will benefit from this. England are a very strong team, though, and Capello is a very good manager. His players have the potential to go to the semi-finals.” Trapattoni’s words of caution would appear misplaced on the evidence of Algeria’s performance in Dublin, but players such as Wolfsburg midfielder Karim Ziani, centre-half Habib Ballaid and the winger Mehdi Lacen all suggested an ability to compete against England.

Rafik Djebbour, the AEK Athens forward, insists that England should not read too much into Algeria’s insipid performance at the RDS.

“We had a lot of players missing for this game, so we are not worried by the result.” Djebbour said. “We are still very confident about the World Cup and we know we can play much better.

“Perhaps we showed a lack of discipline in defence against Ireland, but we have the players who can do well in South Africa.” Defender Djamel Mesbah, likely to be deployed at left-back against England, believes the Portsmouth winger Nadir Belhadj, will be key against Capello’s team.

Mesbah said: “Against Ireland, we did not get the ball to Belhadj often enough, but we will work on that because he is a dangerous player for us.

“We know the 3-0 defeat was not a fair reflection of the game against Ireland. We will be better in the World Cup, don’t worry about that.”

Coach Saadane, a hero in Algeria for securing World Cup qualification for the first time since 1986, is not quite so convinced about his team’s prospects, however. “We have to improve in many areas before the World Cup,” Saadane admits. “England will be a tougher team than the one we faced in Dublin. They are one of my favourites to reach the final.”

Low World Cup Ticket Sales In Africa

By Fred Vubem Toh/Cameroon Tribune/All Africa




Despite being cheaper than in previous World Cup finals, tickets are still beyond the means of many poor Africans.

Though the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was said to be an African festival, many African fans will not be part of the football fiesta owing to the high cost of tickets and the absence of direct flights to South Africa. Despite 2010 seats being cheaper than in previous World Cup finals, they are still beyond the means of many poor people. There is a disappointment with sales across Africa, where the expense of travel is likely to be a factor for fans of Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

As a result, with 3.2m tickets up for grabs worldwide, the top-buying country outside South Africa is neighbouring Botswana, where only about 1,700 tickets have been bought. Sales in football-mad countries like Nigeria run into only a few hundred. "The ticket sales on the continent are not what we expected," said local organising committee CEO, Danny Jordaan.

With ticket sales flagging worldwide, a maximum of just 200,000 foreign visitors against the initial estimate of 500,000 are expected in South Africa during the month-long tournament. Ticket sales outside South Africa have been led by the United States with some 110.000 applications, followed by the UK's 41,529 and Australia's 15,523. Mexico was fourth, news Jordaan described as "unexpected."

To fill stadiums, ticket kiosks have been opened in South Africa and tens of thousands of tickets have recently been made available to local fans at the exceptionally low price of 20 dollars. But fans in the rest of Africa are still expected to pay the international price of 80 dollars.

Soccer Betting - Will Africa Nation Win 2010 World Cup?

BY NILA AMEROVA/BETUS

That is the overriding question ahead of the 2010 South Africa World Cup. The allure is entirely geographic in nature, the occurrence of the World Cup for the first time ever on African soil. But it is no less a seductive question.

Some would have this sort of consideration/debate premature as an African nation has yet to make it into the semi-finals let alone the final of the world’s biggest soccer event. Only two nations have made it as far as the quarterfinals – Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002).

BetUS has rolled out several interesting markets of which some are as follows:

Winning Continent:

•Europe -210
•South America +185
•Rest Of The World +1200
To Reach Semi-final:

•Ivory Coast +500
Ghana +1000
•Cameroon +1000
•South Africa +1400
•Nigeria +1500
•Algeria +4000

To Reach Final:

•Ivory Coast +1200
•Ghana +3000
•Cameroon +4000
•Nigeria +3500
•South Africa +4000
•Algeria +20000

Some interesting anomalies in the last two aforementioned markets are a) Nigeria are priced larger at +1500 than Cameroon at +1000 to reach the semis, yet conversely b) Cameroon are priced larger at +4000 than Nigeria at +3500 to reach the finals. Huh?

Some interesting World Cup facts in the last two decades to take note of when considering the market values of each of these outfits are as follows:

1990 World Cup in Italy – Cameroon and Egypt represented Africa.

Cameroon surprised everyone when they finished at the top of Group B, ahead of Romania, Argentina and Soviet Union, in that order. Top three nations at the time advanced out of the group stage.

Cameroon were the Cinderella story of the tournament, going all the way to the quarterfinals inspired largely by the play of Roger Milla, the first African player to become a major star on the international stage. Cameroon beat Colombia 2:1 in the last 16 before losing narrowly to England 3:2 in the quarters.

1994 World Cup in USA – Cameroon, Morocco and Nigeria represented Africa.

Neither Cameroon nor Morocco advanced out of the group stage. Nigeria though did, once again surprising pundits by topping Group D, ahead of Bulgaria, Argentina and Greece in that order.

Nigeria’s run ended in last 16 when they were eliminated by Italy 2:1.

1998 World Cup in France – Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tunisia represented Africa.

Once again, Nigeria topped group D, this time ahead of Paraguay, Spain and Bulgaria. Nigeria’s run ended in the last 16 when they lost to Denmark 4:1.

2002 World Cup in South Korea –Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia represented Africa.
This time Senegal emerged the Cinderella of the tournament. Senegal advanced out of the group stage on second place finish, after Denmark and ahead of Uruguay and France (defending champions no less) in that order. In fact, Senegal handed the tournament’s first big shock upset when they beat the defending champs France 1:0 in their opening group match. Senegal emulated Cameroon’s inspired run of 1990, going all the way to the quarters, beating Sweden 2:1 in the last 16 before falling somewhat surprisingly to Turkey 1:0 in the quarters. Senegal were minutes away from setting a new standard for Africa by reaching the semis.

Jay-Jay says Bafana will Shine

By MOZOLA MOLEFE/TIMES LIVE

Jay-Jay Okocha is backing at least one of the six African countries at the World Cup to reach the semifinals in July.

The former captain of Nigeria said yesterday that the African teams would be especially inspired at this year's World Cup because it was in their own backyard.

Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Algeria, and South Africa all have difficult groups in the first round, especially Bafana, who are joined in Group A with France, Uruguay and Mexico.

But even the hosts, lowest-ranked of all the African teams, are given a chance of going beyond the first round.

"I saw them [Bafana] during the Confederations Cup last year and after that I was confident that they would do well in this year's tournament. They also have the added factor of having a Brazilian coach," said Okocha.

He said the World Cup in South Africa would be a huge opportunity for African countries to "re-write our football history".

"Based on the current form of some of the teams, a semifinal finish should not be impossible. Let's face it, our football is suffering. But, we can achieve this," he said.

He singled out Ivory Coast as favourites to take that semifinal spot despite their poor performance in the African Cup of Nations.

"It is typical that when one country is given so much attention they tend to be a disappointment because of the pressure on them," he said of the Ivorians' Nations Cup performance.

The Didier Drogba-led Ivory Coast will face Brazil, Portugal and North Korea in the group stages in June.

On Nigeria's chances at the World Cup, Okocha said the appointment of coach Lars Lagerback last month had brought optimism.

"We needed help," he said. "He was the favourite when interviews were conducted earlier on and now it is his job to get the top players to do the job for the country."

He said the Super Eagles were not under pressure ahead of the World Cup, but felt they had already been written off as a surprise package in the tournament.

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP POWER RANKINGS - TOP AFRICAN TEAM

CC•Ghana +300
•Cameroon +450
•Nigeria +500
•South Africa +900
•Algeria +2000


Top three Faves: Ivory Coast, Ghana and Cameroon

The Ivorian Elephants are the hot favourites of the African nations and are tipped to have the best World Cup campaign of the lot. They were nigh indomitable in their qualifying campaign and stomped the competition something good. High hopes precede them indeed and with Didier Drogba fortifying their ranks it is hard to imagine they would not advance (at least) to the R16. They expect a better result, natch.

Ivory Coast were dealt a tough draw so reaching the last 16 is not going to be a cakewalk. With Brazil and Portugal in their midst in Group G, and the favourites to secure the two spots up for grabs, Ivory Coast understandably come in as the dark horse nation.

Ghana Black Stars are listed second after Ivory Coast in the Top African Team market, trading at +300. Ghana aim to improve on their last outing at the World Cup finals in German – a last 16 appearance.

Ghana qualified on the heels of a strong campaign but as they fall into a rather tough Group D, which includes Germany, Australia and Serbia, they too will have their work cut out for them.

Germany are hands-down the favourites to advance into the knockout stages. Opinion is split between Ghana and Serbia as the second faves. Most surely lean towards Ghana, but Serbia are considered the dark horse in the group and the team to watch for the possible shakedown.

Cameroon Lions will be looking to replicate the heroics of their nation’s 1990 roster that competed in the World Cup in Italy and surprised all asunder by reaching the quarterfinals. Cameroon are listed third in the Top African Nation market at BetUS, carrying a price of +450 odds.

Just as the 1990 squad had a go-to guy in Roger Milla, the 2010 squad has their talisman in Samuel Eto’o. Eto’o, thrice an African Footballer of the Year Award recipient and a genuine world-class superstar, gives Cameroon’s odds value. Eto’o was the second highest top scorer in the African zone, with nine goals – three shy of Moumouni Dagano at 12 goals (Burkina Faso). At times, Eto’o seemed to singlehandedly carry Cameroon through the qualifying rounds, and they will be looking at him to be their leader in South Africa.

Cameroon fall into Group E with the Netherlands, Denmark and Japan. They are considered by and large the second favourites in this group to advance but they will have to overcome an attractive Denmark and a lethal Netherlands, both outfits that arrive in South Africa on the back of convincing qualifying campaigns.

The tipping question is whether this is finally the year when an African nation will come of age on the biggest soccer platform, scripting history unimaginable at previous World Cups as the first-ever African country to win the title. Indeed, if it were to happen it could not happen at a better moment in time or a better place than South Africa.

Naturally, there are several peripheral BetUS markets involving these nations and this very question, such as Winning Continent, which is as follows:
Europe -210 South America +185 Rest Of The World +1200