African Challenge Faltering?

2010 was meant to be their year. Finally an African nation was going to make a sustained challenge at a World Cup.

It was on home turf for the first time and there were more African players operating in European superpowers than ever before. The Elephants were ready to rampage and the Black Stars were aiming for the sky. There was even optimism that Nigeria's Super Eagles may soar, having reached the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup.

But with the tournament just three months away, a cloak of uncertainty is wrapping itself around the African challenge.

Ivory Coast

After a less than stellar African Nations Cup campaign where the Elephants threw away a late 2-1 lead to Algeria before losing the quarter-final in extra time, coach Vahid Halilhodzic was recently given his marching orders - by fax.

I am led to believe there are many divisions in the camp, with infighting threatening to unsettle the World Cup campaign before it has even started.

The federation have not yet hired a new coach to replace him, but the likes of Guus Hiddink, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Philippe Troussier have all been mooted. It would be a significant achievement if Ivory Coast finally realized their potential at a major tournament having only appointed a new coach three months in advance. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

A 2-0 friendly defeat to South Korea in the first week of March does not bode well.

Nigeria

It is a similar story for the Super Eagles. Coach Shaibu Amodu was never well liked and the federation ended his tenure despite Nigeria reaching the semi-finals of the Nations Cup in January - the minimum requirement in his contract.

The wily Swede Lars Lagerback has been appointed, with the federation seemingly desperate to get a European coach in the hot seat. But how can Lagerback be expected to gel an effective team unit together in such a short space of time? If the powers that be in Nigeria never wanted Amodu, they should have sacked him last year and given the new man time.

Despite that semi-final appearance, Nigeria were hardly a revelation, lacking creativity in the middle of the park. Striker Obafemi Martins is not universally liked for a perceived lack of commitment to the cause, while Everton's Yakubu has had a poor season and missed some good chances, including a penalty, in the match against Hull on Sunday.

If Nigeria are to shine, they will need these two and Jon Obi Mikel, who hardly covers himself in glory each week with Chelsea, to get their act together.

Ghana

The Black Stars reached the Nations Cup final before being beaten by Egypt. But in such a poor tournament, reaching the final was not the feat that many would think.

They were pitted in a group alongside Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, with Togo having pulled out of the tournament. So to reach the final, Ghana only had to play four matches, and were beaten comprehensively by the Ivorians. They won all the others 1-0 against Burkina Faso, Angola and Nigeria in encounters that hardly inspired.

Their friendly form prior to the Nations Cup was also patchy, with no wins against Japan, Argentina, Angola and Malawi. One suspects that in a tough group also containing Germany, Australia and Serbia (3-0 victors last week away to another African participant Algeria), much will depend on the form of Michael Essien, and whether Sulley Muntari can learn to get on with the management after missing the Nations Cup for absenting himself without permission ahead of an international friendly.

Things do not look as rosy as they did after the qualifiers.

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