lucrative European leagues. He played a pivotal role in taking the Mediterranean Knights through some of the players to look out for in the not so distant future are Mali’s Adama Traore, Peter “Rio” Moyo (Zimbabwe), Bonaventure Sokambi (Gabon), Rafik (Morocco), Ifeanye Ede (Nigeria), Rabiu Ali (Nigeria), Jean Marc Mandele (DRC), Kwabena Adusei (Ghana) and Selemani Ndikumana of Burundi.
The sun also came down on the jiving eccentric DRC goal minder Kidiaba whose age is quickly catching up on him. This was undoubtedly his last tournament.
Africa’s Big Three Missing
Christened the battle of the local leagues, CHAN 2014 was missing three nations that had clubs included in the top 5 of Africa’s best clubs of 2013 by CAF. Sudan which had two clubs in the top 5 – Al Hilal and El Merreikh were not at the tournament.
Tunisia was another notable absentee after they were hacked down in the qualifiers and failed to advance to the finals. Tunisia is home to some of Africa’s biggest clubs such as Esperance, CS Sfaxien and CA Bizertin.
The Egyptian league is considered by most media as the best league in Africa and the absence of the Egyptian from the tournament was very conspicuous. The irony is that Egypt the home of CAF’s Headquarters seems to be the only nation that still does not have any faith in the CHAN tournament and does not bother participating despite having formidable clubs in their league such as Al Ahly and Zamalek who have all been mainstays in African continental cup competitions.
Hosts South Africa Gets a Tonguelashing from Sports Minister
Hosts South Africa who were knocked out in the group stages, were severely handicapped for players because many clubs, including defending Absa premiership champions
Orlando Pirates, refused to release their players citing that the CHAN did not fall under the FIFA calendar.
The biggest highlight for Bafana Bafana was when Sports Minister Fikila Mbalula launched a scathing attack on members of the national team, labeling them “a bunch of losers”.
“What I saw was not a problem of coaching; it was a bunch of losers. Their performance was not even lackluster, it was useless. We must go to the drawing board. That mediocrity which was displayed, we must never wake up to that ever again,” Mbalula said as he vented his frustration at a press conference.
“What I saw was not a problem of coaching; it was a bunch of losers"
Fikile Mbalula - Sports Minister, South Africa