African football federations keep entrusting their teams to foreign coaches in the midst of
qualified, experienced and available local hands
Only three African coaches were among the 16 that brought their teams to the 2015
Africa Cup of Nations held in Equatorial Guinea between January 17 and February 8.
This is not the first time and many observers say there is little hope for a change in the
near future as African football policymakers seem to have no misgivings splashing
fortunes to import an expatriate to do a job an indigene with same qualifications could do
with lesser remuneration.
Handicap of locals
Some African football
federation (FA) chiefs have
argued that local coaches lack the
experience needed to lead a
senior team to an important
tournament like the Africa Cup of
Nations or the Fifa World Cup.
And that they have shown little
charisma and command over their
players, mostly the well-paid
professionals.
Bafana Bafana Manager; ‘Shakes’ Mashaba
Geoffrey Appiah, a footballer scout and researcher based in Ghana, tells African
Sports Monthly that it remains a shameful phenomenon but that football officials are
not solely responsible.
“We are in a situation where there is huge pressure on the football federations to get
results, and instant results with their teams. And so they feel hiring a foreign coach,
who was groomed in better-developed football environment could deliver the goods
better than a local hand,” he says.
“A local coach probably knows his environment and the mentality of the people better,
but he may need some time at the job to build a team and develop grassroots football
before focusing on results. The FA, government, the media and even fans would
never give him that chance. They want titles and trophies, now and now. It’s horrible.”
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