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I don't think the violence in Egypt would affect the tournament in the least. Clearly the Egyptians have a history of violence in football as evidenced in the world cup qualification matches against Algeria in 2010. It is clear that this kind of attitude which is almost tradition in Egypt has no place in modern football and it's up to the Egyptian FA to develop the appetite and will power to remove violence from Egypt football. But rest assured, Africa's attention is no doubt on the tournament and this rather unfortunate incident would be no distraction at all.

Right I'm putting my head above the parapit here - quite simply ban Egypt fron international football and ban Egyptian clubs from the African continental competions for 5 years - after all that's what happened to English clubs after Heysel - or will CAF/FIFA decide that Egyptian & African votes count too much so won't do anything?

I waited for the Cup Africa tournament to see potential stars and players with ability impressing. It has been unexpected to me that most of the matches I watched ressembled league 1/2 quality.

Where has African football gone? And where has African talent gone? All I will remember is some strange looking guys sitting in office chairs and the camera showing them congratulating each other.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

@ 4 - you think it has something to do with the fact that what you can call "quality African football" has been exported so sucessfully to Europe that playing for Ghana or Cote d'Ivoire (in my day it was Ivory Coast LOL) is just the same - I mean if Essien plays a blinder for Ghana and Ghana win the ACN then it's still not going to be as big as Chelsea winning the CL - maybe that's wrong but its symptomatic of international football - personally if I were a PL manager I'd be saying to players, respectfully, I can't stop you going to play in the ACN but I'd prefer it if you didn't.

#6,

No, there are reasons for expecting to watch a much better spectacle. In the past, we've seen African nations like Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, playing football of extraordinary quality in the World Cup.

When it comes to individuals, some great footballers have been born and grew up in Africa. It was logical to expect to watch new talent coming through. That's why my disappointment was great to say the least.

#3.

Egypt undoubtedly have a problem with football related violence but it's definitely not at the same levels shown by English hooligans in the twenty years or so leading up to the ban post Heysel. Hardly a European city was spared from the curse of the English football fan. Something has to be done about football violence in Egypt but a blanket ban isn't the way forward.

@ 8 - sorry but Egypt's issue is apparently nation-wide. Obviously you'd think that African economies mean there won't be a huge travelling contingent but that's no reason for not imposing a blanket ban. If you don't then it's again a case of one rule for Africa and another for the rest of the world. African and South American football is at least as violent as England - even at its worst. The difference is that England did something about it - then we're vilified for it.

We're talking about punishment to Egypt for the latest tragedy when people are still mourning relatives. Shouldn't we be talking about other issues, out of respect to the people who died and their families?

Been impressed with Zambia so far. I expected a lot from Ghana but they have been poor.

I remember Daniel Cousin playing for Rangers
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And I noticed Bobo Balde still playing for Guinea!

Too soon to be talking about banning a nation from competition until a review of what happened has been conducted #3 and why would you propose banning their national team on the basis of trouble at a domestic game? On this basis would England be banned because of WestHam/Millwall or Liverpool/ManU, or should Scotland be banned because of actions of Rangers fans in Manchester at the UEFA final? None of which is on the scale of violence in Egypt but its just not a comparable scenario as far as the national team is concerned.

For me its not been an impressive tournament thus far and not as exciting as the previous two I've watched.

Those who follow African football know that Egypt controls and rules CAF with an iron fist and for some reason FIFA handles CAF with kid gloves. If this tragedy had occurred anywhere else in Africa, CAF or FIFA would already have banned that country from international football for several years. But Egypt? No chance. Is CAF/FIFA practicing double standards? You bet!

Although what happened in Egypt was appalling and shocking, I know of no precedent for a country and/or its clubs being banned from international competition as a result of an incident that occurred at a domestic fixture. English league clubs were banned after Heysel where Italian fans died in a Belgian stadium as a result of the actions of the followers of an English club. Also, there was no parallel punishment for the English national team.

@ 15 - maybe a bit harsh but the way I look at it - the Egyptian government, the police/security services etc. MAY be involved in this - unlikely - but until there's a FIFA investigation into just what went on that night, then Egypt should be if not banned, not allowed to have home games in Egypt - or behind closed doors. That way the violence, if organised for political means, can't hurt the game (well at least not as much as it might) nor innocent fans watching the game.
It would be interesting whilst I'm on about Government involvement, just what FIFA will make of the Egyptian Govt. investigating Port Said and therather now trivial interference of the Govt. in the John Terry captaincy matter.

The blog starts 'for the second time in as many years' is misleading, it is suggesting that the recent violence involving the loss of many lives is a relatively new problem. Go back a decade or even two decades and you will find, rioting and the loss of many lives, from incidents involving football for the whole of Africa.

Football in Africa, cannot be compared to elsewhere but that does not mean, no action should not be taken by FIFA.

If you go back to the height of Europe's problem's, the policing and intelligence services, from each country tackled their own problems. They also worked together nationally to fight the issues relating to crowd control, they have years of experience in this field and we have witnessed their success.

This does not exist on the African continent, policing and intelligence, related to football is far behind what we have come to expect in Europe. You also have to accept the fact that much of Africa is in a state of unrest and is highly volatile add that to football and the problems will always be there.

FIFA and CAF should each accept part of the responsibility as should each home nation's association in Africa but as yet they have shown they care little for solving the problem. Words alone do not show a major problem is being dealt with.

@ 17 - I think what you say is very much true - I know there isn't the travelling inter-border hooliganism that we saw in Europe but what they do have is very, very worthy of attention from both the judicary and the footballing authority.

I think Egypt, right at this moment, is particulary unique but there are countries where, like Yugoslavia in the late-80's, are exceptioanlly fractured and if it's going to kick off (and positively if they are going to heal rifts) it'll be in a football stadium.

I wonder if the standard of the ACN is down this year because you've seen the last of the real talent i.e. the genuinely talented, gifted, whatever you want to call it, leave Africa for Europe and in some cases South America - what's left for the moment are the players that won't make the highest grade - and the players like Essien, Kalou etc. now are more aware of their clocks ticking to win say the ECL and the WC - where the ACN is seen as a lesser tournament for them personally to win.

You could argue that the ACN is ranked lower than the South American WC qualifiers for quality - but I'd say above the Confederations Cup.

Best wishes to Zambia(Copper bullets) as they wait for the arrival of Ghana in AFCON 2012 semi finals!

One of the things I've noticed during this African Nations Cup, is just how many countries are burdened by fielding sub-standard, EPL-based pros.

When you see a team like Mali, who field a team almost exclusively comprising Ligue 1 and other continental-based players, progressing with consummate ease, yet English media darlings, the Ivory Coast, struggling lamely along with their contingent of EPL trundlers, then the pro-EPL agenda of English media outlets becomes acutely obvious.

Patches

There you go again, same old.

The EPL based players are never going to really shine because they are not playing a typical EPL style. What I will say is most players are conditioned by English football, it is nigh on impossible to change them, once they have been in the UK more than a season or two. It explains why players who have spent their formative years here or have spent some time here in the UK, rarely shine in Europe. Of course there are exceptions but they are far outweighed by the failures.

It does show how important coaching is and how it can lessen a players ability.

21. At 19:19 5th Feb 2012, Londoner in exile returns wrote:
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Oh, behave yourself!

Due to the bizarre level of interest which the EPL generates worldwide, a lot of countries are hamstrung by feeling obliged to pick English-based plodders from the country.

It doesn't matter that the likes of Salomon Kalou, Sol Bamba, Kolo Touré and ex-EPL player, Emmanuel Eboué, would struggle to hold down a starting place for ''The Fisherman's Arms'' on a Sunday morning. As long as their names create ''brand recognition'' amongst viewers, then they will always be picked.

See David Beckham for an English example of this phenomenon!

Patches

Your an annoying little 'B' I mean that with good intent. I do not think you read my posting. We are both saying the same, only I don't use the 'dog n duck' to over emphasise the point.

I certainly believe playing in the premiership has ensured that many a player has failed to reach the potential, they showed as youngsters. England have over the years produced many players with skills, many could have made it in Europe's elite leagues at the time. The fact that very few ply their trade abroad is down to the money that exists here but it has had a harmful effect on players who could of been so much more. There are exceptions but they are a rarity.

I can only agree with you, regarding Beckham and the loss of two sponsors for the England team, they pulled out when told Beckham could no longer be gauranteed a starting place. It was at the end of the Erickson reign and McClaren decided to call time on the boy wonder. What it did say, a player was gauranteed selection for PR purposes.