AFCON 2024; 13 January – 11 February 2024

[Power Man]

7 of the 8 quarterfinalists from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations have failed to reach the quarterfinals this edition

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Ziyech out. Boufal out for the tourney. Mazraoui in. Atlas Lions should still stand on bidness

 

[Power Man]

They can win it 2016 Portugal style

 

[Spring in Fialta]

They can win it 2016 Portugal style

WC fourth place and an AFCON win would prob give this squad a solid argument as the greatest African side of all-time.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

1-0 South Africa. Ayaye.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Let’s see what Morocco can do when they have to go for it. They haven’t really tested the keeper at all

 

[HajdukSplit]

Looks like a penalty for Morocco, ref going to the monitor

Edit: Yes, fairly easy decision

 

[Spring in Fialta]

That's a f***ing handball

 

[HajdukSplit]

Hakimi misses, skids off the top of the crossbar, there was a long delay prior to taking it due to South African players wanting to scuff the spot

 

[gary69]

Morocco on their way out? Still trailing 1-0 after Hakimi misses a 84th minute PK.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Hakimi hits the post.

 

[HajdukSplit]

10 minutes of stoppage time

Morocco down to 10, took down a player from behind who was going one on one on goal, easy call

 

[HajdukSplit]

For some reason the ref went to the monitor and still gave Amrabat a red card, technically for a straight red but kills any momentum of the game. This could go to 105 minutes

Game over, South Africa score the free kick, fantastic finish top corner

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Massive choke job. Oh well.

Hell of a goal though.

 

[Power Man]

WC fourth place and an AFCON win would prob give this squad a solid argument as the greatest African side of all-time.

nice jinx

 

[Spring in Fialta]

nice jinx

What I am decidedly not is a bunch of good luck walking around for my favorite sports teams.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Was 6/6 on the R16 before today. Now 6/8 and my tournament winner is dead. God f***ing dammit.

 

[Savant]

 

[Pink Mist]

No North African teams either

 

[Power Man]

 

[Evilo]

I don't want to get flamed by idiots again, but you and I have had this discussion and I know we agree on this. Of the remaining teams, only two have more than half their starters who learnt their football in Europe (Ivory Coast and Congo).
At some point, the federations will have to rethink their strategy of buying mercenaries that don't care much rather than invest in local development units. Morocco has started doing that, but lots of nations haven't.
And when you see the quality of african teams in youth setups (and not everything is linked with physical advantages, far from it), you have to think that actually CARING is more important that the inner talent.
Signing someone like Aouar after months, maybe years of financial negociations certainly doesn't bode well for Algeria's willingness to leave it all on the field.

 

[Power Man]

I don't want to get flamed by idiots again, but you and I have had this discussion and I know we agree on this. Of the remaining teams, only two have more than half their starters who learnt their football in Europe (Ivory Coast and Congo).
At some point, the federations will have to rethink their strategy of buying mercenaries that don't care much rather than invest in local development units. Morocco has started doing that, but lots of nations haven't.
And when you see the quality of african teams in youth setups (and not everything is linked with physical advantages, far from it), you have to think that actually CARING is more important that the inner talent.
Signing someone like Aouar after months, maybe years of financial negociations certainly doesn't bode well for Algeria's willingness to leave it all on the field.

@Evilo please forgive me for the following TLDR lol :

Honestly ,

We have good talents in Algeria, not sure why we went after the likes of Aouar or Gouiri, it boggles my mind.

Yeah I'm super patriotic and I prefer to have local players who can sing our national anthem, the whole thing pissed me off.

At least players like Mahrez, Bennacer, Ziani, Chaibi, Bouanani wanted to play for Algeria (correct me if I'm wrong) from the get go, BUT I still prefer 100% homegrown players

In the 80s, in that amazing 80s team and also the 1990 AFCON winning side, we had exceptional homegrown players.
The 82 team is one of the best counter attacking teams ever imo, and it's not homerism.

Madjer is the most famous of that generation thanks to the 87 CL FInal, but I'd argue that Belloumi and Assad were better than him.

Then in the 90s, Civil War happened and our football formation was negatively impacted - the most famous Algerian exports at the time were Saib and Tasfaout (man that 1996 Auxerre team. was fire), but those 2 players were developed in the 80s.
Developing players locally wasn't a priority anymore, (and corruption also hit our FA during that time)

So as a result, in the mid 2000's we became a football club and brought shitty French born Algerian players for the most part, I won't even name them because I would have an aneurysm if I did.

In the last few years we have been doing a better job at bringing in more local players to the Senior NT but it's not enough

As you said, local players bleed for the national team,you just have to see the likes of Amoura (what a player) Bensebaini, Bounedjah, Belaili, Boudaoui, Belamri and how hard they play.

(Man, Belaili is so talented but he is a dumbass, he is more talented than Mahrez, but the latter was more professional and ambitious)

BUT another advantage of having homegrown players is that hey are used to African football, unlike imports

 

[Evilo]

My thoughts exactly

 

[Power Man]

to be fair Montmartre isn’t the best place to catch a footy match lol

 

[gary69]

Moses Simon breaks through on the left flank and squares the ball into center for Lookman to shoot Nigeria ahead couple of minutes before half time.