Sports

Experts Review Africa’s W/Cup Performances

Published

16 years ago

July 17, 2010

Africa’s six representatives encountered vastly differing fortunes at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with Cameroon caught at one extreme after losing all three group games and Ghana proud torch bearers for the entire continent until their quarter-final defeat by Uruguay. Tidesports source caught up with an authority on each of the six teams to get the expert view on how their sides fared in South Africa.

South Africa: Clive Barker, Bafana Bafana coach from 1994 to 1997, leading them to CAF African Cup of Nations glory in 1996

I honestly think we should have done better. I was very disappointed to see us eliminated in the first round. It was a really tough group and it would have been an achievement to get out of it. We lacked experience. We should have finished more of our chances, especially in the first match against Mexico, which we should have won. Uruguay was a huge disappointment because we never got going in that game. We should have punished France more heavily and we deserved a bigger margin of victory. We had one of the best goalkeepers in the tournament in Itumeleng Khune. I’ve also noticed that the best teams in the competition have home-grown coaches and we should take inspiration from that. It’s time now for us to focus on 2014 and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Algeria: Rachid Mekhloufi, Les Fennecs coach from 1971 to 1972, 1975 to 1979 and again in 1985, as well as a mentor to the players during the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain

It was a good run but, as so often, you get the feeling they could have done better. With a bit more organisation, our performances would have been improved. They needed to prepare better for the competition and go into it a bit more relaxed. But I think this team reached its peak in qualifying. Their stand-out performance was against Egypt in the play-offs; the players outdid themselves then. Still, it has to be said that this team gave fresh hope to the Algerian people, who fell in love with their national team again.

That said, as far as I’m concerned the team played against its better instincts. We’re best at going forward and I thought we were obsessed with defending. The match against England was a perfect example: we had a chance to beat a big team and we let it slip. It was as if nobody had given our players permission to shoot. The country needs to overturn its general vision of football. We need to make far-reaching efforts in terms of training youngsters and coaches. The generation of players born in 1982 is now coming of age and, if we integrate them as much as possible, the future of Algerian football will look brighter.

Cameroon: Alain Giresse, Gabon coach from 2006 to 2010, who took on the Indomitable Lions in qualifying for South Africa 2010 and at the Africa Cup of Nations in January

It’s disappointing not to have collected a single point. I think they approached the first match against Japan very badly, even though it seemed well within their reach. After that, their targets changed and their approach to the competition changed. I thought they were better against Denmark, when they created a lot of chances and deserved to win. That defeat put an end to their dreams, but I wasn’t really that surprised. They performed at the same level as at the African Cup of Nations – not the level they displayed in the qualifiers, when they were very strong. They seem unable to make the next step up. The problem is that after all these months it’s still not obvious what the best starting line-up is. Despite what everyone said, I felt that Samuel Eto’o was motivated. He was always trying to take the team as far as he could. The potential is there and this is a competitive squad, so I’m not too worried about their future.

Côte d’Ivoire: Robert Nouzaret, Elephants coach from 1996 to 1998, and from 2002 to 2004

There were improvements compared to 2006. It’s a shame they found themselves in such a tough group again. I’m disappointed because they could have done better if they’d taken more risks. I’m thinking about the [0-0 draw] with Portugal in particular. They wanted to make up for their disappointing African Cup of Nations campaign by tightening up in defence. As a result, they forgot to exploit their greatest strength: their power going forward. When you have a team as talented as this one, there’s no point adapting yourself to your opponents. Sacking Vahid Halilhodzic so close to the tournament was risky. He was the best man to sort things out and his only mistake was not having won the African Cup of Nations – not everyone can win it. Despite all his experience, Sven Goran Eriksson arrived a bit late to really improve things. His dream was to take four points and he did that, but it wasn’t enough to avoid elimination. The generation of players that contested the 2008 Olympic Games is now coming of age; surrounded by senior players, they could bring a lot of hope. The golden generation will nonetheless have to get over its frustration and put in the necessary effort to finally win something – starting with the next African Cup of Nations.

Ghana: Claude Le Roy, Black Stars coach from 2006 to 2008

I’m extremely sad for them. I called the players right at the end of the quarter final game and told them they could be proud. It must be a terrible feeling to come so close to a World Cup semi-final and miss out. The team demonstrated plenty of maturity and was very well balanced. They played the kind of football that was expected of them. If Michael Essien had been there, I’m certain Ghana would have reached the semis. They lacked a player of his calibre as he’s one of the most complete players in the world. He’s not only capable of doing everything, he does it all well. I was dazzled by Anthony Annan. I found him at Hearts of Oak when he was playing as a right winger and as soon as I moved him into defensive midfield, I felt he could be great. He’s an extremely intelligent player. The defence was very satisfying and Richard Kingson was top quality; he’s an underrated goalkeeper. They need to continue working and keep pushing themselves to avoid resting on their laurels. The goal now is to win the next African Cup of Nations.

Nigeria: Bora Milutinovic, Super Eagles coach from 1997 to 1998, including at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France

I’m not really surprised to have seen this team fail as I know the problems they tend to encounter well. Nigeria is a country that’s overflowing with talent, but there’s an impatience there. They had a good African Cup of Nations campaign in Angola, where they finished third, but in spite of that they decided to change coach. Personally, I thought Shaibu Amodu had done a very good job. I have a lot of respect for Lars Lagerback, but he didn’t have enough time to get his message over to the players. It’s very difficult to build a competitive team in such a short space of time, as the players have to quickly take on board a new philosophy and new working methods. On an individual level, Vincent Enyeama proved that he’s a great goalkeeper and the generation of players who contested the 2008 Olympics also impressed: namely Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi, Victor Obinna, Peter Odemwingie and Sani Kaita. They showed that Nigeria is brimming with talent.

Sports

NDG: Rivers Coach Appeal To NDDC In Talent Discovery

Published

10 hours ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Chess coach Nnamso Umoren has appealed to relevant authorities, most especially the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to provide funds for scouting of hidden talents at the grassroots.

He stated that lack of funds is hindering most coaches from doing what they are expected to do; hence, they don’t have enough money to travel to rural areas to discover talents.

Umoren made the appeal in an exclusive interview with Tidesports yesterday, in Benin, Edo State, shortly after the second edition of the Niger Delta Games drew her curtains closed.

According to him, without coaches no athlete can perform better, as coaches are the ones that teach athletes the techniques and rudiments of every sport.

“I appeal to the commission to support the coaches with funds to enable them to go to the areas and discover talents. Lack of funds for coaches limits the extent to which they can move around within the state in search of talents.

“I am of the general opinion that without coaches, athletes cannot perform better; hence, the coaches teach them the rudiments of the sports,” Umoren said.

The Chess coach called on the Rivers State government to organise tournaments in the State to know the strength of athletes discovered, saying that will improve sporting activities in the State.

However, he commends NDDC, who are the major sponsors of NDG, and Dumamis Icon Limited for close to perfect organisation.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Rivers Sports Director Rates Niger Delta Games High

Published

11 hours ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Director of Sports, Obia Inyingikabo has that the just concluded second edition of the Niger Delta Games, held in Benin, Edo State, was very impressive and well organised.

She commended both the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Dumamis Icon Limited for the sponsorship and organisation respectively.

According to her, the problem of the team was the epileptic situation of shuttle buses, which was not under the direct control of the sports council.

Inyingikabo said this in a telephone interview with Tidesports yesterday; she confirmed that apart from the poor transport system for athletes, every arrangement went successfully as planned.

The director praised her athletes for making the State proud by winning gold, silver, and bronze medals during the games. She assured the people of Rivers State that in the next edition they will perform better and also used the opportunity to commend Rivers State promoting sports in the State.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Treat Bees, Silkworms As Valuable Resources – Don

Published

11 hours ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

A Professor of Applied Entomology and Pest Management, at the Federal University of Technology Akure,(FUTA), Olufunmilayo Oladipo, has said insects such as bees ,houseflies silkworms and similar species should be seen and treated as valuable resources whose careful management could enhance food security, generate income, support industrial applications, and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic diversification.

Prof. Oladipo made the remark while delivering the 193rd Inaugural Lecture of the institution on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Citing the honeybee as a prime example, Oladipo noted that beyond honey production, bees provide beeswax, royal jelly, propolis and venom used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, while their pollination services significantly increase crop yields and biodiversity.

She also referenced silkworms, whose silk supports textile industries and export earnings, as well as black soldier flies and houseflies, locusts, grasshoppers, mealworms and crickets which are increasingly used in the production of high-protein livestock and aquaculture feeds, thereby reducing dependence on expensive imported feed ingredients.

Speaking on the topic, “Six-Legged Arthropods: Food Security, Health and National Economic Development,” Professor Oladipo highlighted the multiple contributions of insects to national development in a monolithic economy like Nigeria, where over-dependence on crude oil has limited diversification.

She pointed out that insects serve as food for humans and feed for livestock, provide income for households through apiculture, sericulture, and insect-based enterprises, and supply raw materials for pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Beneficial insects also enhance food security through nutrient recycling, biological control of harmful species and weeds, and pollination of crops and horticultural plants, resulting in bumper harvests and increased biodiversity.

Professor Oladipo further mentioned termites and dung beetles for their role in nutrient recycling and soil aeration, improving soil fertility and agricultural productivity. Ladybird beetles and parasitic wasps, she explained, serve as natural biological control agents, reducing populations of destructive pests without harming the environment.

In the area of public health, Oladipo declared that though “the economic toll of insect vectors is staggering, stretching from the household to national economy, thereby undermining productivity, draining family resources, and constraining national growth, certain insects negatively affect agriculture, public health, and livelihoods”.

The professor pointed to the importance of understanding mosquitoes and other disease vectors such as tsetse flies, whose management is critical in combating malaria, yellow fever, dengue, sleeping sickness and other vector-borne diseases that weaken workforce productivity and strain national resources.

She cited data showing that malaria alone costs Africa over 12 billion dollars annually in healthcare expenditures, lost productivity, and reduced investment. Beyond mortality, she emphasized, insect-borne diseases also contribute to morbidity, chronic disability, and reduced workforce efficiency, imposing heavy burdens on families, health systems, and national economies.

She referenced maggot therapy, currently practiced in teaching hospitals in Kano, as a safe and effective treatment for chronic diabetic wounds adding that bioactive compounds from fungus-insect complexes such as Bombyx batryticatus and Beauveria bassiana, which have been developed into medicines with anticonvulsant, anticancer, antifungal, anticoagulant, and hypolipidemic properties.

Weaver ants, bee venom, and cantharidin from blister beetles, she stated, also possess therapeutic value, including immune-boosting, anti-diabetic, anti-arthritic, and antiviral applications. She maintained that strategic government investment in entomotherapy could strengthen healthcare delivery, reduce pharmaceutical import dependence, save lives, and support national economic diversification.

According to her, these examples demonstrate that insects are not merely pests to be eradicated but strategic biological assets that, if properly managed, can enhance food security, strengthen public health systems, generate employment, and support Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.

The Agric expert noted however, that certain pest species continue to pose threats to agriculture and public health, thereby negatively affecting economic growth. She stressed that proper management, rather than indiscriminate eradication, is key to maximizing the benefits of these six-legged resources.

Professor Oladipo advocated integrated pest management strategies that prioritize environmentally friendly approaches, including botanicals, pheromones, biological control agents, growth regulators, and semiochemicals, while minimizing the use of broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides.

She warned that excessive reliance on chemicals has resulted in resistance, environmental pollution, and harm to non-target organisms. She also called for stricter regulation of pesticide importation and usage under professional supervision, and for stronger surveillance by regulatory authorities to prevent the introduction of exotic pest species.

To strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in entomology, she urged the government to support insect rearing and the conservation of beneficial species and to establish more Departments of Entomology in universities.

On the benefits of insects, she stressed the need for shifting societal perceptions and promoting sustainable practices, calling for stronger linkages between universities and industries to translate research findings into practical applications and commercial opportunities.

Professor Oladipo further appealed for increased funding for research and for targeted support for brilliant but indigent students in science-based disciplines, emphasizing that nurturing the next generation of entomologists and agricultural scientists is critical for national development.

Presenting the inaugural lecturer, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, FAS, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), Professor Sunday Oluyamo, described Professor Oladipo as a distinguished scholar whose research has significantly advanced the field of entomology and strengthened FUTA’s academic and research profile.

The Vice Chancellor who described the lecture as ‘timely’, given Nigeria’s challenges in food security, public health, and economic diversification, commended the inaugural lecturer’s scholarly depth, resilience, and dedication to mentoring students, reaffirming FUTA’s commitment to research that addresses pressing national development priorities.