As we look back at where we went wrong as a continent following our worst World Cup outing since 1982, this rather disturbing destiny has left me thinking about how to tackle life when it comes full circle.

Perhaps it was about time that we returned to a place that we have been before so that we see how far we have come or rather how we are stagnant in the same place albeit thinking we have improved.

The term “Africa is Rising” has so many times been used to make claims that the future is African in several sectors like mobile service penetration and women representation in parliaments but where does that leave football?
This got me thinking about us evaluating the state of our football in World Cup cycles.

Journey thus far
Where were we at the World Cup in Brazil and before that in 2010 in South Africa when the waka waka and vuvuzela craze took many a prisoner on the beautiful continent? Eight years ago, only Ghana made it past the group stages and at the next edition Nigeria and Algeria qualified for the round of 16 and now here we are in the most disappointing moment for this generation.
To look back and draw lessons from these mistakes, we shall need to do more than talking, as is always the case in life.

Intense planning
It will take intense planning and not just the tired saying that is “going back to the drawing board” but instead a lot of individual soul searching of every stakeholder in the beautiful game on the continent.
Such is the basis with which we should all approach life by assessing our progress and unwelcomingly the lack of it in World Cup cycles at least for the normal football fan. I am in on this one.


Source: monitor.co.ug