As Africa produces new talent, Afcon not missing big names

What you need to know:

  • Another cluster of high profile players who otherwise should be here but didn’t make their national team squads for various reasons are Michael Essein and Sulley Muntari (Ghana), Demba Ba (Senegal), Alexander Song (Cameroon), Kevin Prince Boateng and Idris Kameni, whose exclusions are believed to have something to do with either their disciplinary issues or personal differences with the technical team.
  • Then there is celebrated African striker Samuel Eto’o who also hang up his boots after the World Cup and is missing from the Cameroon squad here.

A number of big names are missing in action at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea for various reasons.

What is subject to debate, however, is whether this tournament is missing them. The most notable absentees are Didier Drogba and Didier “the conductor” Zokora from Cote d’Ivoire. Drogba’s absence is causing a buzz here, as pundits and fans alike argue that the Elephants are yet to unearth a reliable replacement.

The duo retired from international duty after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. “But we have to respect their decisions (to retire) you know, we got a lot of talent coming through who in my opinion, are more than capable of doing the job here, which is where most of our emphasis is at the moment,” Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure, who replaced Drogba as the captain, said.

Then there is celebrated African striker Samuel Eto’o who also hang up his boots after the World Cup and is missing from the Cameroon squad here.

Another cluster of high profile players who otherwise should be here but didn’t make their national team squads for various reasons are Michael Essein and Sulley Muntari (Ghana), Demba Ba (Senegal), Alexander Song (Cameroon), Kevin Prince Boateng and Idris Kameni, whose exclusions are believed to have something to do with either their disciplinary issues or personal differences with the technical team.

However, against the shadows of the big names have emerged a crop of players who seem able to do the job required almost as effectively.

These are the likes of Cameroon’s 18-year-old custodian Joseph Fabrice Ondoa who is already in the books of Barcelona, and is proving through his performances, a sure bet to extend the lineage of great Cameroon keepers who include Charles Itandje, Idris Kameni and Thomas Nkono.

“He (Ondoa) is coming up well and almost becoming a mainstay between the posts, we now have a hundred percent trust in his abilities to protect us,” Ondoa’s national team mate Stephan Mbia said. Special mention as well to Jean Eric Maxim Chuopo Mouting, a striker attached to the Indomitable Lions, who through his skills and passes is helping many try and nurse the hangover over Eto’o hangover.

Others who have impressed are Christian Atsu (Ghana), Ibrahima Yattara and Ibrahim Traore (Guinea) and Seydou Doumbia (Ivory Coast).