African Nations Cup 2013

[theworm2345]

Draw was today:

Group A: South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco, Angola

Group B: Ghana, DR Congo, Niger, Mali

Group C: Zambia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso

Group D: Ivory Coast, Togo, Tunisia, Algeria

Was hoping Central African Republic would make it but they just missed out. Cape Verde have been on the doorstep before though and just missed out, so will be good to see them there.

[BonnieShels]

Yay!

I loathe this tournament so!

[Dodge]

I loathe this tournament so!

You loathe it? I didn't think it could cause much of a reaction from any Irish football fan (positive or negative). What makes you 'loathe' it?

[BonnieShels]

The general awfulness of the tournament. The fact that it's held every 2 years. And in this case only a year after the last one due to the restructuring of it's calendar.

I just don't like it at all. I think I said it last year as well.

What does it matter to ya anyway?

[Dodge]

Doesn't matter to me. Was just interested to read your reasoning

Carry on with your hatred ;)

[BonnieShels]

Doesn't matter to me. Was just interested to read your reasoning

Carry on with your hatred ;)

It's a poxy tournament. Grr. I always endeavour to watch it and hope that I will enjoy it but I never do.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I watched most of the 2012 tournament. I enjoyed it overall. but I can understand why some people hate it. Really poor atmosphere's at most games (venue problems), a huge amount of diving, time wasting, gamesmanship and this continuing trend of "big teams" not turning up or at least not playing to their full potential.

Obviously Cote d'Ivoire, Zambia, Ghana will go in as favorites. Renard still in charge of Zambia, though I don't think they can do it again. Interesting to see how the hosts play.

[Closed Account 2]

I think this years one might be a fairly decent competition. The facilities in South Africa are top class and also there are a lot of ex-pats from other countries there. For instance in Group A you have the South Africans but also the Angolans, who have a sizable population in Joburg. Similarly with the Congoese (DR Congo), who again have a large ex-pat population, but 2 of their 3 games are in Port Elizabeth which is a harder place to get to.

It's just a shame that one or two high profile players have retired early like Peenar and Prince Boateng

[SkStu]

It's a poxy tournament. Grr. I always endeavour to watch it and hope that I will enjoy it but I never do.

Racist.

[pineapple stu]

Em - racism is discrimination on the basis of race.

BonnieShels is clearly discriminating on the basis of crapness.

Racism and crapism are two completely different things.

[ArdeeBhoy]

I watched most of the 2012 tournament. I enjoyed it overall. but I can understand why some people hate it. Really poor atmosphere's at most games (venue problems), a huge amount of diving, time wasting, gamesmanship and this continuing trend of "big teams" not turning up or at least not playing to their full potential.

To be fair there's been plenty of mediocre Euros (and just about to become even more so). NFB's summary seems fair, though to 'hate' any international tournament, besides perhaps the 'Rous Cup', is rather odd.

[SkStu]

Em - racism is discrimination on the basis of race.

BonnieShels is clearly discriminating on the basis of crapness.

Racism and crapism are two completely different things.

Do I really have to put a smiley at the end of every stupid joke I post? :p

[pineapple stu]

It'd certainly help differentiate the stupid ones alright!

[BonnieShels]

Racist.

Racialist!

[theworm2345]

It's a poxy tournament. Grr. I always endeavour to watch it and hope that I will enjoy it but I never do.
As someone whose favorite football tournament is the Caribbean Cup, I will speak up in support of the African Nations Cup. If you go in expecting to be dazzled by the football being played, you're in for a disappointment (though I would say AFCON is probably about on par with the Asian Cup in terms of quality). With these tournaments you have to enjoy them for what they are. For example, Zambia were a great story in the last tournament after the plane crash in Gabon in '93 and their returning there for the final. Equatorial Guinea were the hosts, had never qualified before, and most people had never even heard of them. They ended up doing their country proud and qualified for the knockout stages. Those stories are what make it enjoyable. There are also certain players I like on some of those teams so I enjoy watching them as well. Maybe you have to be wired differently than most...personally, I can't be arsed watching Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City or United (amongst others), the Champions League, or the Euros (if Ireland aren't in them).

Personally, in this tournament I'll be watching out for debutants Cape Verde, Nigeria and DR Congo (There are a bunch of few guys on each team who I've followed for awhile), and Algeria, where one of my favorite players used to play and my interactions with the Algerians made me sort of have a soft spot for the team. For the other teams all you can do is hope for entertaining matches and if its boring, just turn it off.

[BonnieShels]

As someone whose favorite football tournament is the Caribbean Cup, I will speak up in support of the African Nations Cup. If you go in expecting to be dazzled by the football being played, you're in for a disappointment

I support Shelbourne and Ireland. My default position for all football is one of misery and looking forward to be surprised.

The ACN over the years never captured my imagination. I did try. God did I try.
I do like the feel good stories and minnows fighting above their weight but I hat that it is biennial. I thin that this belittles the tourney and I think that the fact that the bigger teams don't give a crap about it means it's demeaned somewhat.

The Copa is my favourite intl tournament for it's sheer madness.

[bennocelt]

The last Africans Nations were complete muck and I wager a lot of people on here didnt see most of the games - I did, constant diving, constant stoppages in play, pish poor standard of football, and tams that looked like they couldnt be bothered. Zambia were good for their win, but the rest were woeful. No where near the Euros IMHO

[theworm2345]

The last Africans Nations were complete muck and I wager a lot of people on here didnt see most of the games - I did, constant diving, constant stoppages in play, pish poor standard of football, and tams that looked like they couldnt be bothered. Zambia were good for their win, but the rest were woeful. No where near the Euros IMHO
Not the greatest, though I'm not sure I'd call them complete muck. I've watched a fair bit of the national leagues from several African countries, and I have to say the Maghreb countries up North are the worst, seemingly in the world, when it comes to diving. Its not uncommon to see players barely (if even) get touched and spend the next couple of minutes rolling around, get stretchered off, then run back on.