My Current Power Rankings Côte d'Ivoire: Slight nerous start, but now playing very strong Egypt: I Had them out of the top 5 to start; They started fast and doesn't seem to be slowing down one bit Ghana: Playing at home is proving to be a blessing & curse... get rid of the jitters & give us top uality again! STILL stronger than the rest! Cameroon: It goes to show, one game does not make a dozen,...Not as bad as their first game, but not as good as their last. Still better than the rest so far. Senegal: Started in the top 5, see no reason why I should lower them any further! Guinea: We have seen some great quality,... I can see them only getting better. They not a side to be taken lightly. Mali: They are showing why they should be considered one of the powerhouses of African soccer Morocco: The talent is there,... they are 8 only because other teams are playing stronger. Nigeria: Quality players,... poor finishing Tunisia: It will take more than a draw to move up in the ranking! Zambia: Despite the beating, I believe they are better than the rest. South African domestic league isn;t going to cut it if they want to make it to the next level.... I love their energy (when they play with energy) they play with in games. They sorta remind me of the US Nats in 2002,... lots of effort & guts, but short on indeivdiual talent. Angola: Not a fluke,... game 2 to come South Africa: Talent, but who can tell Benin: Its a start Sudan: Not enough quality,... can hang tough,... they play with unusal style for an African team I'll stop at 15, because I do not feel like going to 20! Thoughts,... your ranking??? ..
You have listed them all except for Namibia I would have to agree with you on most of what you have written. But I would put Egypt on the top. And I am not too sure about Guinea. I would have them bellow Angola. VidER
I stopped at 15,... even if I go to 20,... Namibia would NOT be rank 16. I like Togo & Uganda better than Namibia, aftet that, it gets a bit muddled (DR Congo, Mozambique, Rep. Congo, Gabon & Burundi). So my rank 16. Togo: Very tough group,... Benin & Mali 17. Uganda: There is no place like home (perfect 3-0; Goals 8-2) 18. Rep. Congo: Very tough group & played well against Zambia & S. Africa 3 draws & 1 loss against these two teams) 19. DR Congo: Head to head 1-1-0 against Namibia: Thanks to the Ethiopians, they are watching CAN on the sidelines! 20. Namibia: Qualified from a weak group that essentially beat up on each other,... Namibia qualified earning the lowest total number of points (10) As I said, I believe Togo & Uganda are better than Namibia,... its debatable with 18- 20 its muddled in my opinion ---
Updated Power Ranking I will be moving to Dubai in August. I am not sure how much African soccer I will be able to watch in Dubai. Egypt: Ok, no super star power to compare to the likes of Cote d'Ivoire, but clearly a solid team from front to back. Côte d'Ivoire: Exceptionally deep at striker, but hopelessly devoid of talent in the midfieild led to be completely outclassed by a well organized Egyptian side. Ghana: They may be better than CIV, but they haven't proved it yet. Cameroon: By the time 2010 comes around, They may be better than any of the top 3 sides. Senegal: Simply better than the rest. They are capable of beating the top 4, but only when they are at their best Guinea: Looking from the outside again cme 2010, but they will challenge,... just not enough there.... but hold out to see if other players spring to life, if they do,...look out! Mali: Ditto Guinnea Morocco: The talent is there,... they are 8 only because other teams are playing stronger. Nigeria: They make to 2010- very talented- Betting against Nigeria is like betting against Germany- you will just end up with egg in your face- STILL like them here Tunisia: I'm tempted to drop them further Zambia: They had one really bad game in ANC, but they clearly the best Southern African team Angola: Not a fluke,... But not much better than 12th South Africa: If they didn't get a free pass- they will be watching WC on the TV Benin: Its a start Togo: Very tough group in the ANC Qualifiers,... Benin & Mali Sudan: Tactically they play very well, but very slow, lacking talent means simply being over powered by other sides. Uganda: There is no place like home duirng the ANC qualifiers (perfect 3-0; Goals 8-2) Rep. Congo: Very tough group & played well against Zambia & S. Africa 3 draws & 1 loss against these two teams) DR Congo: Head to head 1-1-0 against Namibia: Thanks to the Ethiopians, they are watching ANC on the sidelines! Namibia: Qualified from a weak group that essentially beat up on each other,... very unimpressive in the ANC.
hey pike! first of all i see you moved to abidjan just about the time lots of people were moving out. quelle insouciance! how are things there now? another thing: i try to follow canon de yaoundé because it was the cradle of one of my favorite players (marco foé, rest his soul). but cotonsport is the only club with their own site, and the best cameroon site i've found, www.camfoot.com isn't that great, even the standings are generally 3-4 weeks out of date. any help?
The rankings were posted late. I will include an updated power rankings after the next round of ANC qualifiers on the 22 June. There are a lot of sides who could make it into the top 20 (other than Gambia); Liberia Gabon Liberia Botswana Swaziland (away match v. Zambia) Burkina Faso Rwanda Kenya The problem with African Football is the "powerhouses" tend to lumber through the qualifiers. (i.e. Egypt). I think right now many of the stronger countries have fatigueed players from Europe. The final two rounds will take place in Sept. & Oct.- by then I expect their best players will be freash & in- season and they will rise to the top. Thanks for your input
ah,... are you stalking me from the Euro boards.... I'm gonna report you! LOL --- Oh yeah,... It was total happenstance. I sent an email to the director of the International school that I would be interested in teaching there whenever things change. I was in Cote d'Ivoire back in 2000 as a Peace Corps volunteer, and oddly enough they just lost there social studies teacher and they were willong to hire an international teacher. They hired both my wife and me. When we arrived at the school it had about 50 students. When we left at the end of this year- we had close to 90 students from over 20 countries. The school is still in limbo, because the US embassy won't lift its restrictions until after elections takes place. Also, the African Development Bank seemed to be gone for good. It was a school of almost 500 students and one of the best school in West Africa before the "crisis". For a variety of reasons (none of them concerning the country itself), my wife and I decided to move on. We will be teaching in Dubai for at least the next two years starting in August. As I said, it isn't the country. Ivorians are an interesting mix of people. They walk around like they are angryall the time, but whenevever you say hello to them, they always light up a like a Christmas tree. Its also one of the few countries where Americans are more loved than the French (no offense mon ami Y'all seem to have a real love/ hate relationship there. When we first arrived the apartment complex we lived in was a like a ghost town. When we left earlier this week, the place was at capacity. Things are looking up for the school and the country! Whenever the elections takes place, I fully expect all parties will abide by the decision of the voters. Unlike the rest of Africa the whole crisis had nothing to do with hatred of ethnic groups or religious differences. I fully expect Cpte d'Ivoire to rise to become a model state, and Abidjan to become, once again, the "Paris of West Africa." I didn't really follow Cameroon that closely. I did teach with a Cameroon National. I will email him and see what he has to say.