The African Nations' Cup begins today, with host country Ghana taking on Guinea in the opening match.
Here is the Daily Mail's guide to this tournament held once every two years.
Colour, chaos and a host of the world's greatest players. Welcome to the tournament Premier League bosses hate
By IVAN SPECK
18th January 2008
Daily Mail
The Elephants have barged their way across the border, the Eagles — all three varieties — have landed and the Pharaohs have sand-danced their way over the desert. Let the Africa Cup of Nations begin.
When it comes to football backdrops, nowhere can compete with the spectacular tapestry that Africa sews. From supporters decked out in national dress to the official tournament ball, vibrant colour is what sets this biennial jamboree apart. For its soundtrack there is the insistent drum beat to which matches jig along.
Top Drog: Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will lead from the front for Ivory Coast in Ghana
And don't forget the quirky chaos — part of the continent's daily life — that lends an unpredictable naivety to proceedings.
In Mali four years ago, a BBC crew waited for over an hour for the Liberia team to turn up for a training session. Just when they were about to call off their vigil, the team bus chugged around the corner driven by a smiling George Weah — former African and World Footballer of the Year.
In Nigeria in 2000 all telephone lines to the national stadium in Lagos were lost when a maintenance crew inexplicably chopped through the main communications cable two hours before the opening game.
Tickets will be passed through railings to be used time and again, training sessions will be conducted to the accompaniment of music played by supporters' bands and the talk among squads is likely to be as much about unpaid bonuses as tactics and final glory.
The tales of the unexpected used to extend to the pitch with players charging from right-back to leftwing, waist-high scissor tackles and shots launched from all angles and distances.
Such has been the exodus of African players across all parts of European club football in recent years, however, that organisation and discipline have made unfettered naivety largely obsolete.
'You have less authenticity, less creativity than you had in the past,' said BBC analyst Marcel Desailly, born in Ghana, but a World Cup winner with France. 'Why? Because most of the players now are playing abroad. They are more integrated into a European style than an African style where the player wants to run everywhere, wants to get the ball and enjoy himself, forgetting that he is in a team.'
The greater exposure to European nous is evident in the number of foreign coaches.
Tunisia won the Cup in 2004 under their present coach Roger Lemerre, who led France to their 2000 European Championship triumph. South Africa's Carlos Alberto Parreira won the World Cup for his native Brazil in 1994 and Berti Vogts, now of Nigeria, famously guided Scotland to a draw against the Faroe Islands.
Vogts agrees with Arsene Wenger and Avram Grant that the tournament should move to June, saying: 'All the boys are on big contracts with their clubs and the big clubs in England may be thinking in the future we won't sign African players. That would be fair for the clubs but bad for African football.'
But Desailly has a different take, saying: 'It's good that fewer agents will be coming to Ghana. For the last five African Nations Cups you would see all the agents of the world at the airport coming to catch new players, new talent. Now there are no new players to discover. That time is past. They are playing abroad already.'
In all, 37 Premier League players will be on show, with another seven from the Football League, including Rommy Boco, midfielder with Accrington Stanley and Benin.
'Accrington who?' you can already hear the locals in Accra asking as they drink their milk.
As well as in the Ghanaian capital, matches will be played in the seaport of Sekondi-Takoradi in the south, Kumasi in the central rainforest region and Tamale in the north, where the harmattan, a dry desert wind, sweeps across the savanna to bring fierce daytime heat and biting evening chill.
Former Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday striker Mark Bright will be traversing the country with BBC co-commentator Simon Brotherton as they cover 17 games in 22 days.
The adventure is in the journey into the unknown.
Bright said: 'The sights and sounds are different from everything we experience in Europe.
At a match in Egypt two years ago, a group of Guinea fans behind one goal were banging the drums continuously. They conceded a goal and the drums went dead for 10 seconds through the shock. Then they started up again.
Flare up: Tunisia fans (left) celebrate in 2006, Nigeria supporters wear body paint (centre) and a South African makes a spectacle of himself (right)
'It's more lovable as a tournament in many ways because you know so many things go wrong. They will play the wrong music as a national anthem and a team will be looking round shaking their heads.'
By mid- February, outsiders Sudan, Benin and Namibia will have enjoyed their days in the African sun and the likely champions will be Ivory Coast, Senegal or Ghana.
The football may conform to the European norm more these days but the riot of colour and noise coming out of Africa will endure.
Out of Africa - the best team nicknames
GHANA — The Black Stars
GUINEA — The Syli Elephants, an indigenous breed
NAMIBIA — The Brave Warriors
MOROCCO — The Atlas Lions
NIGERIA — The Super Eagles
IVORY COAST — The Elephants
MALI — The Eagles
BENIN — The Squirrels
TUNISIA — The Eagles of Carthage
SENEGAL — The Lions of Teranga
SOUTH AFRICA — Bafana Bafana ("The Boys")
ANGOLA — The Black Antelopes
EGYPT — The Pharaohs
CAMEROON — The Indomitable Lions
ZAMBIA — The Copper Bullets
SUDAN have two — The Nile Crocodiles and Desert Hawks
TV Coverage
Highlights: BBC3 from 7pm (Jan 20-Jan 31).
Group games: Live on BBC interactive (Jan 20-Jan 31).
Quarter-finals, semi-finals and third place play-off: Live on BBC3 and BBC interactive (Feb 3-Feb 9).
Final: Live on BBC2 from 4.30pm (Feb 10).
Those playing away
44 England-based players will be on show at the African Nations Cup:
ANGOLA — Manucho (Manchester United), Rui Marques (Leeds)
BENIN — Rommy Boco (Accrington)
CAMEROON — Geremi (Newcastle), Andre Bikey (Reading), Alexandre Song (Arsenal)
EGYPT — Mohamed Shawky (Middlesbrough), Hossam Ghaly (Derby)
GHANA — Michael Essien (Chelsea), Sulley Muntari (Portsmouth), John Paintsil (West Ham), Richard Kingson (Birmingham), Junior Agogo (Nottingham Forest)
IVORY COAST — Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Kolo Toure (Arsenal), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Didier Zokora (Tottenham), Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Abdoulaye Meite (Bolton), Emerse Fae (Reading)
MALI — Mohamed Sissoko (Liverpool), Mamady Sidibe (Stoke)
MOROCCO — Youssef Safri (Southampton), Nabil El Zhar (Liverpool)
NIGERIA — John Obi Mikel (Chelsea), Yakubu (Everton), Joseph Yobo (Everton), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth), Obafemi Martins (Newcastle), John Utaka (Portsmouth), Dickson Etuhu (Sunderland), Danny ****tu (Watford), Seyi Olofinjana (Wolves)
SENEGAL — Abdoulaye Faye (Newcastle), Ibrahima Sonko (Reading), Papa Bouba Diop (Portsmouth), Diomansy Kamara (Fulham), Henri Camara (West Ham), El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton), Habib Beye (Newcastle)
SOUTH AFRICA — Steven Pienaar (Everton), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn)
TUNISIA — Radhi Jaidi (Birmingham), Mehdi Nafti (Birmingham)
Mark Bright looks ahead to the African Nations Cup
MARK BRIGHT (BBC Analyst)
18th January 2008
Daily Mail
GROUP A
Ghana are under pressure as hosts. It's a country that is passionate about football.
In their first game they play Guinea, who are a good team and have Pascal Feindouno - a big, strong midfielder who would do well in English football.
It's a tough opening match for Ghana and they could lose it. But I would still lean towards both countries going through.
Shooting star: Ghana's and Chelsea's Michael Essien
It all depends on Morocco, because I can't see Namibia doing anything. The power base has moved a little bit from Arab Africa to Black Africa in recent years.
GROUP B
You have to say that Nigeria and Ivory Coast are heavy favourites.
As much as you have romance there with Mali and Benin, they are not good enough. Mali have Fredi Kanoute, but when you watch them play, he is head and shoulders above most of the squad.
He's the captain but he isn't backed up by some of the other players, who play for clubs in the French third division and the Swiss second division.
They don't come up against quality opposition every week, so they aren't able to give him the service he needs.
GROUP C
If any African nation was going to win the World Cup a few years ago, it was going to be Cameroon.
And now when you see Samuel Eto'o playing for them, he's like a dad playing with kids. He's so much better than everybody else. He's the star, so quick, that sometimes you feel a bit sorry for him.
Egypt are defending champions but they don't usually do so well when they aren't the hosts.
I thought they were lucky two years ago. I can see them joining Cameroon but they won't make the last four.
However, I can't see Zambia or Sudan stopping them from reaching the knockout stages.
GROUP D
I don't fancy South Africa. They always have internal problems. Benni McCarthy was left out of the squad for disagreeing with the coach. They have flair but no substance.
If someone gets nutmegged in the middle of the pitch, the crowd celebrates it like a goal. But it doesn't win a game, whereas Tunisia are well organised.
Senegal are composed and they have good players. Regardless of his reputation in England, El-Hadji Diouf is a star in Africa. Angola did well at the last World Cup but I can't see them making it through.
KNOCKOUT PHASE
Senegal have a chance because all of their players play for clubs in the top leagues around Europe.
They are strong all the way through the team. Nigeria have the players but they always end up arguing about bonuses and things.
It detracts from what they should be doing on the pitch. Ghana against Ivory Coast would be the glamour final - the hosts against the best team - and I would expect Ivory Coast to win it.
They play the best football, are organised, disciplined and have great movement in midfield. And they have great leadership.
dailymail.co.uk
Here is the Daily Mail's guide to this tournament held once every two years.
Colour, chaos and a host of the world's greatest players. Welcome to the tournament Premier League bosses hate
By IVAN SPECK
18th January 2008
Daily Mail
The Elephants have barged their way across the border, the Eagles — all three varieties — have landed and the Pharaohs have sand-danced their way over the desert. Let the Africa Cup of Nations begin.
When it comes to football backdrops, nowhere can compete with the spectacular tapestry that Africa sews. From supporters decked out in national dress to the official tournament ball, vibrant colour is what sets this biennial jamboree apart. For its soundtrack there is the insistent drum beat to which matches jig along.
Top Drog: Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will lead from the front for Ivory Coast in Ghana
And don't forget the quirky chaos — part of the continent's daily life — that lends an unpredictable naivety to proceedings.
In Mali four years ago, a BBC crew waited for over an hour for the Liberia team to turn up for a training session. Just when they were about to call off their vigil, the team bus chugged around the corner driven by a smiling George Weah — former African and World Footballer of the Year.
In Nigeria in 2000 all telephone lines to the national stadium in Lagos were lost when a maintenance crew inexplicably chopped through the main communications cable two hours before the opening game.
Tickets will be passed through railings to be used time and again, training sessions will be conducted to the accompaniment of music played by supporters' bands and the talk among squads is likely to be as much about unpaid bonuses as tactics and final glory.
The tales of the unexpected used to extend to the pitch with players charging from right-back to leftwing, waist-high scissor tackles and shots launched from all angles and distances.
Such has been the exodus of African players across all parts of European club football in recent years, however, that organisation and discipline have made unfettered naivety largely obsolete.
'You have less authenticity, less creativity than you had in the past,' said BBC analyst Marcel Desailly, born in Ghana, but a World Cup winner with France. 'Why? Because most of the players now are playing abroad. They are more integrated into a European style than an African style where the player wants to run everywhere, wants to get the ball and enjoy himself, forgetting that he is in a team.'
The greater exposure to European nous is evident in the number of foreign coaches.
Tunisia won the Cup in 2004 under their present coach Roger Lemerre, who led France to their 2000 European Championship triumph. South Africa's Carlos Alberto Parreira won the World Cup for his native Brazil in 1994 and Berti Vogts, now of Nigeria, famously guided Scotland to a draw against the Faroe Islands.
Vogts agrees with Arsene Wenger and Avram Grant that the tournament should move to June, saying: 'All the boys are on big contracts with their clubs and the big clubs in England may be thinking in the future we won't sign African players. That would be fair for the clubs but bad for African football.'
But Desailly has a different take, saying: 'It's good that fewer agents will be coming to Ghana. For the last five African Nations Cups you would see all the agents of the world at the airport coming to catch new players, new talent. Now there are no new players to discover. That time is past. They are playing abroad already.'
In all, 37 Premier League players will be on show, with another seven from the Football League, including Rommy Boco, midfielder with Accrington Stanley and Benin.
'Accrington who?' you can already hear the locals in Accra asking as they drink their milk.
As well as in the Ghanaian capital, matches will be played in the seaport of Sekondi-Takoradi in the south, Kumasi in the central rainforest region and Tamale in the north, where the harmattan, a dry desert wind, sweeps across the savanna to bring fierce daytime heat and biting evening chill.
Former Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday striker Mark Bright will be traversing the country with BBC co-commentator Simon Brotherton as they cover 17 games in 22 days.
The adventure is in the journey into the unknown.
Bright said: 'The sights and sounds are different from everything we experience in Europe.
At a match in Egypt two years ago, a group of Guinea fans behind one goal were banging the drums continuously. They conceded a goal and the drums went dead for 10 seconds through the shock. Then they started up again.
Flare up: Tunisia fans (left) celebrate in 2006, Nigeria supporters wear body paint (centre) and a South African makes a spectacle of himself (right)
'It's more lovable as a tournament in many ways because you know so many things go wrong. They will play the wrong music as a national anthem and a team will be looking round shaking their heads.'
By mid- February, outsiders Sudan, Benin and Namibia will have enjoyed their days in the African sun and the likely champions will be Ivory Coast, Senegal or Ghana.
The football may conform to the European norm more these days but the riot of colour and noise coming out of Africa will endure.
Out of Africa - the best team nicknames
GHANA — The Black Stars
GUINEA — The Syli Elephants, an indigenous breed
NAMIBIA — The Brave Warriors
MOROCCO — The Atlas Lions
NIGERIA — The Super Eagles
IVORY COAST — The Elephants
MALI — The Eagles
BENIN — The Squirrels
TUNISIA — The Eagles of Carthage
SENEGAL — The Lions of Teranga
SOUTH AFRICA — Bafana Bafana ("The Boys")
ANGOLA — The Black Antelopes
EGYPT — The Pharaohs
CAMEROON — The Indomitable Lions
ZAMBIA — The Copper Bullets
SUDAN have two — The Nile Crocodiles and Desert Hawks
TV Coverage
Highlights: BBC3 from 7pm (Jan 20-Jan 31).
Group games: Live on BBC interactive (Jan 20-Jan 31).
Quarter-finals, semi-finals and third place play-off: Live on BBC3 and BBC interactive (Feb 3-Feb 9).
Final: Live on BBC2 from 4.30pm (Feb 10).
Those playing away
44 England-based players will be on show at the African Nations Cup:
ANGOLA — Manucho (Manchester United), Rui Marques (Leeds)
BENIN — Rommy Boco (Accrington)
CAMEROON — Geremi (Newcastle), Andre Bikey (Reading), Alexandre Song (Arsenal)
EGYPT — Mohamed Shawky (Middlesbrough), Hossam Ghaly (Derby)
GHANA — Michael Essien (Chelsea), Sulley Muntari (Portsmouth), John Paintsil (West Ham), Richard Kingson (Birmingham), Junior Agogo (Nottingham Forest)
IVORY COAST — Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Kolo Toure (Arsenal), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Didier Zokora (Tottenham), Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Abdoulaye Meite (Bolton), Emerse Fae (Reading)
MALI — Mohamed Sissoko (Liverpool), Mamady Sidibe (Stoke)
MOROCCO — Youssef Safri (Southampton), Nabil El Zhar (Liverpool)
NIGERIA — John Obi Mikel (Chelsea), Yakubu (Everton), Joseph Yobo (Everton), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth), Obafemi Martins (Newcastle), John Utaka (Portsmouth), Dickson Etuhu (Sunderland), Danny ****tu (Watford), Seyi Olofinjana (Wolves)
SENEGAL — Abdoulaye Faye (Newcastle), Ibrahima Sonko (Reading), Papa Bouba Diop (Portsmouth), Diomansy Kamara (Fulham), Henri Camara (West Ham), El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton), Habib Beye (Newcastle)
SOUTH AFRICA — Steven Pienaar (Everton), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn)
TUNISIA — Radhi Jaidi (Birmingham), Mehdi Nafti (Birmingham)
Mark Bright looks ahead to the African Nations Cup
MARK BRIGHT (BBC Analyst)
18th January 2008
Daily Mail
GROUP A
Ghana are under pressure as hosts. It's a country that is passionate about football.
In their first game they play Guinea, who are a good team and have Pascal Feindouno - a big, strong midfielder who would do well in English football.
It's a tough opening match for Ghana and they could lose it. But I would still lean towards both countries going through.
Shooting star: Ghana's and Chelsea's Michael Essien
It all depends on Morocco, because I can't see Namibia doing anything. The power base has moved a little bit from Arab Africa to Black Africa in recent years.
GROUP B
You have to say that Nigeria and Ivory Coast are heavy favourites.
As much as you have romance there with Mali and Benin, they are not good enough. Mali have Fredi Kanoute, but when you watch them play, he is head and shoulders above most of the squad.
He's the captain but he isn't backed up by some of the other players, who play for clubs in the French third division and the Swiss second division.
They don't come up against quality opposition every week, so they aren't able to give him the service he needs.
GROUP C
If any African nation was going to win the World Cup a few years ago, it was going to be Cameroon.
And now when you see Samuel Eto'o playing for them, he's like a dad playing with kids. He's so much better than everybody else. He's the star, so quick, that sometimes you feel a bit sorry for him.
Egypt are defending champions but they don't usually do so well when they aren't the hosts.
I thought they were lucky two years ago. I can see them joining Cameroon but they won't make the last four.
However, I can't see Zambia or Sudan stopping them from reaching the knockout stages.
GROUP D
I don't fancy South Africa. They always have internal problems. Benni McCarthy was left out of the squad for disagreeing with the coach. They have flair but no substance.
If someone gets nutmegged in the middle of the pitch, the crowd celebrates it like a goal. But it doesn't win a game, whereas Tunisia are well organised.
Senegal are composed and they have good players. Regardless of his reputation in England, El-Hadji Diouf is a star in Africa. Angola did well at the last World Cup but I can't see them making it through.
KNOCKOUT PHASE
Senegal have a chance because all of their players play for clubs in the top leagues around Europe.
They are strong all the way through the team. Nigeria have the players but they always end up arguing about bonuses and things.
It detracts from what they should be doing on the pitch. Ghana against Ivory Coast would be the glamour final - the hosts against the best team - and I would expect Ivory Coast to win it.
They play the best football, are organised, disciplined and have great movement in midfield. And they have great leadership.
dailymail.co.uk
