Fifa must introduce Intercontinental championships

(www.fifa.com)

Imagine Africa versus  Europe, North America, Asia, Oceania, South America or the Middle East in a world cup tournament. Fifa must introduce the Fifa Intercontinental World Cup a year before the Fifa Confederation Cup, making it a year after the Fifa World Cup.

This is the only way that Africa may compete on equal footing and have a fair chance to compete. Of course, CAF will have to improve, and given that Issa Hayatou has been toppled by Ahmed Ahmed, I believe the new broom has proved better already.

Africa always produced world beaters, some justifiably changing allegiance for socio-economic reasons. The best of African players in the world forming a superpower is not a wild dream. It is possible.

For Africa to make its mark, they will have to do this independently, with the Afro identity of African football of flair and artistry. 

One remembers the 1998 France World Cup. To some, it was Africa's World Cup win as once prophesised by Pele -  that an African team would win the Fifa World Cup before the year 2000. The French team had a fair share of players of African origin but France is in Europe.

While the current crop of Africans in the top leagues does not inspire much confidence to the likes of Rabah Majer, Yusuf Fofana, Roger Millar, Lucas Radebe, Bruce Grobelaar, George Weah, Peter Ndlovu, Kalusha Bwalya, Benni McCarthy and Didier Drogba, there is a new crop which includes Riyad Mahrez and Emerick Aubemayeng.

Making it to the Africa 11 would excite both elite players and prospective internationals.

Who makes your Africa 11 today?

The great Cosafa tournament begins with a bang

(www.futaa.com)

Top players in the world, some from the north and west Africa, play about 38 league matches, 12 European championship matches and 8 cup matches - 58 top class matches against the toughest possible opposition in a season.

Additionally, some seasons may include 12 World Cup or 12 continental qualifiers, 4 Club World Cups, 5 Confederations Cups (17) - a total of 75 topnotch matches. 

Some Africa football leagues play 30 matches, and no cup tournaments, or at best, 4 extra matches to reach a final if lucky. And the opposition, the training, the pitches and matches are not that mind-blowing.

Can our best be world beaters, or we are wasting our time?

The Council Of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) Castle Cup, celebrating 20 years of existence, began this week in the North West. Zimbabwe, former multiple tournament winners, started the regional showcase with a bang, actually, four bangs past Mozambique. 

Madagascar also beat Seychelles to secure a first win, all at the Moruleng Stadium managed by Brown Mapologela.

Angola and Tanzania also won their opening fixtures in the preliminary round, beating Mauritius and Malawi respectively. It must be noted that the quarter-finals from Saturday will involve countries winning their respective groups.

South Africa, Lesotho. Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Botswana are the region's top ranked teams and do not play preliminary rounds. Tanzania are a guest team, normally playing in the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (Cecafa) tournament.

It is important for all fans, coaches, players and the national associations to to take Cosafa, Cecafa and CHAN - the domestic version of AFCON, very seriously. Due to lack of sustainable sponsorship in the domestic leagues in Africa, especially, East and Southern Africa, extra high quality game time is irreplaceable.

Cosafa, Cecafa and CHAN presents regional players with an extra playing time opportunity and a small window to make extra cash and market oneself. National associations need to invest more time and other resources to ensure survival of the project.

Everything must be done to encourage players, inspire coaches, educate administrators and equip associations through the organisation of the tournaments.

A good thing is that there is now also an Under 20 Cosafa tournament and many nations must be encouraged to use age proper youths. 

I have always advocated for the Cosafa Champions League. Do you agree?

African football - no growth

(Nigeria;1996 Atlanta Olympics Champions - Panenka)

African football associations through miseducated and colonised leadership always paid huge sums for expatriates to come and develop the game, to no avail.

That mercenary hiring appetite seem unquenchable to date, but where is the Africa game, over 50 years since the formation of Confederation of African Football (CAF)?

The senseless football politicians labour to squander resources at the expense of toiling players and hurl insult at the disrespected local coaches who do so much with nothing.

Until 1990, when Cameroon beat Fifa World Cup champions with Diego Maradona, displayed top class playing ability and got cheated by officials and unfair play of England in the quarter-finals, Africa only asked to have more teams playing international matches and tournaments without adding any value.

That great team included Thomas Nkono, Roger Milla, Oman Biyik and Cryil Makanacky. It gave hope to many, that on a level playing field, Africans can perform. It was during the times that George Weah of Liberia and Abedi Pele of Ghana were arguably the best players in the whole world.

Among many memorable moments that are far between, the world rose in awe, as Nigeria won the 1996 Atlanta Olympics gold. Daniel Amokachi, Nwanko Kanu and Emmanuel Amunike were among a young crop of that generation. There was hope that maybe, just maybe, Africa had arrived.

Actually, two years before, Clemens Westerhof took the Super Eagles to within a minute to a quarter-final past Italy in the USA 94 Fifa World Cup. Rashidi Yekini, Peter Rufai, Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Sunday Oliseh, Victor Ikpeba and Austin JJ Okocha are some of the players of that special team.

Since, we have seen cameo challenges with Senegal of Al Haji Diouf in 2002 Fifa World Cup, and Ghana of 2010 South Africa Fifa World Cup, who were hard done by Luiz Suares' hand ball. Curse? I wonder.

The point is that, since these  documented heroics, the quarter-finals of the Fifa World Cups has been the ceiling, especially until the last minutes of the matches, despite the abundant playing talent.

As for the Fifa Confederation Cups, it has always been a disaster. Sterile performances and results are an eye sore. On top of that, another Fifa World Cup is around the corner and there is no hope whatsoever.

With overpaid foreign coaches, there seems to be no growth in the African game, tactically. What is Africa paying for?  

If all the cash used to pay astronomical mercenary fees was ploughed into football coaching education, results would be different, but do not involve foreigners in this process at all. Which European or South American country wants to see Africa dominate? 

Coach education for Africans should be by Africans for Africans. Until then, other confederations will use Africans as a punch bags and compete to see who can suck the most points from the naive black continent, and then go and compete at higher levels by themselves.

Africa goes to these tournaments to contribute points and goals for countries like Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Italy, England, Chile and others.

Then they come back to us with an olive branch, actual, a helping hand as they offer courses and partnerships for free. Free??? Africa loves freebies. The intellectually challenged football politician 
smiles ear to ear thinking Germany, Netherlands, England and others came here to make us beat them. Woooow.

What is education supposed to do? Or does politics disregard use of brains?

Mexico overcame Russia 2-1; Portugal beat New Zealand 4-0.

Some VAR decisions so far.

Mexico overcame hosts, Russia 2-1 and Portugal beat New Zealand 4-0. The Russians played very negative football from the onset, playing and throwing the ball back more often than forward.

New Zealand always had a mountain to climb, facing tactically superior European champions. What took centre stage in the two matches was the Video Assistant Referee. 

If I am kicked, or think so, in the 18 area, I should have the right to appeal, either directly or through my captain like in cricket.

I am sure these are some of the issues to get used to for the players, operators and referees. In fact, the procedure must be simple. Any such situation, must be referred to as early as possible, and the team in possession must play the ball outside immediately. 

If a decision is consistant with the initial human referee, then play must be sportingly played back to the team who had possession.

If the reviewed case seem like a total waste of time and unfair, then player requesting a review must get a yellow card, like in simulation. 

I think that will be fair. The teams should be allowed to appeal directly those match changing situations and the appeal must be very genuine.

By the way, Cristiano Ronaldo (14th in 9 for Portugal, 75th for country overall), Bernado Silva, Andre Silva and substitute Nani were on the score sheet.

Vuvuzela - African football is too colonised

South Africa 2010 World Cup symbol

I have been unfortunate not to see the beginning of the 2017 Russia Confederation Cup matches so far. I did not even witness the Opening Ceremony.

Please enlighten me if there was a minute of silence or an honour for Cheick Tiote, as has been the case especially for Marc-Vivian Foe.

Yesterday I watched both draws; Cameroon 1 -Australia 1 and Chile 1 - Germany 1. There was a huge element of disappointment for me.


The tournament has lost its shine somehow. Since the inception in the late 1990s when South Africa and Brazil among others, there was a clear crescendo in both quality and entertainment value.

It was a pale show of great shows put by the great Cameroonian side with the likes Samuel Eto'o, Patrick Mboma, Oman Biyik, Thomas Nkono; that Bafana Bafana side with David Nyathi, Sizwe Motaung, Doctor Khumalo and others.

The last night football fixtures proved otherwise. Germany did not help by bringing a development side to the tournament. It is a great initiative for their future but a great disservice to the game.

Fifa must must allow such to happen. Football results are not paramount when developing a team.Not that the young boys did not try. They gave their all, but at that top level of the game, we do not want novices.

This brings me to the point of today; Fifa double standards. The Fifa Fair Play Credo stipulates that players and teams must play to win. Yet, they allowed that clowning to happen.

We have seen that when non-Africans express themselves by fancy footwork, like Lionel Messi, they applaude and sing raises. If Africans execute such skills, faces change colour and the language too - showboating, grand standing.

That is what we do. The Cameroon match lacked that spark that makes football the beautiful game Pele talked about. This tournament has no 'Jogo e'bonito'. 

I am now concerned by the lack of African football growth. Is there any chance things will change? Look at the natural death of the vuvuzela. 

A vuvuzela was once a symbol of the South African game. During the South Africa 2010 Fifa World Cup, so much noise was made about the unsuitability of the decibels of the instrument. 

Of course, then Fifa President, Sepp Blatter refused to publicly condemn our culture, but there was undercover drive to nullify it. Two Fifa World Cups later, South Africans do not carry the vuvuzela to matches. 

African football is colonised.

Neymar in Victoria Falls

The Barcelona maestro is at the Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe/Zambia). He is travelling with his mother, sister and son. He flew in to Mzansi from Las Vegas, USA.

The Brazilian football star, enjoys company and tranquil of a chilled life. It can be termed a surprise visit as once done by Michael Jackson few months before his death and Will Smith earlier in the year.

He spent some time in South Africa's Sun City and viewed wild life.

Highlanders merchandise; What do you have?

The Bosso sons

What Highlanders Football Club merchandise do you own? 

Replica jerseys, mug, sticker, pen, writing pad, jersey, scarf, cap, beanie/monkey face, pyjamas, key-holder, cosset, door mat, wall paper, stapler, bottle opener, cellphone cover, bed sheets, bed cover, towel, kid nappies, tissue paper and other merchandise?

Of whatever you have, which one is genuine and helping the club? If not, ungumbulali. All fans and supporters must police piracy and eradicate it completely and speedily. 

The first port of call for all, is ensuring the Bosso merchandise is legit and all must have it. The club must quickly assign few people to produce a set of items for a certain commission and the supporters' base must ensure that there is no unlicensed sell of these goods.

The Bosso Legends were at the forefront of the Funeral Plan and Medical scheme concept. It must be taken further and very seriously. Again, astute business people who love money must be tasked with the project.

Utilising people who are not hungry for money is a death sentence to success. The idea dies before conception. Due diligence cannot be left to the whim of those celebrating mediocrity.

Business people who want success, who will diligently follow every cent and take no nonsense have to be identified and tasked to run a business in conjunction with or on behalf of the team.

The questions that need to be answered are; would you not join the  Highlanders F.C Funeral Plan? Will you not buy the Bosso merchandise? Funeral Plan and Medical Aid need to be made global and payments available online.

The club must cede branding merchandise rights to sell everything from vuvuzelas, baby nappies, blankets, coffee mugs, umbrellas, side mirror socks, car bras, stickers, balloons, seat covers, tablecloths, doormats, or swim wear.

These products must be worldwide. Opening a merchandise shop at Emagumeni and displaying everything the team has ever won would make it attractive.

Displaying the pictures of the history of the team would make selling memorabilia even easier.

In South Africa, the Premier Soccer League gave a percentage of sponsorship money for the people who negotiated the deals, and that changed the South African, and indeed African league football.

Other projects to be embarked on include the use of the club colours and flags on branding taxis and buses.

The legends can be tasked with such as they have time and focus to pursue these ideas totally and harness the complete potential of the brand as they self-advertise by their presence.

Highlanders must not be a burden of people from outside. How the team survives on charity like an ‘Old People’s Home’ was taboo and must never be repeated.

More often than not, the selfish protection of the team’s brand gets its potential sterilised to the detriment to the pregnantation of the locked up potential.

Old culture and outdated view points stunt the growth of the club’s finances and renders the followers the laughing stock.

Until when? What Highlanders need right now, is, you and I.

From the book; "What Highlanders Need Right Now! currently available on www.amazon.com as an e-book, Kindle version and paperback for $0.99 limited promotion. Keutsepilemang Ndebele is a former Highlanders Football Club Technical Adviser (2001), currently Technical Adviser and Video Analyst at Witbank Spurs FC.

Mexico beat New Zealand 2-1 in 2017 Confed Cup

(Photo by Tommy Smith)

New Zealand surprised Mexico with more attacking football. Most of their first half attacks were either completed or terminated in the final third.

The Kiwis controlled play in midfield and fluffed several goal scoring opportunities. The defending was decent, with All Whites, dressed in all black, trying to get numbers behind the ball.

Lack of maturity was visible in counter attacking as lapses of concentration proved to be their Achilles heel inside the penalty box. 

The goal did not come against the run of play, and just a single goal at the time was injustice to the efforts of the Kiwis. The football result would not do justice this fixture. 

Mexico came into the second half a changed side. They increased the match tempo and pressed high.

The South American champions, inter-passed and smothered a few counter-attacks squandered by New Zealand.

As fate would have it, All Whites paid for all their misses as they conceded 10 minutes into the second half.

As much as they tried to form a human curtain infront of the goal, only a spectacular could breach that defence, and what a strike it was.

A sucker punch came with barely 20 minutes of lay left. Swing movement from the back via the left wing, with play taken to the by-line and a cut back saw a near post short squeezed past a sprawling goalkeeper.

Mexico kept increasing the tempo and utilising all counter attacking opportunities to press for their course but failed to convert due to selfish tendencies.

New Zealand were still in business with 5 minutes to go as they struck the post with a ferocious shot past a bemused keeper.

The Video Referee Assistant took centre stage once more, as the referee, had to consult with the technology at the centre line, to assess the chaotic free-for-all shoving party, after a Mexican held back a counter-attacking Kiwi.

The moment resulted in a few brandished yellow cards for different offences during the commotion.

Mexico prevailed despite a decent show by the New Zealanders.

Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Portugal win over Russia - 2017 Fifa Confederation Cup

CR7 scored- Could he be heading back to Man U?

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal scored a decisive goal against Russia in the 2017 Fifa Confederation Cup.

The European champions overcame hosts by an odd goal.

Despite the football results tonight, Ronaldo proved leadership qualities in his play. Someone needs to ask what obsession with a century old argument of Ronaldo versus Messi is all about.

To begin with, I love individual brilliance of players like Ronaldinho, who I think is the best player ever in the world. I love fancy footwork.

The problem with that assessment is that his football achievements are lesser than those of Pele and Maradona. Zinedine Zidane for the same reason, sheer individual 'maestrocism'.

Lionel Messi is just brilliant, but I think that despite his eccentric ball manipulation artistry, Cristiano Ronaldo is a better player.

To qualify my point, Messi is still to win a continental title with his nation. He is not carrying the nation on his shoulder like Ronaldo does.

Messi has a lot to do to catch up in that regard. Until then, CR7 rules, although many want to believe comparing the two is like comparing oranges and stones. 

2017 Fifa Confederation Cup. The video assistant referee

The International Federation of Football Associations,(FIFA) finally considered the video referee assistant at the top level of the game.

I for one, advocated for this technology, but given what we have seen so far, it is not ayoba, unless of course, a few adjustments can be made.

For starters, one scored a goal and celebrated for lengthy periods and the ball is even centred. Suddenly, the decision to call the ball back comes and kills all that joy.

Equally, one scores a goal, thinks it is ruled unlawful and there is not even a celebration, then suddenly "You have scored". This is bizarre.

The technology must not be abused at any time. The human referee must be let to do his job. The VRA team must always have their story at their finger tips, just in case there is a query.

That is how it works in tennis with Hawk-eye and cricket's DRS. If no one complains and the decision is wrong, tough luck. 

And again, if the incident occurs and there is a complaint, the VRA team have enough time between the captain's approach to the referee and the consultation.

Indeed, we always see slow-motion almost instantly anyways.

e-Diski: Football analysis of players collapsing to death

e-Diski: Football analysis of players collapsing to death: (www.raredr.com) What causes sudden collapse and eventual death of football/soccer players on the field of play? Could certain behavio...

The 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup football results

(Wikipedia photo)

The 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia football fixtures kicked off with Russia, the hosts overcoming New Zealand 2-1 yesterday.

Tonight's football results saw Portugal and Mexico drawing 2-2 while Cameroon lost 2-0 to Chile. 

The analysis and focus turned to the Video Referee Assessment (VRA), which made a few confusing decisions.

No immediate explanations or visuals were offered to public as to what was going on during change of decisions.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid was an ordinary self in his Portuguese side while Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal came off the bench to feed Vidal with a a campagne pass for the opening goal for Chile.

Russia will continue their preparations for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup by hosting the FIFA ConfeD Cup this summer.

The eight-team tournament is held the year before each Fifa World Cup to give the host country an opportunity to test their facilities and provisions ahead of the main event.


It features each confederatiion champions - Afcon, Oceania, European Championship and Copa America, Asian Champions, the World Cup hosts and the reigning world champions.

Football analysis of players collapsing to death

(www.raredr.com)

What causes sudden collapse and eventual death of football/soccer players on the field of play? Could certain behaviors, traditions, beliefs, rituals, lifestyles, diets, drugs, alcohol, smoking, aphrodisiacs for stamina in bed, penis enlargement concoctions without proper doses be the cause of African players collapses and deaths? Football players must be very much aware of this.

Traditionally, Africans go to the bush, witch-doctors and voodoo practitioners in the hope of trying to influence football results or even careers. What is prescribed as drink, exposure to the dark side of life in the jungle, the muti carried around the wrists, neck or waist or kept in the closets, is it of any effect?

Further questions regarding the chemical compositions and scientific quantities or doses of such needs to be answered. The bottom line is that life has not seen the last of these and whether there is a direct influence of such practices to start with, is anyone's guess.

The football players collapsed suddenly without warning, their heart stopped beating (no pulse) as blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs and there was no breathing detected within seconds. Efforts to resuscitate extended to outside the field, in some cases, for days.

The recent death of Cheik Tiote who collapsed at the training session of Chinese Beijing Enterprises, became an unpleasant reminder of tragic losses of life in different professional athletes at the top of their game. No autopsies have been made public due to the deserved privacy of the families.

To turn football fixtures to their favour, top professional football/soccer players, exert themselves to maximum limits their bodies can take, to be in shape for optimal performance. We look at the whole picture trying to get some answers and advise young players.

They exercise and train to build and maintain their muscles, and promotes healthy functions of organs through improved and increased capacity of cardio vascular (blood), pulmonary (oxygen) and cardio-pulmonary (blood and oxygen) systems.

The heart pumps bloods with oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the other parts and organs of the body as fuel for all activities. It also helps circulate carbon dioxide and all used material after burning fuel back to kidneys, liver and lungs. Exercise makes the heart stronger and to pump more volume of blood. It also increase lung capacity to transport more oxygen to the body muscles.

Extreme exertion in order to improve performance, playing capability, positive results without enough rest, healthy diet and ignoring certain signs can be detrimental and fatal. Coaches must be well trained to know the terms and principles of loading.

Deaths to footballers or soccer players has been a result of physical contact - players colliding with team-mates, opponents, struck by the upright posts or the cross bar collapsing on them as well as being struck by hurled by objects from fans. There has been cases of being struck by lightning too.

The causes of sudden collapse are related to the heart. Medically, to simplify things, this could be a result of either a heart attack or heart failure, and these two are not the same.The cardiac arrest is an electrical issue of the heart and heart attack as the plumbing aspect.

In many African and other third-world players who grew up very poor and beginning to live a dream life, the tendency to over indulge is real. Either is illegal substance abuse or simply spoiling oneself, there is no limits what fat cheques can do. This includes innocent gobbling of junk foods that do not auger well with extensive physical loading.

For heart attacks, there is blockage or restriction of blood flow (usually by cholesterol build up) somewhere in the system where the blood flows and then the heart portion that needs that blood supply will get damaged.

For cardiac arrest, the pumping (heartbeat) is disturbed by becoming faster than it should, erratic (no proper rhythm) or stopped completely (load shedding). The heart muscles get confused and fail to pump due to interrupted signals and performance. 

One of the main reasons of sudden deaths in an African society is the herbs, roots, tree bark traditional penis enlargements and aphrodisiac remedies naturally found in the jungle. Whether these have extrapolated long term effect remains to be seen. However, once taken, disclosure to modern medical doctors who prescribe medicine for everyday sickness is necessary to allay complications down the line.

Among the many possible causes, are the coronary artery disease - blocked/partially blocked or damaged arteries and and cardiomyopathy - enlarged or thick heart which finds it difficult to pump blood. It could be very weak heart muscles and also, defects of the heart from birth. This is what probably Nwanko Kanu had when he underwent a heart surgery.

The family can have a history of conditions that may lead to cardiac arrest. There is the sickle blood cells traits.The sickle hemoglobin change the shape of red cells from round to quarter-moon, or sickle shape - faulty, causing blood to carry less oxygen to the muscles. The heart muscles get damaged if they receive less oxygen than they should, especially at crucial points at crucial times.

Diagnosing is hard and symptoms are few and not very obvious.The reports of vital warning signs in retrospect for those who dropped dead include dizzy spells or passing out during performance, shortness of breath and chest pains among others.

For Africans in equatorial areas where blood bone diseases like malaria are rife, this becomes an advantage as the disease is not quickly transmitted.

Lifestyle choices that can increase risk for heart disease and heart attack include diet, which can increase cholesterol by unsaturated fats and too much salt which increase blood pressure. Too much alcohol, smoking, use of recreational drugs can put players at risk.

The issue of excessive consumption of some energy drinks cannot be overemphasized. Illegal drugs like cocaine, nyaope and all are a sure path to heart problems. The silent killer deaths affected the players who had no history of heart disease at all.

An avid reader of the www.tsendex.blogspot.com messaged e-Diski and contributed this; "Until recently, people were not diagnosed, and treatment is not readily available in Africa. Overseas, babies are diagnosed at birth", adding that she was diagnosed while pregnant. She added that monitoring of such cases was excellent. In such cases, testing must also take place after the age of 10.

Family history is very important so that genetic cases are known. In such cases, blood doping - where blood pint is removed from the player, and the player is left to recover over some days and then blood transfusion is performed on him is performed - can be an option. This procedure is currently an illegal doping exercise because the player gets far too much blood than normal, but exceptional cases have to be made.

What players and clubs can do, is to check and respect the symptoms by asking players to stop or let someone know when they experience unusual cramps, muscle weakness, and extreme fatigue prior to collapsing.

The heart's functional impairment is frequently asymptomatic until sudden cardiac death, as we have seen. Routinely testing players, usually by echocardiogram can save lives.

In conclusion, physical stress, low levels of magnesium and potassium in the body, lack of oxygen to the brain, heart and vital organs, enlarged heart due to increased blood pressure and weak heart muscles lead to heart problems.

A cardiac arrest is usually diagnosed clinically by the absence of a pulse. Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation are used to try to immediately correct the heart functionality on site. While excessive exertion can be fatal, active is always healthier.

We checked out a list of all football players who died playing football on this link:(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_footballers_who_died_while_playing)

Cheick Tiote's death; Why is collapsing so prevalent in Africans?

(Uniformed staff members salute Cheik Tiote remains in China - Reuters) 

Cheik Tiote, the late 30 year old Ivory Coast and Newcastle player’s sudden death on June 5 2017, at his team (Beijing Enterprises) training ground in China is very tragic. He also played at Dutch side, Twente where he won the 2010 league title.

The solid and tough tackling Ivorian is said to have “suddenly fainted” during a regular training session on Monday and taken to hospital where he died.
Tiote's body was expected in the Ivory Coast from China on Thursday. He was one of 10 children.

Not a first, such calamities befell Marc-Vivien Foe, aged 28, in June 2003 during a Confederations Cup semifinal against Colombia in Lyon, France. The Cameroon midfielder collapsed after a heart attack.

Antonio Puerta (22) of Spain, in August 2007 collapsed while playing for Sevilla in a La Liga match against Getafe. His death three days later was a result multiple organ failure stemming from prolonged cardiac arrest.

The Motherwell captain, Phil O’Donnell, December 2007, died aged 35, of heart failure towards the end of his side’s 5-3 Scottish Premier League win over Dundee United. The Scottish played for land, Celtic and Sheffield Wednesday.

Another Spaniard, Daniel Jarque (26), died in his hotel room during a pre-season trip to Coverciano in Italy due to heart attack in August 2009.

The 21-year-old Henry Chinonso Ihelewere of Nigeria died in August 5, 2012. He played for Delta Tulcea as a substitute during a friendly against Romanian rivals Balotesti when he collapsed. He was taken to hospital but he never regained consciousness.

On July 27, 2013, Sekou Camara of Mali also collapsed on the field during Indonesian outfit's Pelita Bandung Raya, now known as Madura United, practice session in Bandung. He was rushed to the nearest hospital, but died on the way there. The cause of death was a heart attack.

A Nigerian, David Oniya collapsed three minutes after kick-off in a friendly match for Malaysian outfit T-Team against Kelantan and died less one hour later in hospital on 13 June 2015.

Patrick Ekeng, another Cameroonian international - May 6, 2016 fell to the floor in the 70th minute of a televised Romanian league match between his side Dinamo Bucharest and Viitorul. Hospital staff were unable to resuscitate him on his arrival and was pronounced dead due to a heart failure two hours later.

Fabricio Muamba lived to see another day after his collapse on the field of play when West Ham United played Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Safety and medical equipment was available pitch side. Previous emergencies and calls especially by Jose Mourinho ensured clubss facilities did include a defibrillators.

In the 1990s, Nigerian Nwanko Kanu underwent a heart surgery which prevented a certain calamity.

Surely, more footballers who have died through cardiac failure since 1990 are of African descent. Is there is a link between heart failure and African football players?

What happened to the Highlanders Funeral Plan plan?

Bosso logo

The Highlanders Football Club legends coined a innovative idea after analysing the market and took advantage of the need to provide decent burial to former players.

This positive initiative by and for people who have played and/or worked for Highlanders Football Club, FHPA (Former Highlanders Players Association) meant the protection of the team's legacy and success, catering for former players, technical team members, medical stuff and officials.

Former forceful goal scorer, Zenzo Zemura Moyo, chaired the meeting that elected elected Tito Paketh as the Chairman, Rahman Gumbo as Vic Chairman and Netsayi Super Moyo the Secretary General. The Treasurer was Collsen Mabeza with Marko Tundu Dube elected the Committee Member.

Netsayi Moyo emphasised that FHPA would not run the club, but would keep former players together and closely watching each other because “we have had some of us passing away and receiving a pauper’s burial".

With the slogan 'We are Bosso Legends Nothing Else Matters', Super said the Legends envisaged keeping constant contact with each other and the club, and giving support to team with a base of qualified coaches as well as competent football administrators.

The idea, meant to utilise a wide membership base, was a great strategy to harness the brand potential for current and former playersin terms of a well-branded funeral and medical plans, to the same line of the Kaizer Chiefs Funeral Plans.

As a vehicle to manipulate and capitalise on a growing interest, it was a step in the right direction. The growth and expansion of this would hinge on marketing. Simple marketing strategies of word of mouth and social media provided cost-effective means to maximise returns for the benefit of Bosso.

The issue of revenue always attracted diverse opinions. Some would infringe on the constitution of the club. This was not one of them. 

Since those days, the Club entered into an agreement with a supermarket chain, Buscod to pay staff. The Inscor Group also donated a percentage of their bread sales to the club. Both situations are not enough to take the club’s finances out of the murky waters.

Over the years, sale of memorabilia injected a small steady stream of income. Fake prints were the thorny part. With the sea of black and white T-shirts and umbrellas, only a small percentage would be genuine Bosso material and many people did not care.

There has been suggestions of getting the 4000 registered members to pay US$5 monthly to raise US$20 000 for the upkeep of players. It was thought that if the same number actually paid US$50, the US$1 500 000 would fit the annual budget of the club.

Bosso supporters can do much better. It is high time things and attitudes changed, if taking the serious step you are about to read will be a success. The assumption is that if the 30 000 football loving BF crowd would pay a similar annual fee at the start of the season a certain amount of cash would be raised.

Usually, people want to pay for something. One cannot be sure about how buying or building a Highlanders Stadium at the Club House will generate revenue, as many think. Of course in the long term, but Bosso needs solution now to get there.

The perception is that the Club House itself underutilised. For that reason, wild suggestions of selling the property have flown but that is being mischievous.

Highlanders must entrust individuals and companies to brand and market such products at a profit to both parties. The selfish notion of refusing to let people benefit from such, is the very reason for stunted finances. 

Like in football analysis, let us look at this point. If a man can make USD5 000 000 and pockets USD 2 500 000, it is a win-win situation and it is a sweet business plan for the individual involved. Think Bosso, think.

From the book; "What Highlanders Need Right Now! currently available on www.amazon.com as an e-book, Kindle version and paperback for $0.99 limited promotion. Keutsepilemang Ndebele is a former Highlanders Football Club Technical Advisor (2001).

Africa Cup Of Nations 2019 shock results

For the first time in a competitive official match, the South Africa national senior football team beat Nigeria 2-0.

Bafana Bafana defeated the Super Eagles in Nigeria in a rare occasion of pure dominance and class in a football fixture between the two sides. There was an element of arrogance to go with it too.

Stuart Baxter's second stint with Bafana started fruitfully, thanks to Tokello Rantie and ever green Percy Tau. The Afcon 2019 qualifiers results made good the promise of Southern Africa to overturn the northerners' dominance in the game. Rarely has the north./west lost to the south/east in either Afcon or World Cup qualifying matches.

The Warriors of Zimbabwe were also in the act, beating Liberia 3-0 at home through a Knowledge Musona hat-trick.   The hosts touched the ball in one match more than they had in their last 3 qualifiers, either due to supremacy or total lack of opposition or a combination of both.

The two nations take healthy leads into the next Afcon 2019   qualifiers, given their boost in confidence on match day one. The Africa Cup of Nations results elsewhere were of not much relevance to the two neighbours, although a trend seems to be setting at seen in the log standings.

 What was your moment of the weekend?

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Check out this interesting page on SuperSport.com:

Afcon 2019 Qualifying | LOGS

Group A

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Senegal	1	1	0	0	3	0	3	3
2	Madagascar	1	1	0	0	3	1	2	3
3	Sudan	1	0	0	1	1	3	-2	0
4	Equatorial Guinea	1	0	0	1	0	3	-3	0

Group B

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Cameroon	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
2	Malawi	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
3	Comoros	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0
4	Morocco	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0

Group C

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Burundi	1	1	0	0	3	0	3	3
2	Mali	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
3	Gabon	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0
4	South Sudan	1	0	0	1	0	3	-3	0

Group D

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Algeria	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
2	Benin	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
3	Gambia	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0
4	Togo	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0

Group E

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Libya	1	1	0	0	5	1	4	3
2	South Africa	1	1	0	0	2	0	2	3
3	Nigeria	1	0	0	1	0	2	-2	0
4	Seychelles	1	0	0	1	1	5	-4	0

Group F

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Ghana	1	1	0	0	5	0	5	3
2	Sierra Leone	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
3	Kenya	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0
4	Ethiopia	1	0	0	1	0	5	-5	0

Group G

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Zimbabwe	1	1	0	0	3	0	3	3
2	DR Congo	1	1	0	0	3	1	2	3
3	Congo	1	0	0	1	1	3	-2	0
4	Liberia	1	0	0	1	0	3	-3	0

Group H

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Guinea	1	1	0	0	3	2	1	3
2	Central African Republic	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
3	Cote d'Ivoire	1	0	0	1	2	3	-1	0
4	Rwanda	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0

Group I

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Burkina Faso	1	1	0	0	3	1	2	3
2	Mauritania	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
3	Botswana	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0
4	Angola	1	0	0	1	1	3	-2	0

Group J

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Tunisia	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
2	Niger	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
3	Swaziland	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
4	Egypt	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0

Group K

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Guinea-Bissau	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
2	Mozambique	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
3	Namibia	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0
4	Zambia	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0

Group L

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Uganda	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
2	Lesotho	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
3	Tanzania	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
4	Cape Verde	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0