Tomorrow, Saturday
7 July, is an important day in Tanzania. TANU was formed on Saba-Saba Day, 1954.
Sixty four years. Tomorrow might be someone’s birthday. Tomorrow is significant
for the English and Swedish team as they square off each other –at this World
Soccer Cup Russia 2018. Seven-Seven is also thirteen years since London
experienced a 2005 horrific terrorist attack.
Yes.
7 July 2005.
But let us pause-
on the football.
We are aware not
all reading this are so fond of what Brazil’s legend Pele called “the beautiful
game...”Not all. Even as euphoria and joy and zeal and suspense balloons around
our ongoing fun and sport, you still hear those: unfazed, unconvinced and
unmoved.
“I am not bothered
by twenty two idiots kicking a ball around and earning millions of cash...”
Doesn’t matter.
Like it or not.
Believe it. Do not
believe...
Football brings
people together and is the most popular sport on earth. Period.
Last Tuesday I was mesmerised queuing to enter
a huge bar in East London – to witness Columbia versus England match. At the
door we were thoroughly checked by two muscled security fellas. No risks. No
repeat of Seven- Seven, 2005. Inside
were yet more and more long queues for drinks and food. Once you bought your
drink and bites you shuffled around to find space to watch the match. Several
screens littered the backyard and various rooms. It was like being in a mini
indoor, stadium. The white with a red cross England flag decorated several
points. Folks were excited. Men and women. Security chaps walked around,
discreetly, watching us watching the match....
Colombia was of course eliminated on
penalties.
Penalties.
Captain Harry Kane, becomes superstar instantly. Pic snapped from Metro Newspaper
And this is the theme of our column today,
dear reader.
During the last
couple of decades - England has always been eliminated on penalties. It has become a national tragedy, an expected
dreary song, almost. Wait. National tragedy as far as this sport is concerned.
And one of the victims or casualties of missed penalties. Or missing an
international tournament “penalty” shoot out was a young player called Gareth
Southgate.
Rewind to 1996
Euro -Semi finals.
Against old
rivals.
Germany.
Thirty years earlier, England thrashed Germany and won the 1966 World
Cup. It is the most repeated football tale in this country. But in 1996, Gareth
Southgate missed the penalty. German goalie, Andreas Moller, saved the weakly
taken ball.
All we remember
was an image of Gareth Southgate with hands clasped around his head. All we
remember is Southgate being consoled. Being told it is alright. But it was not
alright. Southgate’s name came to be associated with failure and national
trauma. Many years later, he has become the national coach. A new, reformed
man.
Now England is
winning and on Tuesday they defeated Colombia on penalties. A miracle. One
famous sports journalist here, Martin Samuel (Daily Mail, Wednesday) quipped:
“Southgate is
coming off like Yoda at this World Cup. Even when he loses he wins...”
What the hell is
Yoda?
Yoda is a
fictional character in the 1970s “Star Wars” film who dies aged 900. That says
alot.
What award winning
Mr Samuel implies - is a re-fined Gareth Southgate- kissing redemption.
In 1996 he was the
loser, in 2018, an upbeat possible winner. England’s 2018 World Cup is about
turning adversity, agony, trouble and failure into glory. I am not sure if Mr
Southgate had to undergo therapy (or anything similar) nevertheless, the former
national footballer has turned his country’s youthful team into believers.
A lesson for whom?
All African teams
have been eliminated. Not a single one passed through the 2018 elimination
stage.
Tragic.
I was reading
blogger Maggid Mjengwa’s positive mini essay on Instagram where he professes
that Africa is “coming up” and that- one day Africa shall scoop the
championship. I agree with Maggid that we should be optimistic. Yet, I have no
words for my African brethren at the moment. Like crabs, we are not matching
forward but sideways.
Why such a silly
statement?
28 years ago we had Cameroon mesmerising
everyone with the exciting Roger Milla at the helm. In 1996, Nigeria actually lifted the World
Olympics Cup. How many remember this? We Africans have actually won or shown
potential to glory. We have witnessed Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana
(2010) reaching quarter finals. In the past though.
Lately: 2014 and
2018- total shambles. Stuff should not be getting worse but better.
I am certain
English coach Southgate had to work hard to overcome his trauma of losing in
1996. We too need to do alot of self examination and psychological analysis. It
requires honesty and integrity- not blame games. Genuine cross examination and
more self cross examination.
-Published in Citizen Tanzania - 6 July 2018
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