 We are here on Y254 Robaro Solo. It is the touch land. We are here to talk about everything that comes when it comes to wild football. But it's a big day because tomorrow it is the Africa Cup of Nations final. And I've got two people here in studio who are here when we were doing a preview to the start of the Africa Cup of Nations. And they made their prediction. Now we are here when we are going to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. What have they got to say? Elka Ganya is joining us here in studio to talk about everything. How you doing, my brother? I'm good, I'm good, my brother. I'm happy. Senegal is in the competition. That was your prediction? Ya, that was my prediction. And that was my team to carry the trophies. Hopefully tomorrow we are going to carry it. What a big one for Senegal. You also have Algeria. They do not make it. And again, for the second time we need to apologize to everyone. Hopefully into Algeria winning the Africa Cup of Nations. And left out is a goal now. And good work. Good work. And by the way, I see that Egypt was the worst team among the Maghreb regions. Ya, they are in the final. Everything has just crumbled. Before we talk about the main game in the Africa Cup of Nations, which is Senegal versus Egypt, how has the Africa Cup of Nations has been for you? It has been, we have had lows and highs. The lows is to do with officiating, has been wanting. And maybe to some extent preparation of the whole thing. But entertainment wise we have had teams that have really stepped up Bukina Faso. Komoros gave up a good fight. And that was unexpected. Nobody expected. As he said, everybody was expecting the likes of Ivory Coast, the likes of Algeria to proceed. But we had a few surprises. We had a chance of people underwriting Bukina Faso all the time, not knowing that Bukina Faso is a team that performs in the Africa Cup of Nations. I think for the last four editions Bukina Faso has been in the semi-finals. Ya, apart from missing the African Champions in 2019, they have had very good runs. You look at 2013, getting into the final, losing to Nigeria. And then they made it to fourth place in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. They have a very good crop of players. And by the way, they are always researching about their team. It's not as if they have the classiest of players in there. Apart from Batran Traore, they don't have any other guy apart. I know Edmont Absoba has been one of the highlights for the team, playing in defense. Very good guy, Bayal Ebakusen. He's already getting some links to other top clubs in Europe. You look at other guys like maybe Gustavo Sangare. You look at Bayal. They are playing for teams like Aras Barkane. They are playing for those Alali teams and Zamalex. They have a very good crop of good players. And they are so young. So you can actually dream about them, making it true. Because you are talking about the likes of Bansi. You are talking about Johnathan Petroipas missing from the championship and moving away from the team. They have integrated themselves so well that you can realize that this is a team that doesn't have those players right now. So it has been a good kind of shift from them. And they showed us that they can do it. And one guy from that team, Isaac Abor, who played at the right back position. I was searching about him. He plays for Trials is on loan for Mantia City. Binia now saying that he could be the higher. To kind of work at Mantia City. He's going to have to get into that position. But also, people never thought that Africa Cup of Nations is a big team tournament anymore because we had, I think, eight teams coming on who are making their debut when it comes to the Africa Cup of Nations. And they made their name. The likes of Gambia, the likes of Komoros coming onto the side of the Africa Cup of Nations. Ya, ya, ya. You see that their surprise is and that for competition is a good thing. It's a good thing because it brings in, it eliminates the sense of big team mentality. Everybody expecting the Nigerian. They had a good score, they didn't perform Algeria. They had a good score, they didn't perform. They didn't even leave the group stages. Moroko. Moroko. I've recost, look at the players who are playing in Europe, the big name players. But you see these small teams are coming with home grown players. Our players were playing somewhere, maybe in Africa. Ukitori Ogini. Ukitori Ogini. Look at Ukitori Ogini. It gave the big teams a run for their money. And look at Komoros. Komoros with all those issues to do with covid, the red card. And they still won the hearts of everybody here. Because everybody tells you, Kamerun won that game but Komoros won our hearts. And if you look at a country like that with a population of less than 2 million people. Yes, less than a million. And they are like giving everybody a run for their money. That's really encouraging. And that's a challenge to now us as Kenya. Where did the rain start beating us? Because look at Bukinafaso. There's a time when we beat Bukinafaso 3 men. Yes. 2004. Yes, they went down and rebuilt. And as he said, he has noted something very important about Bukinafaso. They have a very young squad. And if you look at their game, they are so relaxed. They are not panicking. They are just knocking the ball around. It's one of the teams that was really knocking the ball around. And you start enjoying. I watched their game against Kip Vad. It was a nice game. And one of the big things about the Africa Cup of Nations this time around has got to be the homegrown coaches. Talk about Aliu Sisek. Talk about the Bukinafaso coach. Most of them are homegrown coaches. The Nigerian coach. He was one of the dream teams of Nigeria back in 96, 98 to World Cup. Never know about him, but you look at the setup of teams. And you've got to enjoy that growth in African football. And even going into the final, I know Carlos Keros is not an African but he was born in Namibia. So he's also an African there. You just have to love the kind of support that they're getting in. You know when you talk about even Aliu Sisek getting his time at the national team 2017. There wasn't so much hype around him. But in that period they have gone into two Afkan finals out of three. And then they got into the World Cup in 2018 and here there's a chance for them not to win their first Afkan title. I was even going through that coach where you talked about from Bukinafaso. You can imagine that he was a policeman. I don't know that. He was a policeman and he was trying to get a move where he would go up the ranks. He was going to school and then he was approached. And he was so interested about learning the systems of football and here he is at around 60 years of age. He's doing it. Then you've got this other crop of coaches that I feel like we cannot call them Africans because they have served African football for so long. I was talking about Sinfan. He's a man who's gone through the ranks and he was in Nigeria. He was supposed to be the football director there and then there was a bit of a hustle in there and he went into the Gambia team and he's doing a very good job there. So I think there's good future around these African players even when you talk about them in big clubs like Alahli. It's almost a man who was talking about how good Bukinafaso's coach was. So I feel like there is a future for African coaches now to believe themselves and do the job actually because they can do it. Because I was talking to producer director Fatili and in my thinking I'm like Aliusisi is now on a class to coach a European team and he can do very well like club level in Europe. Will they give him? That's the biggest. Because will they trust him with that? You see there's that mentality that African or black coaches cannot make it especially in Europe. We've seen very many even retired players who played in Europe struggling to move into coaching and it has to change and it has to change in this way. African teams let us trust our African our black coaches give them an opportunity to showcase what they can be able to do. Not only at the national team even at the club level because if they are at the club level and they are able to excel then we will be selling something out there because the likes of Aliusisi are putting Africa on the map in terms of coaching. One of the things is when we were coming on to the Africa Cup of Nations when we were talking about it one of the biggest talking points all over the world was we don't need this tournament in January we don't need this tournament when we are mid season and everything but it has gone ahead to be one of the best tournaments we have watched so far. Yes because you see there's that aspect of we don't need it in January but this is what makes us Africa this is what distinctive factor so the Americans are bears they are bears so this is our African way and we say Africa is Africa and Africa is our business we are going to win it in January and it's going to be fun it's been fun and we've seen even the European players who are reluctant to come have really exerted the likes of Sadumani the likes of Mo Salah and now in the final and you see we have to send that message that we have this tournament it's here it's going to stay I will be vindicated some because you are not for it ok it's not as if I'm against the African what I'm against is that they are holding it in a time where they have to disrupt the season but coaches are now to think about losing the big players going out to Africa the last week has been so boring for many people because they haven't been watching any European football the reason why was because they decided to suspend the league for those two weeks when they were out for qualifiers I thought that was the same root kuf should have taken let's suspend the league let these guys play and then you can get back to the normal calendar that's the only thing that I'm against that you're disrupting a season and now you'll have all this backlash coming to you have all these questions coming to you and then you're going to put the racism card in didn't make sense to me but so far it has been a good tournament it's been a good tournament because as I talk about those unpredictabilities these small nations in the approving themselves and also we've seen other guys rebuild themselves you know Nikola Spepe he didn't have the best of talent that has always come up and he's had huge numbers and also Namplis Mendi who's playing as a defensive midfielder for Senegal he was in part of the 25 month squad for Leicester City how he has performed he's not been called back he's in the 25 month squad for Leicester City so it's been a mix and match you have some very good players that have shown themselves up and the small nations rising up some nations have unattached captains like Ikutoryo Gin and you have others playing for teams like Aris Limasol in the Cypriol League and they sing themselves up so you would expect some names to be called up and some of the big names that were never made onto the final so even onto the medal bracket the likes of Nigeria the likes of Tunisia the likes of Morocco Algeria, Ivory Coast Ghana I think the biggest disappointment was Algeria because everybody expected that being the defending champions they would at least make it from the group stages they didn't do that you look at Nigeria poor organization in the last game they didn't make it they were knocked out look at Ivory Coast what was Bailey thinking there has to be some seriousness some professionalism some love for your country the whole country is resting on your shoulders and you are taking a penalty like that you know we were talking about it in my local where I watch football and I would love to be in that place per day I told a friend of mine this is why people get killed in Colombia and you saw the same thing even in Sierra Leone there is a penalty and become around this place because sports brings people together and one of the heights of sport is emotion especially football is very passionate it is very emotional before investing in emotions I remember I was watching a documentary because back then we were young in 1994 when Escobar was killed he was also scoring a non-goal which was he could not prevent it it was because of bad luck but going back home those guys don't care about the accident depending on the whole country we would have put all our hopes on you and you look at something in the African cup of nations and the Maghreb countries like Egypt there is that seriousness they take look at the seriousness they are taking those penalties they have suffered twice I think twice they have played extra minutes already again most of the now they also played against Maropa they have survived through penalties twice look at the rootlessness they are so rootless they are not going there to sugarcoat anything they are going there to do a job they look at it, do your job no fans here african players african too no no what camera room very poor I was talking to some of camera and for me it is that seriousness and african players need to get out of show business look at this guy and players even from Asama they are pulling the shots down now they are pulling the mirror showing us their ties you are like what's wrong with this guy we are playing football yes the magre players are there look at the seriousness the magre players they are taking it as a job it's a job very professional now the black players are not really being professional because what was being I can't even think being you want to a no look penalty seriously you are not a regular penalty taker at manches united you don't take penalties you see because of the name the name that Eric Bailey playing for manches united you got a chance to take a penalty you got a chance to represent your country and when you are representing your country do it do it like a job because they had played the game very well now they were knocked out look at Egypt at that they sailed through they played against Moko they were so ruthless look at what they did against Cameroon you know you are watching Egypt and it's something that I have updated on my Facebook page it's something that there is this study called XG when you have the gold probability and you are looking at the game and how it goes Cameroon had the highest gold probability in that game because they played a really brilliant game and you thought they were going to win it but then Egypt has been doing that all the time they have been forcing draws going to extra time and winning it on penalties that makes me believe that XG doesn't matter in football again but it's been a good tournament for Egypt because they worked on what they should do they were very solid because I was looking at some of the combinations they have been doing especially in defense they have lots of alahli players and zamalik players so at times you have even Ahmed Gazi who is playing for Aliti he is moving into defense then you have him moving into the middle and he is not that kind of a ball player because they are now using Muhamed El-Leni he is now a ball player and he is doing a really good job especially when pushing the team forward so it's been a brilliant combination of players but they are somehow unorthodox because they don't look so fancy when you are watching them you don't really expect Egypt scholars of goals but they are so solid and they are clearing up mess especially that player called Abdel-Muhamedi he has been playing some really good football he has been one of the guys that has been mentioned to be a guy that goes away from alahli and makes himself into Europe and that one says something what Sam is saying senting the local league because if you look at that team most of the players are playing at home so if they are at alahli there are three or four players they understand one another and you can only do that if you pay players well if you money that league well so that these players don't have the desire to go to Europe because you are paying them good salaries and you see that's what Egypt has done it's paying for them even most of the players are from the East African region even from the Southern region they want that chance to play in the Maghrab region the salaries are good they get pizza from down in South Africa to coach alahli because they can be able to afford him they can bring even pass it over from Brighton because when you manage your league properly money will be pumped in by sponsors that should reflect to us here a big one it is the African cup of nations final tomorrow between Senegal and Egypt Robert Osoro here he predicted Senegal he's going to be in the final and he's going to lift it some steam never made it I need to say something about Algeria because I feel like it's something that needs to be addressed here I was looking at their squad in their roster they have over six players who are 30 plus and even Adrian Marez is on that list he's 30 years old Baghdad Buneja he's been on Islam's limani all the time they have Sofian Fehgul they have Belayeli all those guys Aisa Mandi who is not a starter all these players are over that I feel like the Algerian nation should be shocked and should be worried about what will happen to them in the future they need to bring in young players they have a few I hope that they can get others they have a very good league also there's a very bad show from them coming in 34 games and beating them now the final is here it is Senegal, Egypt and everybody is rooting for Senegal in the African continent because they have made it to the final now back to back and they are back in the final even last time people were for Senegal but Algeria pipped them to win that one and now against Egypt do you still feel Senegal is the team to win? the big question is that have they learned from the mistake that they made last time and you really can throw many mistakes from that because they lost with an unlucky gold yes because that ruthlessness for you to get half chances and finish and in my opinion I think they will only carry it if they don't allow Egypt to push them into extra time that's what Egypt will do Egypt they have the gas they will want to sit back and frustrate them hit them on the counter when you are frustrated you are likely to get a red card when those cards accumulate then once you get a yellow card and maybe you are defensive midfielder you start playing more cautiously and you may not be able to do your job properly so what they need to do they need to hit Egypt first half score goal I am putting my money on Sadio Mani because he has the capability to bring that individual brilliant and if you look at Senegal they didn't start off well they have been growing as the tournament progresses progresses and you've seen if you play an open game against Senegal like what Kina Faso did then Senegal will score goals but now Egypt is not going to come to play an open game Egypt will come to lock that game wait on the counter they are very good with the crosses they have no salary so Senegal has to watch out for that big thing for Senegal is that they have got calm nerves Senegal have not been rattled so far because of experience if you look at Mani as a goalkeeper he is a good communicator he arranges his defense he communicates he talks to his players so he is a big factor behind there they have not considered many goals they have not considered many goals it's actually so funny that those two teams are the ones that have considered the least number of goals they have already considered twice so I was looking at Sadio Mani with some of his comments that he made getting into the final and there was so much that was drawn into the Iqitorio Gini game because they were somewhat struggling when it was 1-1 and the coach had to make a few changes we realized that Sadio Mani was dropping back to help the team in defense as a captain of the team I'm going to make sure that I give myself up for this team, I need to sacrifice and get myself back defensively what I've seen from Egypt has been pretty interesting because when you look at the formation it started at 4-3-3 but it's somewhat drifting to a 5-3-2 and they are really putting blocks of man in there Senegal as he mentioned they only scored one goal in the group stages and then after that they have scored eight goals in three matches I really love what they have done with the adjustments because they had COVID issues affecting the team before they didn't have the Kulibales they didn't have the Edwin Mendes now they came back into the team and there was something that I was talking to one of my friends and telling him that I've never seen Buu Laidia play as a right winger and in those first three games he was playing as a right winger and they were lacking a target man in the middle I think the return of Pamara Diedihu has worked so well for the team he plays for Alanya Spong and then you have said your man who was playing as a number 10 at that time he's not drifted to his natural left position left side position he's playing so well especially when you combine him with Papi Sise who's playing so well at that time and he's overlapping and then on the other side you've got Sa Sa Rea no the Bayern Munich guys he's playing so well on that right hand side before he was being used to the wing and I felt like he's a guy who should be in the defensive because he can combine so well now with Ismail Asaf with Bamba Dian who's now even got a goal and analysis in his first tournament in his first time that he's been colourful so those few adjustments that we've seen from Senegal they make themselves so strong having Kuiate, having Mendi and having a guy who's now been drifted forward in the PSG big one for Senegal but they are going against a seven time champion that is Egypt who knows how to play Africa cup of nations all editions Egypt has never stopped playing the best of the football and when it comes to the final they know how to play it but one thing I've got for them and that wasn't the semi-final against Cameroonis that their nafs are not good enough so the coach getting a red card the assistant getting a yellow card the pressure is getting on to them and maybe the pressure the other will be excitement because they never expected to go past maybe past the same as because everybody had drew them out they are not among the favourites and you see the excitement they are not able to calm down they are not able to settle down you find that also they have a tendency to complain a lot complain a lot falling for no good reason but I think it was justified in that game I felt like the referee was a little bit impartial he was a little bit partial in making decisions he has received a lot of backlash but I think he rose to the game because for me all the time football is physical that's what people hate to name but you see whatever I say because there have also been accusations that Cameroon has been fever through the tournament I think the best officiating that I saw here was versus Senegal he was on top of his game he deserved the final he picked Victor Gomez now the South African he is going to refer to the final but having Peter Aware who has been mentioned a lot by the way that he has been good that should be a good thing for East Africa I think the problem is when it comes to officiating selection it also comes if your team gets onto the the tournament many chances to officiate your referees can get many chances that's why we were never given a chance even I think the South African guy I think it's because of Motsepi that's why we got a chance to but if it was going to be natural selection it is going to be a referee whose team, his country was actually in the tournament but even what you said about them complaining a lot it's somewhat true because even now when you go to the news that they should have the final on Monday Monday because what I'm wondering is even if it goes on Monday they still have it because they played the day earlier not only are we going 2 days to recover they are mind games they are mind games they are just playing mind games before the tournament begins you could even see Sala laughing when the manager was getting into it exactly pushing them to a corner hit you when you least expect Egypt without the coach will it be tough for them? I don't feel like it because one of my friends when you look at that bench it's so rich of players they have played there before even Elchenai he was there he was training with the goalkeeper he is now the goalkeeping coach of Egypt and credit to Kabansky for the job he is doing so what we saw after the coach was taken to the stands the other coach was still in communication he was still communicating and you could see the man who demands lots of attention he demands respect because he pulled off a player he went off to the bench and he was sobbing alone so I feel like they have lots of quality they have around 5 men that can lead this team so I don't feel it's going to be much of a miss every time then that brings in another angle that us as Kenyans we should now have learnt from there because look at all the teams that have been there look at the involvement of former players former players in the Nigerian team former players in the Kameleon team you could see them ato coming and talking to the team you see hours we have to find a way in which we can rope in the former players remember the last afkon that we went to there were accusations that in the federation we didn't carry enough former players so we carried our other guns you see that former player when you look at the egyptian bench you look at players who have been there have won this league have won this tournament so they will come and calm you down when you expect that in the dressing room you have leaders you look at the Nigerian bench we had former players there we had former players there look at the involvement of as I stated earlier samuel eto every game he was there half time he was talking to these players he has been there he has done that you know talking of samuel eto it brought an issue that I think every player in kamerunas and a wedge bill cup is supposed to be paid a minimum amount that is the future of african football that is the future of african football and that is what I am challenging former players in this country they need to step up we just say we want to be considered no come with policies look at samuel eto he is coming as the president of the federation he is putting because he knows players have been suffering because of poor wages so I have to protect my players now once you do that you strengthen the league so under 23 under 20 you will have players who can be able to compete and players won't have that desire to go to Europe at an early age because african players some of them they run to Europe when they are still so young that they cannot now be able to blow some into into good players look at the likes of did a drug bar the likes of Sadio Mani they have come in the premier league in the early 20s and they have done so well now you find that others will rush into the premier league in the 1920s you see that's a problem you still struggling with yourself you haven't even understood yourself so you blend a lot so that one we should look at it you gotta give it to kamerun for the organization of the african football because nobody thought that kamerun was going to host this show piece under kofi there is a region I think that is in war in kamerun state but they have maintained a good tournament I think I would put it around 75% they have done a really brilliant job except the problem that they had but so far just been a good tournament even you looking at the adjustment that they made ever since I was hearing about them making sure that the fans have settled in an hour earlier before the game starts then they restrict in children they have got good security around the place that you don't have any place where you have the crowd that is it's been a brilliant job for the kamerun and that's the gesture after they had their bonuses they decided to donate it to the people that's a good gesture it's good for football and as we are saying here we didn't expect that the tournament would be this good because there was a lot of criticism about COVID, water view and everything but so far so good who is going to win it for you Senegal for you it's going to win it I'll make it interesting so that we can have something to discuss about next week next week I'll go for Egypt even though I don't feel like they're going to win it I'll go Egypt just to be opposite we will be here next week to talk about who is going to win that final we've got Erica Ganya here some guitarist going for Egypt for me I'm waiting for the one who's going to win it because I put my money on Senegal in 2019 I don't want to cry again winning the first Afghans is the hardest job and this has to be the time as you said those weeks ago you talked about them being the golden generation it's said that now and never this is the moment they need to seize it and the table is still on earlier it doesn't win it again one of the best coaches Africa has produced former play of Senegal captain in 2002 getting them to the final of that tournament and now as the coaches got them to two finals 2019 and now again as Egypt in 2020 who are going to win it we'll be giving all the highlights on Monday but we'll be here next week on the touchline to talk about how that final has gone it is the touchline I'm Ropa Rosoro enjoy the rest of your viewing