Africa Cup of Nations 2008 - Top 10 players to watch

We all know about Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o and Michael Essien, but there are more than three players worth watching at the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts on 20th January. Courtesy of the good people from World Cup Blog (who'll be covering the tournament in depth), here’s a quick run-down of 10 players worth keeping your eye on once the tournament kicks off this Sunday:

1. Pascal Feindouno (Guinea)
The St. Etienne playmaker is outrageously creative and has the sort of shot that should require a license for his right foot. He’s also unhappy right now playing in a St. Etienne team who are, quite frankly, pants. So any Premiership managers looking to add a Jay-Jay Okocha-like spark to their midfield could do a lot worse than Feindouno. Get an eyeful of his right peg in these first two goals.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xk6Xxnc7-y4&eurl


2. Abdul Kader Keïta (Ivory Coast)
Ever wondered how Lyon manage to dominate Ligue 1, even while continuously selling off their best players every year? The simple answer is that they use money from the sale of big name players to buy up other fine Ligue 1 talent, which is how they acquired Kader Keïta from Lille recently. The tall, pacey right winger loves to roast a full-back and get amongst the goals, a bit like an African Cristiano Ronaldo.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BPZM_8eIXG0&eur


3. Yassine Chikhaoui (Tunisia)
The 21-year-old attacking mid/striker is already earning comparisons to a certain Zinedine Zidane. He’s begun life at FC Zurich with seven goals in 16 games, which has attracted scouts from the standard big European clubs (Bayern, Ajax, etc.) Here's a sneak preview of what the scouts will be seeing over the next few weeks.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=T_TnHxTLThQ&eurl


4. Amine Chermiti (Tunisia)
Tunisia’s other big hope is this 19-year-old Étoile du Sahel striker. The fiery young man is suspended for the first two African Cup of Nations games, but should still have time to make a huge impact at the tournament. Check out the determination and skill involved in this goal from the recent Club World Cup third place-playoff.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3ruvy_chermitigol_sport


5. André “Dede” Ayew (Ghana)
The 18-year-old Ghanaian left mid is currently with Marseille, but rumour has it Arsene Wenger is negotiating to sign Ayew as you read this. There’s no doubting the young fella’s pedigree, his dad is none other then greatest African player of all time Abédi Pelé. Unortunately there’s no footage of Dede available on the web, but if he’s got even half the talent of his pops (see video) then he’s going to be one hell of a player.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uMcrFsspFeA&eur


6. Marouane Chamakh (Morocco)
The 6’3”, 23-year-old striker is already a dangerman in Ligue 1 with Bordeaux. His combination of physical presence, aerial threat, assured technique and nose for goal could easily see him dubbed “the Moroccan Peter Crouch,” if only Chamakh wasn’t already twice as good.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=O-lJz_XYLa0&eur
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=W-WyvogJWhM&eurl

7. Ahmed Hassan (Egypt)
The Pharaohs’ captain and the 2006 African Cup of Nations player of the tournament currently plays for Anderlecht in Belgium, but the attacking mid/right winger possesses the kind of skills that could come in handy anywhere. I’d personally pay good money to see Ashley Cole desperately trying to take the ball off Hassan.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cnhqvEOXGag&eurl


8. Mamadou Niang (Senegal)
The Premier League already has two Senegalese strikers in El-Hadji Diouf and Henri Camara, but there's plenty more where that came from. Niang has been on fire (not literally, he’s just been scoring a lot) for Marseille in Ligue 1 and will expect to keep scoring in Ghana.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iE20L9GOqeY&eurl


9. Manucho Gonçalves (Angola)
Manchester United have already signed this 6’2” striker from his Angolan club and are just waiting on a work permit (which could go either way.) Fergie seems to think Manucho is the sort of big center forward that will offer him an alternative to the little and little pairing of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez. Here’s a little taste of what Fergie saw in him.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YeoOqNaJlYc&eurl


10. Seydou Keita (Mali)
All-action 27-year-old central midfielder playing for Sevilla in La Liga. Arsenal fans may remember him scoring against the Gunners in the Champions League this season, but Real Madrid fans will doubtless remember Keita scoring this wonder striker against their team.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=COFSHLaG8qE&eurl

Tarik Sektiou

Batman wrote:We all know about Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o and Michael Essien, but there are more than three players worth watching at the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts on 20th January. Courtesy of the good people from World Cup Blog (who'll be covering the tournament in depth), here’s a quick run-down of 10 players worth keeping your eye on once the tournament kicks off this Sunday:

1. Pascal Feindouno (Guinea)
The St. Etienne playmaker is outrageously creative and has the sort of shot that should require a license for his right foot. He’s also unhappy right now playing in a St. Etienne team who are, quite frankly, pants. So any Premiership managers looking to add a Jay-Jay Okocha-like spark to their midfield could do a lot worse than Feindouno. Get an eyeful of his right peg in these first two goals.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xk6Xxnc7-y4&eurl

Im a fan. I'm looking forward to his battle against Essien tonight.

Yassine Chikhaoui; Ajax must sign him ASAP.

Black Magic wrote:

Batman wrote:We all know about Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o and Michael Essien, but there are more than three players worth watching at the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts on 20th January. Courtesy of the good people from World Cup Blog (who'll be covering the tournament in depth), here’s a quick run-down of 10 players worth keeping your eye on once the tournament kicks off this Sunday:

1. Pascal Feindouno (Guinea)
The St. Etienne playmaker is outrageously creative and has the sort of shot that should require a license for his right foot. He’s also unhappy right now playing in a St. Etienne team who are, quite frankly, pants. So any Premiership managers looking to add a Jay-Jay Okocha-like spark to their midfield could do a lot worse than Feindouno. Get an eyeful of his right peg in these first two goals.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xk6Xxnc7-y4&eurl

Im a fan. I'm looking forward to his battle against Essien tonight.

I think Manucho name is there because of SAF signed him , he's a surprise to many people otherwise he wont have been mentioned.
Looking forward to see him playing though.

Another player I want to see is Gyan of Udinese.

Gyan is an interesting player but like most Ghanaian forwards, he cannot finish for toffee...

Got potential creative forward , most African strikers are bad finishers it seems except for the some like Etoo or Drog but they are not clinical finishers like some of European counterparts like RVN or Toni etc.

Batman wrote:8. Mamadou Niang (Senegal)
The Premier League already has two Senegalese strikers in El-Hadji Diouf and Henri Camara, but there's plenty more where that came from. Niang has been on fire (not literally, he’s just been scoring a lot) for Marseille in Ligue 1 and will expect to keep scoring in Ghana.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iE20L9GOqeY&eurl

Very impressed by him when he played for Marseille vs. Liverpool at Anfield. His pace and strength caused them so many problems. He reminded me of Djibril Cisse, who didn't play that night. Those two together must be a real force in French football.

Ivory Coast vs. Nigeria today.

What channel are the games on please?

They are on BBC interactive and are on Eurosport as well.

Nice one mate what type is the Nigeria-Ivory Coast game?

Nigeria v Ivory Coast is on at 5. The matches aren't scheduled on the tv listings for the main BBC channels but about fifteen minutes before kick off the option appears to watch the match via the red button/BBCi.

Sheffield gunner wrote:Nigeria v Ivory Coast is on at 5. The matches aren't scheduled on the tv listings for the main BBC channels but about fifteen minutes before kick off the option appears to watch the match via the red button/BBCi.

11. Chris Katongo (Zambia)
The best finisher in Africa outside Drogba and Eto.
12. Teko Modise (South Africa)
A very good playmaker.

rza wrote:11. Chris Katongo (Zambia)
The best finisher in Africa outside Drogba and Eto.
12. Teko Modise (South Africa)
A very good playmaker.

I have been very impressed whenever he plays. he just doesnt get enough chances but i expect that when he does he will be bought by a foreign club.

Cesc wrote:

Batman wrote:8. Mamadou Niang (Senegal)
The Premier League already has two Senegalese strikers in El-Hadji Diouf and Henri Camara, but there's plenty more where that came from. Niang has been on fire (not literally, he’s just been scoring a lot) for Marseille in Ligue 1 and will expect to keep scoring in Ghana.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iE20L9GOqeY&eurl

Very impressed by him when he played for Marseille vs. Liverpool at Anfield. His pace and strength caused them so many problems. He reminded me of Djibril Cisse, who didn't play that night. Those two together must be a real force in French football.

Ivory Coast vs. Nigeria today.

Not, the problem is that they can't play together, big problem indeed. Both have the same style and have to play alone in front three midfielders. The funny thing with Marseille is that when they put the two players together neither of them will score and when Niang played alone he scored lots of goals and Cisse was on the bench doing nothing. Now that Niang has gone to the ANC, Cisse has already scored 3 goals in two games. LOL.

Achille Emana (Cameroon - Toulouse) : Essien's like
Jean II Makoun (Cameroon - Lille)

We should probably add: Zidan (Egypt - HSV) to that list.

Zidan could become the first player to win the European Championships AND the African Cup of Nations. What a player.

Napoléon wrote:
Jean II Makoun (Cameroon - Lille)

I've been banging on about Makoun for three years. Outstanding player - signed him for Spurs when I played as them on FIFA...

Who is Zidan currently plying his trade for?

HSV?

Lee Dickson wrote:HSV?

This will probably be used as a window for all the talented players aspiring for a bigger European club.

Protheus wrote:Tarik Sektiou

Though it was only Namibia. Great goal against marseille in the CL though.

Got 20 odd goals for them.
Bremen sold him too early.

His partner was also impressive what is his name.

You talking about Zidan?

yes. he was scored well for 20 odd goals for Mainz , Bremen sold him too early.

I thought he was a playmaker type. If so that is still pretty darn impressive!

Thats a bit misleading he scored 13 in one season and 9 in another (if I remember correctly ) firstly he was on loan and the other season he was sold to them , this season HSV bought him , he got 9 in 25 odd apperance (on loan) then 13 in 15 odd if I remeber correctly.
Random figures these just of the top of my head , yes he is a Mutu type forward.