In my part of the world it is an unwritten code that any notable achievements must be attributable to some unforeseen forces. No wonder the astonishing success of Zambia in winning the just ended AFCON 2012 is being credited to the spirits of the Zambian national team players who perished in an air crash in Gabon in 1993.

If you come to think of it that the cup final between Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire was played a few kilometres from the scene of that terrible air disaster then the ‘believers’ may have a point.

The Zambians also made a meal of it by laying wreaths at the site of the disaster and displaying posters telling the world they were taking inspiration from their departed brothers. May be this gave them a psychological boost because the fighting spirit they displayed in dismissing the so called pre-tournament favourites- Senegal, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire was simply amazing.

Much more amazing was the manner both their opponents in the semi-final and final, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire both missed crucial penalty kicks taken by their best strikers, Asamoah Gyan and Didier Drogba respectively. Some call it African magic but for you know it could be sheer coincidence.

On a more serious note I believe sincerely that it is good for football that major championship titles are spreading to hitherto ‘unknown’ places. Zambia winning the Africa Cup for the first time following Spain’s example of snatching the FIFA World Cup also for the first time should be happy news for FIFA boss Sepp Blatter’s often trumpeted expansion programme

The reality is that the so called big names in Africa football have been given a rude awakening and they would have to restrategise for the upcoming crowded fixtures for both the 2013 tournament and the 2014 World Cup preliminaries.

It is hoped Euro 12 will also provide such exciting shocks and thrills. It is my wish that England, the home of the game will quickly sort out their managerial and captainship issues and put up a more credible performance in Euro 12 than what we saw at the World Cup in South Africa.

Unlike England, my country Ghana does not put too much premium on public pronouncements by either the manager or captain.

Coach Goran Stevanovic told the world before the start of AFCON he would quit if Ghana did not win the Cup.  He appears to have shifted grounds. He now says it’s time to think and he is most likely to be left off the hook.

Who captains the team in Ghana is also no big deal at all. Just count the number who captained the team in the ill-fated AFCON 12.   I hope you will get the figure right.

Cheers everybody and keep loving sports

FROM THE ARCHIVES

April 5th 1994: Nigeria beat Cote d’Ivoire 6-4 on penalties in the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunis. In the other semi-final, Zambia beat Mali 4-0.