South Africa (Hosts)
[/center]Key Player: Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs) - It was difficult to imagine Tsbabalala not coming to Europe after he scored South Africa’s first goal at the World Cup with a cracking strike and even better goal celebration. He’s always able to do something special. Keep an eye out for Ajax midfielder Thulani Serero who is expected to be the replacement for Pienaar.
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[/center]City Connection(s): Colin Viljoen – Johannesburg born midfielder who made 27 appearances for City(78-80) and was capped twice by England.
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[/center]Premier League Notables: Phil Masinga, Lucas Radebe and Mark Fish had graced the Premier League Of 12 South African’s who have played in the Premier League Steven Pienaar and Benny McCarthy have made the biggest impact.
Banned from the first ever African Cup of Nations because of Apartheid this is their 8th visit to the tournament having won the only the competition once in 1996. Bafana Bafana will be without Steven Pienaar at the ACN has he retired from international football just before Christmas.
The hosts will be under pressure to win the competition after failing to get out of the group stage two years ago and win over sceptical fans.
[center]Angola
[/center]Key Player: Manucho (Real Valladolid) – Scored twice against Zimbabwe to cement his status as leading striker in the team and will be solid if not spectacular. Real question is why Taggart paid £1m for him to make one appearance under him.
City Connection(s): none
Premier League Notables: Manucho remains the only Angolan to have ‘played football’ in the Premier League.
Angola have a team made up mostly of domestically based players, their league ended in November (Recreativo Libolo won it by 9 points in case you are wondering) so their fitness qill be in question.
[center]Morocco
[/center]Key Player
Younes Belhanda (Montpellier) – Chosen as the best young player in Ligue 1 as he was the catalyst in Montpellier’s first ever title winning team. Belhanda has been linked with a host of Europe’s biggest clubs and potentially one of the best players to be appearing at the ACN.
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[/center]City Connection(s): none
Premier League Notables: 13 Moroccans have played or currently play in the Premier League. Marouane Chamakh and Adel Taarabt would be the biggest names to have played but back in the mid 90s there was a brief influx as Youssef Chippo and Mustapha Hadji joined Coventry City and Hassan Kachloul joined Southampton. Both teams were relegated shortly after.
Previously winners in 1976; the favourites in 2012 crashed out in the groups. I’ll be backing them after spending my holiday there in November spending a week switching between Champions League, Spanish, Premier League and Moroccan domestic football.
[center]Cape Verde
[/center]Key Player: Ryan Mendes (Lille) – A fast striker, considered the best player in Ligue 2 over the last 3 years whilst at Le Havre and has adjusted to Ligue 1.
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City Connection(s): Gelson Fernandes – Gelson, born in Cape Verde Islands and moved to Switzerland aged 5, is a Swiss international who arrived at City as Sven Goran Eriksson’s second transfer in 2008. The announcement made whilst City were at Doncaster for the first pre-season game of the summer and the SS breaking news had the pub say in unison ‘WHO?’. Most remembered for scoring the 2nd goal at Newcastle in a 2-0 win.
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[/center]Premier League Notables: Pélé (no…not that one) played 24 times for West Bromwich Albion.
The smallest nation to ever qualify for the CAN (population half a million) but beat Cameroon to do so but will still be the unknown quantity, ok most unknown quantity at the ACN. I fancy them to upset South Africa in the opening game.
Group B later... (apologies the photos are so large)
