Preparing to fail
Failure to prepare is preparing to fail. The delays by FAM to have the Flames in camp in good time in preparation for today’s crucial Afcon 2015 qualifier match against Mali, is the case in point.
The reasons given for delays to start camp training have been, to say the least, unsatisfactory. Whispers from those in the know indicated FAM had accumulated enough money since the Algerian game to host the home match against Mali without relying on outside help.
They collected huge sums through gate collections, sale of TV rights and jersey merchandise. Not to mention revenue from today’s match TV rights, which is live on SuperSport 3, the main football channel.
However, despite reportedly raking in these financial gains, FAM has been whining like a cry baby for financial support from government. FAM went as far as threatening to abandon the remaining matches in the qualifiers.
Don’t feed us that crap about owning everyone in town. It is not like the association knew about the debts yesterday!
Ironically, they went into camp without government support. The question is why did they not think about that alternative all this time. After wasting precious time, they decided to go into camp anyway. So, what has FAM gained from whining?
For me, FAM has just succeeded in demoralising the players as they go into the match, making them believe they did not have enough preparations, something that could have irreparable damage on their psyche during the match.
This incident has also succeeded in giving FAM a perfect scapegoat should they lose this afternoon as they will easily say we did not prepare properly due to financial constraints. So, it is like FAM has set the stage for the Flames to fail justifiably. How clever!
Don’t say I am not patriotic because being loyal doesn’t necessarily mean one should not question decisions which are taking us four steps backward every time.
By the way, don’t you think it is time FAM’s marketing ventures went beyond running a bar at Chiwembe?
It would appear FAM’s ineptness at organising the game of football is not an isolated case, but a malaise inherited from mother body CAF which after 57 years is failing to find a venue for the 2015 tournament.
Morocco wants the tournament postponed to 2016 for fear of Ebola and CAF on the other hand wants the tournament to go ahead as planned from the January 17 to February 8 at a different venue yet to be announced.
CAF’s president Issa Hayatou argues that postponing the tournament would damage the reputation of his confederation and render the tournament to ridicule.
Possible new hosts now include Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Gabon and interestingly Qatar.
It will be interesting to see whether CAF’s next decision will not taint the reputation of the tournament and that of the association itself.
