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Guess who represents Ethiopia @ the 26th nation’s cup final opening ceremony?

Though only sixteen of Africa’s best soccer nations came together for the 26th African Nation’s Cup Final in the host nation Ghana, representatives of all member federations of the continent’s soccer governing body (CAF) gathered in the West African capital for the big fiesta. Since the nation’s cup final is the biggest sports event of the continent, it is an honor for those who represent their respective nations.
To that accord can you guess who represented Ethiopia? Sure you can guess but no way to guess correct. Any ways according to the weekly “Ethio Channel” newspaper the former Ethiopian football federation president the good old bold Dr Asheber W/Giorgis represented Ethiopia as guest of honor at the occasion. Dr Asheber reported to travel to Ghana-Accra to rub shoulders with his former fellow federation officials despite his sacking from office recently.
With the story that the new EFF executive body has not yet received the official stamp during office hand over last week, Dr Asheber once again got the chance to exercise some privilege as the federation head.
Asked what does this mean from the EFF rule and regulation point of view, a member of the newly elected EFF executive body said it means nothing except an ideal show case to the former president’s personality.   

SPORT COMMENTARY

Andy Gray looks back on Kevin Keegan’s famous Fergie rant

Another mad week on Tyneside - only Geordies can whip up this kind of excitement and fanaticism with the surprise return of their King Kev. But if you were to read between the lines at the start of the week, certainly after Harry Redknapp turned the job down, Mike Ashley had to give the supporters something to lift them.
And there were two major candidates for that in the Toon Army’s eyes: Alan Shearer, Kevin Keegan, or both. When the club were saying they wanted someone with experience that pretty much ruled out Shearer and then left the way clear for Kevin to come back in.
So in that respect I wasn’t surprised that they went for Kevin as that’s what the fans wanted, but giving the fans what they want isn’t always the best thing. A lot has been said and written about Keegan having to adjust to life back in the big time, but I don’t agree that he is ‘yesterday’s man’ - the lad’s 56, he’s still a young man! He’s only been out of the game three years and the Premier League hasn’t changed as much in that time as some make out.
Difficult
In saying that, the job description that he’s got at Newcastle is different to when he took charge for the first time and I just think that he’s going to find it much more difficult than he did last time around. He had nothing to lose when he took charge in 1992 as the team were rock-bottom and looked like they were going to be relegated from the old second division.
But he got the wheels in motion, got them on a roll, they survived the drop and were promoted to the Premier League the following season. As we saw with Roy Keane at Sunderland last season, you can do that if you get the right bandwagon rolling. But what Kevin did was keep that going when he got Newcastle back to the top flight.
So from that respect, he hasn’t got as much to do in terms of turning things around as Newcastle are in the top half of the Premier League. But the fans want success so he will have to hit the ground running. It’s a lot more difficult to get players in and make a team click in the Premier League than it is in the second tier.
He is inheriting a decent squad, with players like Michael Owen, Shay Given, Damien Duff, James Milner, there’s a lot of good players at the club, but they’ve had good players for a while and they haven’t been able to prosper and be successful. But Kevin will go in there and give them a different mind-frame. He’ll be positive and up-beat and will try to get them playing with a freedom that they haven’t been playing with.
Whether that’s going to be good enough, plus whoever Kevin brings in of course, to turn it round we’ll have to wait and see.
I hope he does well - I really do - because he’s good for the game.
But we’ve seen him walk away from England and from Fulham. He didn’t make it at Man City at all, so there are some doubts there. All in all, it is a gamble - but when you bring any manager in it’s a gamble.

Emmanuel Adebayor crowned
BBC best player of Africa

The Arsenal and Togo international striker Emmanuel Adebayor voted BBC best African player of season relegating Ghanaian international Michael Essein to third place. The 26 years old Adebayor not only managed to produce 15 premier league goals to help the Gunners rub shoulder with the season’s hottest title favorite Manchester United on top 0f the table but help Arsenal worshippers forget the club’s all time top scorer legendary Thierry Daniel Henry.
Tall fast and tenacious when hounding balls in opposite side dangerous territory Adebayor is currently Arsenals number one striker and the most valuable players second only to Cesk Fabregas. Following the more than three months voting of the season’s best African footballer Adebayor claimed the honor collecting 42 % of the vote counting.  Though he failed to help his country Togo to qualify for the 26th African Cup of nations final he ended up as the best export of the continent Africa followed by Ivory Coast soccer giant Didier Drogba second and Essein third. “Had Togo booked a place at the ongoing African cup of nations Arsenal would have been in miserable shape” remarked an Arsenal fan who is hundred percent sure of winning the title. “Yes United might have the best collection. But coming in to collective entertaining football no club matches Arsenal” said Admassu an ardent Gunner.
Chelsea strikes force Didier Drogba finished second for he is currently absent from the squad due to injury followed by journey to African soccer cup final. The reigning CAF African best player of the year Drogba has vowed to help Ivory Coast win the 26th nation’s cup final. Drogba appeared unsettled following the departure of his mentor Jose Maurinho and the rumors is that he is to turn his back on the Blues sooner.
Last season BBC African player of the season Essein stood third for many considered his role as Chelsea savior goes down since mid season last year. Focused in helping his country Ghana win the title Essein is one of the tournaments favorite players to crown best of the tournament.

African number one Nigeria on verge of elimination
Elephants book quarter final spot

So far in the ongoing African Cup of Nation’s 26th edition soccer cup final, two incidents stood taller than any event in the tournament. Those are Cameroon’s 4-2 opening defeat at the hands of defending champion Egypt and Nigeria’s opening match defeat followed by a goalless draw against Mali.
The host’s Ghana still couldn’t display their best despite winning two matches. A gasping last minute winner against Guinea at the tournament opening match then a goal to nil victory over group underdogs Namibia is sure to go through to the quarter final but hardly a side to depend on.
The hottest favorite to the title once a win over African number one Nigeria, appear the only side with a solid squad at all places. Led by world is most feared striker Didier Drogba the Elephants have lots of talents to the envy of others. Zokora and Yaya Toure at the center of the mid field the rock of Arsenal defense line Kolo Toure at full command a second title seems inevitable. With the 4-1 win over minnows Benin, Ivory Coast is expected to field second stringers to the final group match against Mali.
Nigeria must be the tournaments most disappointing side so far. German coach Berti Vogts already under pressure is surely to pack home earlier if the Super Eagles land in mud at the final group match on Tuesday against the tournament’s first to go home Benin. No goal in two matches yet a number of fearsome strikers from Europ, Nigeria is at the verge of elimination obviously the most humiliating in the nation’s soccer history.
The Indomitable Lions disappointing group opening match might help them rise in stronger ambition to their fifth title. The 3-0 first half lead that climaxed 4-2 thanks to Samuel Eto’s double strike, Egypt under head coach Fatih Tarim turned history up side down, formerly the Pharaohs couldn’t win a match against West African nations at home. It is the first time the Lions were seen frightened and in disarray. Zambia even with a 3-0 group opening match victory over Sudan are both likely goners from the group with Egypt and Cameroon qualifying to the knock out stage. The only East African representative Sudan’s appearance after three decades absence from the stage has been a disappointment.
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Senegal v Angola, D, 17:00
Tunisia v South Africa, D, 19:30
Monday, 28 January 2008
Ghana v Morocco, A, 17:00
Guinea v Namibia, A, 17:00
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Ivory Coast v Mali, B, 17:00
Nigeria v Benin, B, 17:00
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Cameroon v Sudan, C, 17:00
Egypt v Zambia, C, 17:00
Thursday, 31 January 2008
Senegal v South Africa, D, 17:00
Tunisia v Angola, D, 17:00