HUMAN POACHING

HUMAN POACHING

They are at it again. Project test it and fix it. It has gone for long that people think it is the best route to take. Munir El Haddadi is the latest culprit. I am talking about naturalization of football players. This guy is only 18 years and Spain want to give him a call up so that he may not be able to represent Morocco in the future.  He just broke in the first team of Barcelona from La Masia this season scoring a goal in the process.

I have thought hard about this plague and the more I try to justify it the more my conscious rebels. Tunisia tried with Dos Santos from Brazil and won Africa Cup of Nations. Equatorial Guinea was at it again in 2012 Afcon to disastrous end.

Many would try to argue for this scum saying that some footballers do it for economic reasons while some to get a chance to represent a country internationally. Adebayor can be said to represent the latter. He is Nigerian for those who are not aware. Razak Omotoyosi is a Nigerian representing Benin. Nigeria is blessed with a pool of talent that to be noticed it takes more than talent.

It hurts when African teams fail at the World Cup while the stars who would have represented them star for European countries. France comes to mind when you talk of naturalization of footballers. There was a time when the French squad had only four players born of naturally France citizens. France has made a haven for players from her former colonies. Talk of Senegal as the worst affected. This is followed by Algeria, Cameroon and Guinea.

Pogba has his two elder brothers representing their country Guinea. Benzema, Samir Nasri, Varane and Zinedine are some of the talents to have come from Algeria. Senegal makes almost a half of France football team. Talk of Evra, Sissoko, Sakho, Diara, Sagna. I can go on and on. Steve Mandanda is from DR Congo.

France set a bad precedent that other European countries have followed suit. Germany had Gerald Asamoah from Ghana. Now they have Sami Khedira from Tunisia not to mention Jerome from Ghana and Sidney Sam from Nigeria. In Africa your paternal side determines your identity just to clarify on Boateng’s case. His father is Ghanaian.

Belgium is now rivaling France. Romelu Lukaku, Fellaini, Kompany, Origi and the rest justify my statement. Netherlands are also in the mix. Depay is Ghanaian, Boneventure Kalou brother to Salomon Kalou was a Dutch international and the rest. England has Agbonlahor, Carlton Cole from Nigeria, Welbeck from Ghana, Sturridge and Sterling from Jamaica and others. Balotelli of Italy is from Ghana and Angelo Ogbonna of Italy is from Nigeria.

Will this trend stop or is this just the beginning? I know these players are scared of disorganization and corruption that is football management in Africa but it kills to see your own elevating a foreign country especially when it is against their own countries. 

Football has made this look so legitimate that Athletics has also followed suit. Kenya is feeling the pinch of such defections and sooner than soon Africa will be depleted of her top talents.

FIFA has to make the rules so stringent that only very minimal number of footballers can be naturalized. Africa is reeling from this phenomenon. I cannot help but feel for Senegal. Their football team is underperforming while her biggest talents continuously put France on the world football map.