Goal Nigeria celebrate the continent's most impressive quartet of national sides over the last 12 months
While Nigeria endured a year to forget in 2014, various other African nations have enjoyed successes that they can look back on with pride.
In this feature, we celebrate the performances and the progression of four of the continent’s most impressive national teams, and explore how and why things have gone right for them this year.
The changing reaction to Cape Verde’s successes is testament to how quickly and convincingly they’ve improved.
Back in 2012, when the Tubaroes Azuis secured their first Cup of Nations qualification by beating Cameroon, it was celebrated as one of the greatest giant killings in the history of the African game.
In 2014, however, when they advanced to the tournament proper after cruising through qualification Group F, few people batted an eyelid.
Such is the conviction of their togetherness and the pride in their identity, that Cape Verde have transformed from being rank outsiders to ‘belonging’ at the continental top table.
The islanders were the first nation to confirm their presence at the Afcon (even ahead of hosts Equatorial Guinea) and will travel to the tournament confident of escaping from Group B.
Rui Aguas is so secure in his options that he can afford to travel to the Cup of Nations without players such as Braga’s Ze Luis and Dordrecht’s Josimar Lima.
No one will be welcoming Cape Verde with the ‘minnows’ tag any longer!
Gordon Igesund’s unhappy time in charge of the national side came to an end in the middle of 2014 when the South African federation opted not to renew the coach’s contract.
I believe that the former Moroka Swallows boss didn’t do as badly as some like to make out, but it’s fair to say that he left Bafana in a fairly muddled state.
There were few guarantees that incoming boss Shakes Mashaba would be able to pull the disparate threads of the national side together and ensure that the former African champions qualified for the 2015 Cup of Nations.
Gordon Igesund’s unhappy time in charge of the national side came to an end in the middle of 2014 when the South African federation opted not to renew the coach’s contract.
I believe that the former Moroka Swallows boss didn’t do as badly as some like to make out, but it’s fair to say that he left Bafana in a fairly muddled state.
There were few guarantees that incoming boss Shakes Mashaba would be able to pull the disparate threads of the national side together and ensure that the former African champions qualified for the 2015 Cup of Nations.
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