National Team Eritrea
By Solomon David
Recent defections of talented Eritrean football players have weakened the nation’s capability to compete in one of the greatest games of our planet. Being a long time football fanatic my heart bleeds for the strongest symbol of nationhood, the Squad. All the hype around cycling overtaking football as Eritrea’s number one national sport makes me struggle with depression.
With the World Cup 2014 less than seven months away, we need talk about the Eritrean team or what’s left of it. After a good performance of Ethiopia’s side, who failed to qualify for the world stage, it’s now on us the Eritreans to show the world who we are with a come back.
I mean come back in the literal sense of the word; the nation needs its people to return from exile young or old, opposition or pro-government it doesn’t matter. We have to unite and bring change to our beloved Eritrea with people in our mind instead of ideology or power. Watching Eritreans die on their perilous journey, seeking freedom and opportunity, more than two decades after independence is unacceptable and inexcusable. As long as we do not take the time to read and understand ourselves, speak out against injustice and forgive for the sake of rightness, unity and freedom we won’t overcome our current dilemma.
In his interview with Eritrean website assenna Wedi Tikabo said: “I am no longer going to be kicked back and forth in political football”. He spoke out what the majority of Eritreans want; unity and freedom for the people within and beyond the borders of the Promised Land.
What really pisses me off is that all this politics doesn’t stop there. “Holy moly” nothing is sacred anymore, it won’t even leave the big game untouched.
In 2009 twelve members of the national team disappeared in Kenya and sought asylum there during a regional tournament. After being knocked out in the first round of Cefaca against Rwanda in November 2011, the Red Sea Camels did not return home from Tanzania. What must have been by then the B or C team was beaten in the 2012 Cecafa Cup twice (against Malawi and Rwanda) by a draw against non FIFA-Member Zansibar and never made it back home from Uganda. The last Victory was almost 4 years ago (3-1 vs. Somalia).
We are placed 195th in the FIFA COCA-COLA World Cup Ranking, behind countries like Montserrat, Vanatu and Timor-Leste. But are we really that bad?
The answer is no. Eritrea always had great players, nine of the final squad in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 1962 were Eritreans. We have managed draws against Cameroon, Nigeria in the early 2000.
Eritrea was surprising in the AFCON 2008 qualifiers when we have beaten Kenya twice and had a last minute draw against Angola, who participated 2 years earlier in the World Cup 2006, the biggest tournament in the world. We qualified for the U17 Africa cup 2007 in Togo and had played against 5-time U17- world cup champion Nigeria.
But why do we not see a progress in Eritrean football? The answer is simple; “The defections”. All in all it is now the 7th time that the Eritrean National Team has defected during international tournaments abroad. What’s to be done, when a team shows signs of progress on the one hand and, on the other hand takes the next great opportunity to defect.
Some say, we need Eritrea based foreign players.
Henok Goitom, super star of AIK sweden league. He had scored against Italian powerhouse Inter Milan, and is known for his fantastic goals. He has scored over 50 goals in his career in top Leagues like Seria A, Primera Divison. Golgol Mebrahtu, Striker of Melborne Hearts in Australia, he had scored cracking goals. Hanne Hagary, Striker of FC Lisse, 3rd Holland Divison.
All of these players have performed for their expat national U21 teams, Sweden, Holland, and Australia but did never play for the national A teams. Other more low profile Eritrean stars play for teams Latvia, Canada, USA, Germany and England. Why can’t they play for Eritrea’s national team? The call would be on Daniel Yohannes E.N.F.F. Technical Director and Tesfaye Gebreyesus President of the Federation to make them join the Eritrean squad. With such players I am sure we could qualify for (AFCON) 2015 in Morocco.
Can this be the solution for Eritrean football in the long run? Or do we have to go back and tackle the problem from the root cause, which is of political and socio-economic nature?
I leave it here to the public opinion to judge.
(Re-edited: Nov 24, 2013)
November 23, 2013 at 11:16 pm
Did your website defect too?
November 24, 2013 at 3:39 am
LOL..i was thinking the same thing before I read your comment.
November 24, 2013 at 3:47 am
It is not only football players. Doctors. Every body is running away. Lets through dictator
November 24, 2013 at 8:21 am
Deprived from what you love most and forced to support the national team of your host country.
November 24, 2013 at 10:19 am
I do not understand how you don’t see the forest from the trees?
Football in Eritrea it is not at all a political issue, but organizational one.
For me at least, Eritrean players are genetic the best to be moulded
tactically, wether or not they have domestic or international experience.
I have some questions that will ask you to answer:
-How we beaten Kenya in Nairobi with local players only, while they lined up a team with most foreign based players in Europe?
-How U17 eliminated Libya, Egypt, and Zambia with youth players without any internal experience, and how two of them were part of Africa All Stars for Meridian Cup 2007?
-How during my spell as Eritrea coach, same national team “A” with the same players, but without me in charge lost 1-4 in Yemen and 1-6 in Angola?
-Did you know the amount of bonuses we received from the president for qualifying at Togo final tournament?
-Did you know that on July 2007 Eritrea climbed up to 121 on the FIFA Ranking?
If you really want that Eritrea national teams to have best conditions for training and games, you should open a bank account where all willing Eritreans worldwide to help fund these teams!
November 24, 2013 at 10:55 am
Dorian, you said it yourself - Bank Account. In a free and dynamic society money from private investment and Millions of Eritreans secured by rule of law would flood the country. Believe me it all goes back to the same fundamental element; FREEDOM and POLICIES!
November 25, 2013 at 10:29 pm
Very strong explained Dorian Marin! very good comment and a good idea of how to finance this national team untill Eritrea gets in a better financial situation!
November 24, 2013 at 6:11 pm
I been wondering the same thing too, usually Eritrean players are naturally talented when it comes to football but the last few years its almost been normal for any eritrean player to abandon but let’s ask ourselves a question we all know current political situation in Eritrea have affect on our players but why its so easy for eritrean player to accept his asylum? how come this guys make it to Australia and USA with in few years with all their expense paid? and why not those guys stand against the government or join the opposition groups once their reach to their destination? For me this not more than opportunity for a better life and this can be fixed if we give them enough mentally and financially supports as we do for our cycling team
November 24, 2013 at 7:50 pm
Dorian with the admiration that is owed to you and your accomplishments for eritrean football as a foreign coach. You have to understand the Eritrean people have been deprived of their liberty and are divided.
November 25, 2013 at 9:53 am
reconciliation and political dialogue needed not hardliners
November 25, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Samguru,
The role of football and sport in generally is to bring people together regardless of political and economic nuances. I lived and worked in many countries, some even rich and with high standards, but nowhere I met people enjoying life with such a happiness as in Eritrea!
November 25, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Dorian Marin
You are a great teacher of allowing the ballsndoing the talking. Don’t let detractors dent that confidence you have on our people and leadership. We have been victimsnof organized campaigns to rid of our best of best youth, we shall over come it, an doodisbly welcome you all back for a re union.
November 25, 2013 at 7:41 pm
Dear Dorian Marin,
Thank you for being truthful and setting the record straight. You have nailed with your statement ” Football in Eritrea it is not at all a political issue, but organizational one” however, for people like the author of this article who cannot help it but politicize anything and everything about Eritrea, all they can think of is negative only, so not that you asked for it but, I would like to give a friendly advice not to waste your precious time with people who suffer from inferiority complex to Ethiopia as the following sentence above shows, “After a good performance of Ethiopia’s side, who failed to qualify for the world stage, it’s now on us the Eritreans to show the world who we are with a come back.”
November 25, 2013 at 8:36 pm
typical pfdj defamation. football is a competition you compare with archrivals. the author is asking for forgiveness and unity. tikabo is not pfdj he is ERITRAWI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6XnPnbsoJ8&feature=player_embedded
November 25, 2013 at 10:46 pm
I have seen Eritrea play the opening match against Tanzania (1-0 victory) and Sudan (1-1) at the CECAFA Tournament in Eritrea 2010! I was amazed of their skills and they made it untill the final where they scored a goal in the 120th minute (1-1). They lost the penalty shoot out but they could have won it. They were that close! We definilty have potention. The only thing missing is being physically strong en shooting hard from distance (outside the keeper area).
It is definitly a financial and organizational thing and not a political. And yes Eritrea should be able to reach Africa Cup 2015 or 2017!
November 25, 2013 at 11:09 pm
@yegermenalo, what are you saying pfdj is not eritreawi!!!!
November 28, 2013 at 1:36 am
the problem is dictator.in Eritrea there is no government. No constution, no law. When you have democracy, people they are not going to run away.
Bank account is not going to work, removing dictator will work better.
November 28, 2013 at 1:39 am
the problem is dictator.in Eritrea there is no government. No constution, no law. When you have democracy, people they are not going to run away.
Bank account is not going to work, removing dictator will work better.