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African Cup of Nations - blog
Impressing the locals over an espresso in Cabinda
by Paul Myers
Article published on the 2010-01-16 Latest update 2010-01-16 11:15 TU
Didier Zokora of Ivory Coast challenges Asamoah Kwadwo of Ghana during their match in Cabinda
(Photo: Reuters)
I liked Cabinda stadium. It was easy to reach from the hotel and once inside, there was a sense of logic.
The press room for hacks to do their brainstorming was right next door to the press conference room where the team coaches chew over the match.
The area where the players are interviewed after the match – the mixed zone – was on ground level and not in the bowels of the arena.
There was also a cafe. It wasn’t offering a vast array of goodies but the espresso was more than palatable.
One of the good things about arriving early for a match is that you get the chance to wander around the stadium before hoards of people start saying “restricted”.
You go past rooms with signs outside such as Referees Office and Site Communications Department.
The room sporting the cafe was most welcome.
Inside there was a TV, sofas which had been invaded by a Spanish TV crew and a bevy of local girls to attend to your wishes.
I asked for an espresso. The girl did her stuff while her three chums looked on and she asked me if I wanted powdered milk. I declined, paid for the coffee and some mineral water, smiled and went and sat at a table.
Coffee was good and I said thank you in Portuguese and in English – because I’m that international.
A couple of hours later after watching 10 man Cote D’Ivoire beat Ghana 3-1, I was on my way to the mixed zone when I thought the players won’t be out for at least another 20 minutes. More than enough time to have an espresso.
So I went in. I said hello, asked for a coffee and one of the girls pointed at me and said “bonito”.
And just to reinforce the message she put her hands around her face, pointed at me again and said “bonito”.
Chivalrous to a fault, I spread my arms out to include all of them and said “bonita”.
Which is probably the incorrect adjectival ending but this kind of rakish charm knows no barriers. They got the drift.
Well I’m in here I thought. And I exploited my good looks to ask for a chocolate. I got it. Result.
Perked by this lady slaying display, I strutted into the mixed zone where Joachim – he of the machine gun miming at Benguela airport – asked me why I was looking so pleased with myself.
I told him I’d just been called bonito. “Hang on a minute,” I said. “I can’t be as beautiful as I thought. That’s the first time I’ve been called that in my 10 days here.”
“I’m still waiting after 43 years,” was Joachim’s hang dog reply.
The two of us could have waited in the mixed zone for that length of time for the Ghana team to come out and explain their performance.
They did not pass through the designated mixed zone even though it is an obligation on the players. The teams don’t have to speak to reporters. But it is a protocol followed by the vast majority of the reporters covering the Africa Cup of Nations.
It was especially crucial on Friday night as we haven’t had the usual easy access to squads up now in Cabinda.
With the players’ lodging areas a soldier patrolled high-security zone following the attacks on the Togo team buses, the opportunity to chat and speculate with the players has been truncated.
After Friday night’s match, the Ghanaian press contingent was furious. Rightly so. Their national team had just lost its opening match and not one of the players had the guts or even the nous to come and talk about the game.
We were told there was another mixed zone in the stadium and that is where they passed through. No one from the Confederation of African Football nor the Angolan organising committee was on hand to show us where this other mixed zone was situated.
This is the kind of rubbish that happened time and time again during the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana two years ago.
It nullifies the deal and in the context of the Cabinda attacks shows a huge disrespect to people who have been observing the changed conditions following the assault on 8 January.
As for actual match, the Ghanaians played well but it looked to me like 11 Ivorian men against 11 Ghanaian boys. It ended up as 10 Ivorian men against 11 Ghanaian boys.
They didn’t grow up after the game either.
