Ghani: Allahu akbar and enjoy making the caano boodhe NG, those shirts can be got. Jan Molby?

Why kick off on a Sunday at 5pm GMT when you can do it on Friday and people have a whole weekend of football? :rolleyes: Thought this was interesting The Nations Cup's missing stars The 26th Africa Cup of Nations is not short of big names - but it could have been even more star-studded. For every Didier Drogba or Samuel Eto'o strutting his stuff in Ghana, there is another player from Africa not on show. Quite apart from the countries which failed to qualify, there are many great players from Africa who opted to play for a European country instead. In fact, several legends of world football were born in Africa, only to go onto play for their adopted home. France midfielder Patrick Vieira grew up in Senegal, and admitted his heart was divided when he took on the Teranga Lions at the 2002 World Cup playing for Les Bleus. Vieira's companion in the centre of midfield, Claude Makelele, is a similar case. Born in Kinshasa, Makelele left the DR Congo for France at a young age. Both men played a major part in France winning the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Cup, not to mention helping their domestic sides to countless trophies. Another man who will be conflicted at the moment is German international Gerald Asamoah. Asamoah is of Ghanaian origin, and had the option to play for the Black Stars. By choosing to play for Germany he instead finished third in the 2006 World Cup, and played in the 2002 final in Yokohama, Japan. Perhaps the attacking player does not regret his choice too much! Senegal are the side who have been particularly badly hit, perhaps as a result of the country's close links to the former colonial master France. As well as Vieira, a pair of full backs have opted to play for the Tricolours: Manchester United's Patrice Evra and Arsenal's Bakary Sagna. The two are among the best young defenders in the game and would have added defensive strength to the Teranga Lions. Equally Ivory Coast would benefit from the Arsenal and Switzerland defender Johan Djourou, and perhaps from the France striker Djibril Cissé, whose father was an Ivorian international. Djibril Cisse's France team-mate Sidney Govou is also the son of an African international, from Benin in this case. As well as players born in its former west African colonies, France has obtained many talents from the waves of immigration from the Maghreb. Zinedine Zidane was of Algerian origin, and so is the man many tip to follow in his footsteps, Marseille wonder-kid and France international Samir Nasri. Several talents of African origin have played for Belgium, including Congolese-qualified brothers Emile and Mbo Mpenza, and the imposing defender Vincent Kompany. Often the footballer who takes a European nationality grew up in that country, and is as least as much European as African. But it is not always the case. The legendary Eusebio played all his early football in his native Mozambique, before moving to Portugal and eventually becoming one of the top goal-scorers at the 1966 World Cup. Eusebio's case was a little different though: at the time Mozambique did not exist as an independent country! To go even further back into history, the former France defender Michael Silvestre discovered that his ancestors were taken as slaves from Guinea to the West Indies. It would be pushing it a bit to suggest the Manchester United player narrowly missed out on a career with Guinea though! What is clear is that European football nations have benefited from an influx of talent from Africa, while the reverse has not always been true. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7179496.stm

^^I think they believe they need to shed blood on the day of Ashura. If not then they may beat their chests.

^^I'm just wondering why he is looking at the sports gear!

7 Ethiopian Soldiers Killed in Roadside Bomb Email This Page Print This Page Comment on this article Visit The Publisher's Site Garowe Online (Garowe) 16 January 2008 Posted to the web 16 January 2008 A huge blast in Somalia's capital Mogadishu targeted an Ethiopian army convoy as it drove through a major intersection Wednesday, killing seven soldiers on board, witnesses reported. The Ethiopian convoy left the old pasta factory when the hidden landmine exploded in Yaaqshiid district, targeting an army transport truck full of soldiers. "I saw soldiers on the ground and many others shrieking...there was a lot of smoke," said witness Abdulkadir, who lives in the vicinity. Ethiopian army reinforcements rushed to the scene and fired bullets into the air to disperse crowds. Unconfirmed reports said a young boy was wounded in the subsequent gunfire. Today's deadly explosion follows fierce overnight battles in parts of Mogadishu, especially around Industry Road, where Somali-Ethiopian soldiers stand guard around the clock. There were no confirmed reports on casualties from last night's battle, since most civilians have fled the area, but area residents told Garowe Online they could hear loud explosions and the ceaseless exchange of gunfire. Suspected insurgents, armed with rockets and grenades, initiated two separate attacks on the same position, starting at around 7pm local time, sources said. Government officials did not provide details from the battle, but one official privately claimed that government troops "killed some insurgents and captured others." Relevant Links East Africa Arms and Military Affairs Conflict, Peace and Security Ethiopia Somalia The Somali government and its Ethiopian military backers have faced a deadly insurgency in Mogadishu, where roadside bombings and rocket attacks have become common since the beginning of 2007. Islamist fighters opposed to the presence of foreign troops have vowed to continue their hit-and-run attacks until Ethiopian troops withdraw from Somalia. The bloody conflict has killed more than 6,000 civilians and displaced nearly 600,000 others, according to UN and aid agency figures. http://allafrica.com/stories/200801160963.html

I completely forgot! Last night yes I knew but today it just didnt register :confused: Tomorrow IA

^^A glaring inconsistency in the above reactions to goings on back home. I think I have kept my end of the bargain

Neutrality in occupation. Why not give the conquering SL a chance ya TP? ^Good plan Baashi - although I wouldn't say 'embrace' - I would say give them a chance. Be as 'neutral' as you can be for now and let's see what happens. Too many are too bitter and disappointed to embrace their conquerors. Nor is it quite fair to ask ppl to embrace a group that is unproven and has so many shady folks in it. Also, I wouldn't give amnesty to all the ICU leadership. Mr. Aweys has gotta to go - he started fire in Puntland, then Gedo then Baidoa. Three strikes and you're out. The Shariif I like even though he is prone to hyperbole and intemperate remarks. He strikes me as the epitome of a macaqool man. It is in the interest of the TFG not to conduct a scorched earthy policy and ensure that opponents are invited into the process if not coopted. http://www.somaliaonline.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/9/8513#000012 Thats all,,,,for now,,,,

^^Re-read what I wrote. More to come.

TP during the recent Sool conflict. What are you doing invading Las Canod? Where do you get the idea that there are no conseuquences to falaago? What are you boasting about exactly? Isn't this the perfect opportunity to launch a major counter attack well into Burco and other areas of Somaliland proper? Aren't you asking for a bloody nose? How can you possibly criticise anyone let alone Duke with the garbage you've posted regarding the events in Las Canod? I don't like the 'This is war' and 'Let's go to war' talk when one doesn't feel the effects of it and when the gains, if that is it can be called, benefit few. That said - I don't believe in pacifism. There is a pattern of agression and incitement here on the part of Somaliland towards parts of SSC who simply don't support secession and don't support the Somaliland government. And no amount of talk, consultation or assembly has been able to arrest the pattern of incitement, agression and conflict. Isn't there a threshold after which even peaceable folks say that we have strike back if only to prevent further attacks? You're an intelligent fellow - what are your thoughts on this? Or are you our resident Buddhist? Las Caanood is the property of those who live in it. The extent to which they support or are part of the Puntland regional government is irrelevant. What is relevant is their rejection of the Somaliland government, its secession bid and its forcible attempts at coercing the good folks of Las Canood into their project. If the recent fight is in fact within one clan - why is there talk of Somaliland capturing the city, Somaliland troops, Somaliland this and Somaliland that. In short - why are you gloating and boasting if the locals have 'liberated' the city? And why are you involved in the internal politics of a different clan? Is it appropriate for Puntland or any other entity to fund and incite factions within the Somaliland polity? Clearly not. Spare me the sophistry. The vast majority of Las Aond folks and the SSC folks don't support Somaliland and its secession bid. They want nothing to do with it. So there should not be any funding or incitement of any folks against the city of Las Anod or its inhabitants. In any normal context such actions would be hostile and tantamount to a declaration of war. End of story. Rer Sool who support Somaliland are few. About the same as Somalilanders who support the TFG. But why take my word for it. Go see what the Garaad has to say. He is the one who represents the people of Sool. Let me give you the lowdown - he and the vast majority of his folks don't support Somaliland or secession. The Somaliland army and its paid thugs have tried to put the move on Las Anod before. As with other places like Dhahar. This is just another incident in the pattern of agression and hostility. "waa aduunyo laqabsada haka dhicinee" - I hope you take that view when the instability and bloodshed heads your way rather than cabaad. The Rer are not divided. They have like all Somali rers those that are available for purchase and who go to the highest bidders. I don't think Puntland is the loser here in the end - it's your chershised entity's long run stability and viability that is the loser. Again - what is the Somaliland interest that is served here by this latest outrage? Here Now lets find the neutrality and indifference displayed to the Ethio invasion/occupation shall we? An open goal matey

^^Keep it. Think you will need use it again later on

^^thanks for your honesty

^^hang onto that comprehension line old chap

Using the old 'comprehension' line, did you miss my reluctance to trawl through the Politics pages? Comprehension they say A put up or shut up request? Lets see what comes up shall we?

You have pretty much admitted the weakness of the TFG so I will let you be.

^^You are part of the 'some'. The due dilligence is on the politcs pages.

^^requesting more international troops means you are a strong govnt ya Juje

^^No desire to back-track through SOL pages laakin lets just say being neutral is temporary for some depending on who is involved in the conflict

In other words the TFG is weak and needs 500 Nigerians?

Houllier would have been better choice. He would cleared out the weak players. Makes things more interesting and more columns to be filled I guess. GJ Goate, what with the street talk saxib? LoL

^so you agree the TFG was weak then and is weak now? Mise the Nigerians will make them stronger? LoL Laughable b-lines old chap

Originally posted by marcassmith: you nationalist somali nigger! Did he just coin a new term?

^^Its an open goal. Number 10s don't bother those

^^Or push for a withdrawal in Somalia?? Does this not belong in the Politics section? Besides, the Republicans will win.

^^also proves the TFG was weak then and is weak now,,,,