Tag Archives: African footballers

Regional, Sports

How Essential Are African Footballers to the Premier League?

Maravi Post Reporter

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The role of African footballers usually goes under the radar. A few of the best players stand out from the crowd, but the conveyor belt that is African football isn’t viewed in the same way as Europe or South America.

That’s a shame because the continent is a major exporter to the biggest leagues in the world, including the EPL.

There’s more – the people who make the trip are essential to the strength of the brand. Without African footballers, the Premier League would be much worse off than it is now. Here’s why.

African Players Bring the Joy

Previously, many of the players who hailed from Africa were used in defensive positions. Other than Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba, it was the case for the majority of the league.

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However, this isn’t the case in 2021, since the most watchable men are from the likes of Egypt, Algeria, and Senegal. Yes, Riyad Mahrez, Mo Salah, and Sadio Mane are currently the most profitable assets in the EPL.

There’s no secret why. It’s because they are goalscorers and assist-makers who add another dimension to teams such as Liverpool and Man City, two of the most successful sides in the last couple of years. Without Mahrez’s guile and dribbling ability or Salah’s and Mane’s clinical finishing skills, Premier League supporters wouldn’t have been as entertained.

This is highlighted by the early Premier League betting market that has City and Liverpool as two of four potential favourites at 4/6 and 11/2 respectively. Of the other sides in the mix, African players were crucial to their success, too.

For instance, Chelsea wouldn’t have finished in the top four or won the Champions League without Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech.

Teams Are Weaker Without Them

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Unusually, it’s easy to gauge the importance of African footballers due to the African Cup of Nations.

The ACoN takes place during the middle of the EPL season, which means people like Mo Salah and Sadio Mane take leave to compete on the international stage. During this period, it’s evident how much weaker Liverpool are without their big guns.

Even though Roberto Firmino is still there, the stats show how much the team’s attacking threat diminishes. For example, Liverpool would have lost 13 goals, three assists, and 27 chances from Salah alone in 2020/21 if the tournament went ahead. Including Mane, the total increases to 19 goals, five assists, and 23 chances created.

In comparison, Firmino added five goals, three assists, and 17 created chances in the same timeframe. Liverpool FC is only one example, yet there are several throughout the league that suffers when the ACoN takes place.

They Shatter the Glass Ceiling

As you can tell from the statistics above, the Premier League can only benefit from employing more high-class African footballers. Unfortunately, African players in the lower leagues don’t always get the breaks they deserve. When they do, they shine, as evidenced by N’Golo Kante and his Malian heritage.

Thankfully, people like Kante and everyone else mentioned in this post blaze a trail for aspiring footballers. They see what their idols have done and understand they can follow their leads. The same goes for Premier League clubs who may not have believed players from the continent were ready, previously.

Today, the number of footballers of African descent is skyrocketing as the EPL is finally beginning to work out what they bring to the table. It’s attacking flair, entertainment, and the joy of winning with a smile.

To answer the question, they are very essential to the Premier League. At the moment, you may argue footballers such as Mahrez, Mane, Salah, and Kante are the lifeblood of the league. That’s some journey from the ninth-tier of French football!

Source: Africa Feeds

Sports

A look at the African footballers who have made their mark in the Premier League

MaraviPost

August is upon us, and in the world of football, that means one thing – the start of a new season of European action. Last week, the Premier League got underway, and the big names of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham all got off to winning starts.

These, along with Arsenal and Chelsea, are the teams that have dominated the league since its inception back in 1992, and the stars that have played for them have become legends of the game. Among their number, you will see numerous players of African origin. Those who love to watch and bet on football will be focused on the likes of Mohamed Salah from Egypt as the season progresses. But here, we take a look across the years at three other African footballers who have etched their names into the Premier League history books.

 

Jay-Jay Okocha

Nigeria’s World Cup record is nothing to write home about. Having qualified six times, the team has advanced from the group stage on three occasions, but never made it beyond the round of 16. One such occasion was in 1998, when the team’s indifferent form was overshadowed by the awesome showpiece skills of their star player. 

It was enough to earn Okocha a contract with Paris St Germain, and the £10 million price tag made him the most expensive African signing ever. Four years later, Nigeria finished bottom of their group, but Okocha again impressed and Bolton Wanderers secured his services for two seasons that were arguably the best in the club’s history. 

Kolo Toure

No player has won the Premier League with three different clubs. But the man who has come closest to doing so is Ivorian legend Kolo Toure. He arrived on English shores as a callow 20 year old and played a key role in Arsenal’s invincibles season in 2003-04. He remained with the Gunners till 2009, before transferring to Manchester City, where he was part of the 2011-12 winning side. 

In 2013, Toure was the first new signing that Liverpool announced in the transfer window. The season became famous for Luis Saurez and his emotional breakdown after the Crystal Palace game. But if anyone had the right to burst into tears, it was Toure who came so close to what would have been a unique achievement.

Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba

One man, however, stands head and shoulders above the rest, in the Premier League, in Africa, or in the world. Didier Drogba became a household name across the United Kingdom and is still recognised as one of the best players in league history. 

In 2015 players such as Nemanja Vidic, Pablo Zabaleta and Carles Puyol said he was the toughest opponent to come up against. To this day, the pundits are typically torn between Drogba and Thierry Henri when asked to name the best Premier League player in history. But perhaps it was his manager at Chelsea, Jose Mourinho, who summed it up best. On signing the Ivorian in 2004, he told the press: “Do not judge him now. Judge him when he leaves the club.” The rest is history.