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pawlugrech's review
4.0
Every two years, managers from across the continent seem to join forces in their criticism of that which has become the most despised competition in European football: the African Cup of Nations. Being deprived of some of their best players for up to a month in the middle of the season can have a highly unnerving effect on managers, particularly if results start going against them during that period.
Yet the criticism for the competition and the suggestions put forward show not only a deep misunderstanding of African football but also acute lack of respect. For, while the European clubs might rightly claim that they are the ones offering African players a route out of poverty, a bye-product of this migration of players is not only that the local fans don’t ever really get an opportunity to watch their players but that they are shifting attention to the European leagues which in turn is killing off interest in local competitions.
These points are drilled home by “Feet of the Chameleon”, Ian Hawkey’s journey through African football. Not that he forcibly aims to drive through any agenda but rather his style is to simply tell the story of how the game evolved in the African continent.
It is a job that he does brilliantly. Despite the incredible amount of research that must have gone into a work of this nature, this is never allowed to weigh the writing down but rather it provides the backbone of the whole story.
Just as it should. Because Hawkey never loses sight of what he is ultimately doing here: telling a story. This he does by narrating what went on over the years but also by talking to some of the people who actually made the story of African football. This adds perspective to what is being said whilst also adding more flavour to the overall narration.
Hawkey also manages to avoid being either condescending or patronizing to African football. Indeed, his tone remains practically neutral throughout something that might seem as a recipe for a boring read but in reality is anything but: Feet of the Chameleon is an enthralling read.
Here, finally, is a book that does African football justice. One that can immediately be considered as a classic of football literature alongside the likes of Tor and Morbo. If you get to read only one book this year, then this has to be it.
Yet the criticism for the competition and the suggestions put forward show not only a deep misunderstanding of African football but also acute lack of respect. For, while the European clubs might rightly claim that they are the ones offering African players a route out of poverty, a bye-product of this migration of players is not only that the local fans don’t ever really get an opportunity to watch their players but that they are shifting attention to the European leagues which in turn is killing off interest in local competitions.
These points are drilled home by “Feet of the Chameleon”, Ian Hawkey’s journey through African football. Not that he forcibly aims to drive through any agenda but rather his style is to simply tell the story of how the game evolved in the African continent.
It is a job that he does brilliantly. Despite the incredible amount of research that must have gone into a work of this nature, this is never allowed to weigh the writing down but rather it provides the backbone of the whole story.
Just as it should. Because Hawkey never loses sight of what he is ultimately doing here: telling a story. This he does by narrating what went on over the years but also by talking to some of the people who actually made the story of African football. This adds perspective to what is being said whilst also adding more flavour to the overall narration.
Hawkey also manages to avoid being either condescending or patronizing to African football. Indeed, his tone remains practically neutral throughout something that might seem as a recipe for a boring read but in reality is anything but: Feet of the Chameleon is an enthralling read.
Here, finally, is a book that does African football justice. One that can immediately be considered as a classic of football literature alongside the likes of Tor and Morbo. If you get to read only one book this year, then this has to be it.
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