SFG Guide to AFCON 2015 | Page 28

about the football, he is building a young team. Stephane Mbia is one of the oldest players in the squad and he is only 28. They just seem to be going in the right direction, they’ve got real good goalscorers in that team.

So if you were to put me on the spot: Cameroon. Having said that, I think the top half of the draw is a lot easier than the bottom half so we will get a dark horse emerging from the top half…

I’m going to make you pick one dark horse too.

You have to look for Cape Verde. They were the first team to qualify for the Cup of Nations. They’ve been on this constant development, getting to the Cup of Nations in South Africa, nearly getting to the World Cup. They were really unlucky to be thrown out of qualifying for the World Cup. It seems like there is a real upward trajectory there. They seem to have something special going. If they can start the tournament well then anything can happen. I was really impressed with them in South Africa. I didn’t expect anything from them but they played some really good football and were very unlucky not to get to the very latter stages. So Cape Verde for me could be a real dark horse.

Three players to watch out for at the Cup of Nations?

Charles Kabore. I knew about Kabore because I am half French

and follow French football and I always admired him at Marseille. But seeing him play live during the Cup of Nations I just thought he was an absolutely brilliant player, he has such an engine. I wish he came to the Premier League.

I know he’s not unknown but I think Yannick Bolasie is going to have an absolutely stormer of a tournament. I got to know him pretty well over the last two years, he is a really great guy. He works harder than any other footballer that I know - during pre-season he does extra sessions. I get annoyed because a lot of people say that he is unpredictable and doesn’t know what he’s doing at times, which is wrong.

And for Guinea, I would say another player I have got to know quite well over the last year or so, Ibrahima Traore. I think Guinea are a team to watch as well. They are in a very tough group but they’ve got huge motivation of trying to doing well for Guinea and trying to present a positive image of Guinea, a country that has been so badly effected by Ebola. The players are so motivated, so passionate, and they played really well in their last three qualifiers. Their star player for me is Ibrahima Traore so watch out for him.

Tell us about the bubble of tournament football. What does it feel like to be out there and cover it on the ground?

It is fantastic. It is absolutely exhausting, but you’re right to say it is a bubble. When I have been