Mikel John Obi: If Nigeria were organised we’d have won World Cup | David Hytner | Football | The Guardian
I think I’m starting to get excited for the World Cup. Finally. Nice read here on John Obi Mikel. I definitely have to agree with the title.
The talent that teams like Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and the Ivory Coast have produced at various times could certainly have won the World Cup if they didn’t continue to shoot themselves in the foot for various reasons. That Ghana side in 2010 were so close to the semis and Ivory Coast had some tough groups in 2006 and 2010. The likes of Senegal, Cameroon and Nigeria had their moments in the past.
I think Nigeria will be the standard-bearers for Africa in this World Cup but it will be interesting to see what Morocco, Senegal, Egypt and Tunisia do.
I’ll do some more World Cup stuff on the CONCACAF sides and the teams I’m cheering for and probably a bigger overall preview right before as well.
Always Thinking Football 
I think also how those African teams didn’t pay their players bonuses beforehand was an issue (i.e. Ghana in 2010).