Once we get past the emotion and frustration aroused by the elimination of the Etalons of Burkina Faso from the AFCON 2023, we can only conclude that we have failed miserably to achieve our objective. Burkina Faso has not lived up to its billing and seems to have regressed in many areas. The result is overwhelming. A true assessment of the Stallions' campaign must be made in order to identify what is missing to win the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Burkina Faso team, fourth nation at the AFCON 2021 in Cameroon, failed to live up to its billing. Worse still, with this elimination in the last 16 of the AFCON 2023, the Etalons have recorded just one win in four games, scoring just one goal in the process. The Stallions failed in many areas.
Efficiency
It's a bad habit that's been going on for 20 months now. As in the qualifiers for the 2023 African Cup of Nations and the 2026 World Cup, and even in international friendlies, Burkina Faso's Etalons have struggled to create clear-cut chances and, more importantly, to put them away. They scored just four goals and, more worryingly, only one in the game. The goal against Mauritania was scored from the penalty spot, as were those against Algeria and Mali. The defence, more generally, seemed to be a little shaky at certain key moments. And up front, the Stallions failed to convert the few chances they had. The midfield was unable to exert enough influence on the Stallions' attacking play. As for the goalkeeper, Hervé Koffi is not above reproach for certain actions and goals conceded, as in the match against Algeria, where he failed to be decisive and reassuring for his team.
What happens next?In such situations, it's often the coach who picks up the bill.And that's what the executive committee of the Fédération burkinabè de soccer (FBF) has done in the wake of this failure.
Following the AFCON 2023 and in view of the Etalons' results, the Fédération burkinabè de soccer (FBF) has decided not to renew the contracts of the members of the Burkina Faso Etalons' technical staff, namely coach Hubert Velud, his assistants Firmin Sanou and Alain Nana, and goalkeeping coach Daouda Diakité. This decision was notified to them on Thursday February 8, 2024 following a meeting: "While thanking coach Hubert Velud and his technical staff as a whole, the Executive Committee has taken the decision not to renew the contract of the national coach and the entire coaching staff," says a press release from the Burkina Faso Football Federation (FBF).
During the meeting, the Federation's executive committee noted that the results had fallen short of the expectations of the people of Burkina Faso. From now on, the Federation intends to take up new challenges with the technical staff that will be put in place, in order to raise the profile of Burkinabè soccer."The Executive Committee is already looking ahead to the immediate qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the 2025 African Cup of Nations. It will set up a competent and resilient technical team as soon as possible, with specifications and objectives that are imperative for success", it states in its press release.
"Velud is not up to the job, we need a patriotic coach"
Some fans, like Moussa Koné, are delighted with Hubert Velud's departure: "Very well, Velud is not up to the job. What we need now is a patriotic coach who will be able to field the most in-form players at the moment. Others deplore the fact that the coach changes after each edition."My Burkina, after each AFCON, you have to change coach. We told you to keep Kamou Malo, but you acted as if you had a score to settle with him. As long as Lazare Banssé stays, we're going to change coach after coach. Let's get an African coach, even if he's not from Burkina Faso," says Fidèle Hena, referring to the non-renewal of Hubert Velud and his staff's contract.
For Lassina Comparé, the big problem lies with the players: "It's already a good step. But as far as the players are concerned, that's where the most important thing is to be seen quickly, because if we keep the same number of players, it's a waste of time. Even the FBF needs to be completely overhauled and the right people put in place. We also need to involve former players in management, as some countries are doing".
Burkina Faso have two years ahead of them to rediscover their game and once again become a nation feared by their opponents.
