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Lemerre Chooses His 23

January 9th, 2008 | By: Rami | 45 Comments »

Out: Tijani Belaid, Khaled Souissi and Mohamed Ali Nafkha

Goalkeepers: Hamdi Kasraoui (Esperance), Aymen Mathlouthi (Etoile du Sahel), Adel Nefzi (Club Africain)

Defenders: Wissem Abdi (Zamalek/EGY), Wissem Bekri (Esperance), Karim Haggui (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Radhi Jaidi (Birmingham City/ENG), Yassine Mikari (Grasshoppers/SUI), Sabeur Ben Frej, Radhouane Felhi, Seif Ghezal, Mehdi Meriah (Etoile du Sahel)

Midfielders: Chaouki Ben Saada (FC Bastia/FRA), Jawhar Mnari (FC Nuremberg/GER), Mehdi Nafti (Birmingham City/ENG), Majdi Traoui (Etoile du Sahel), Kamel Zaiem (Esperance Tunis), Chaker Zouaghi (Locomotive Moscou/RUS)

Strikers: Yassine Chikhaoui (FC Zurich/SWI), Silva Dos Santos (FC Toulouse/FRA), Issam Jemaa (FC Caen/FRA), Mehdi Ben Dhifallah, Mohamed Amine Chermiti (Etoile du Sahel).

So there it is… We were asking lots of questions about Tijani Belaid after his accident but in the end he will not be going to Ghana. Neither will Mohamed Ali Nafkha or Khaled Souissi (who did just fine in his first game). Truly it’s a bizarre decision in my opinion as we’re taking three left backs and one of them is Wissem Bekri who I don’t really care for. Nafkha or Souissi in his place would’ve been better even if neither of them was outstanding against Zambia. I guess Saber Ben Frej is going to be relied on heavily in the right back position.

Etoile gets eight players and if you count former players along with that its twelve, if I’m correct. What is worrying is the Lemerre stays true to his ways, he’s taken like five defensive midfielders which is nuts. What are we trying to build a wall? You’d think I wouldn’t be surprised anymore but Lemerre always finds a way to astound me. Oh well, I’m tired of questioning his decisions. Let’s just hope for the best i.e. hope that Chikhaoui just lifts everyone’s level because he’s the type of player that can do that.

Any thoughts people?

Tags: Group H

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 45 comments.

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By Skander | January 11th, 2008 at 3:13 pm

Rami how are you going too see the matches in america. We have Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 that all countries in the EU has got. ?:O

Posted from Sweden

By Skander | January 11th, 2008 at 3:17 pm

Well I hope morocco’s stadium gets beautiful not like Rades, that has DEAD COLORS, light pink and light purple, only because it’s our presidents favourite colours. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RED AND WHITE OUR COUNTRIES COLOURS!

Posted from Sweden

By Rami | January 11th, 2008 at 3:45 pm

Hey Skander, I think the only way for me will be to watch over the internet. There’s a company that’s going to have live streams. In 2006 I used this Radio station website out of Benin where I paid a flat rate (not that expensive) to have access to all Tunisia mathces live and on demand. This time around I might use this new site that Daryl was talking about: telesud.us (i think thats the corrent link). It’s not perfect but its not super grainy and bad quality like soapcast (which works ok most of the time but not in a big tournament where I want to SEE everything).

I wish I was in Europe, Tunis, or better yet Ghana so I could really have the feeling that everyone is watching with me. Still though, having this blog and hearing your opinions really makes me feel like I’m in a community that cares… which is great!

Posted from United States

By Bman | January 11th, 2008 at 7:05 pm

Wow there was some rage in some of those comments. Calling Morrocco a Giant of African football cant be done without calling Tunisia one in the same sentence, we beat them in 2004 ANC finals, as well as prevented them from going to WC 2006. They were in our qualifying group. Recently their clubs havnt been as successful either. That isnt the point tho.

We Tunisians should support whoever is selected. Every single player will try their best, all the players selected want to be there. It doesnt matter how many times Tunis looses, I still support. No other countries victory could make me happier.

Personally being underestimated drives me, all the players must feel like they are being underestimated. I think they are. I think as Rami says, there is no point doing anything unless its with Positivity. So i will watch the games and read this blog with an err of the glass being half full.

Once again Rami, this blog is going to my favorites. Thanks for your eloquence and constant updates.

Posted from United States

By marwen | January 11th, 2008 at 7:30 pm

I don’t get why everybody is thinking why tunis wont do good. I support tunisia no matter what. I think they can get far in this african cup. Also tunisia always plays it best against african countries so ya.

By Moni | January 11th, 2008 at 10:57 pm

I’m am a very proud Tunisian. But I respect good footballing teams, even iff its not my countrie. Iff I have to compare Marocco and Tunisia , I rather like the Morocco style of play , because this one is atractive to me, they play nice offensive Foot.
But I sense people are little bit touchie about the marocco thing.
Typical no feeling for critisime, no hard feelings. I hope the best for Tunisia , and I hope am wrong about everything. But lets wait the Iran game

Posted from Netherlands

By Moni | January 11th, 2008 at 10:58 pm

Iman , like the girls name ?

Posted from Netherlands

By nabil | January 12th, 2008 at 5:29 am

Rami, thanx for your quick reply. One more question though…since I’m in Canada I’m also looking for a place to watch the matches and I was wondering if the site you recommended was free or not.

Posted from Canada

By iman | January 12th, 2008 at 6:18 am

MONI!!!! i am a girlllllllllllllllllllllll hehehehehheheheh

Posted from United Kingdom

By Skander | January 12th, 2008 at 11:17 am

Ir’s really good that we’ve got a girl in this blog. HAHA

Posted from Sweden

By Rami | January 12th, 2008 at 11:30 am

Nabil, I think that you do actually need to pay a fee (which means you need a credit card number or checking card or smthn). I did it last time with that radio station website and it worked quite well. I don’t remember the exact figure but it was not that expensive (I think around 25 dollars or something to see all of Tunisia’s games). Daryl, who runs the site and posts a lot of the homepage articles has been in contact with the telesud.us people and will let us know just how much it will cost and whether the games will only be available live streaming or also on demand. I’ll look into it more and whenever Daryl posts about this issue I’ll be sure to give you the link.

Bman, thanks for the kind words and your constant input I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it!

Posted from United States

By Moni | January 13th, 2008 at 1:17 pm

Iman are you born in UK ?

Posted from Netherlands

By iman | January 14th, 2008 at 8:51 am

yeee i was but i lived in tunis for 7 yearz

Posted from United Kingdom

By Moni | January 15th, 2008 at 4:30 pm

So you are a world citizen Iman, I am wondering iff there are many Tunisians in UK.
But there aren’t allot of youre kind..
Girls who watch football , ore are you just watching tijani Bellaid his but when playing ?
Okee spicegirl maybe I hear from you more
Ciauu Iman

Posted from Netherlands

By Nabil | January 15th, 2008 at 6:42 pm

thanx Rami for answering my questions and for the constant updates.

Posted from Canada

By iman | January 16th, 2008 at 6:00 am

hehehehehheheheheheheh……lol yee there are quite alot of tunisians in the UK and they are increasing, most of the tunisian girls that i noe like football but they onli watch it when tunis are playin, i watch all football hehehe becoz i have two brothers no sisters, I DONT JUS WATCH IT FOR TIJANI BELAIS although he is cute looooool.
anyways im out

Posted from United Kingdom

By iman | January 16th, 2008 at 6:00 am

belaid*

Posted from United Kingdom

By Moni | January 16th, 2008 at 10:35 pm

I think u just crazie Iman,
oh ma goddddd…if i just could hear youre Englisch accent. I like the crazie cos sometimes they have the BELLAAIS hehe. So wich Football team/s/ representing youre Town spicegirl ? The one/s/ you like. Iff youre on vacation in Tunisia can you speak fluent arabic ore is it more difficult then Englisch ? I mean to expres yourself in Arabic/English , Maybe you also speak french.. I dnt no.
Me I hate when people start talking french to me quesqu tu vu etc etc.
Ore when they counting money back .. We had a teacher that came specialy to teach us arabic, they made him crazy in a clas of 40 boys and girls.
So No result ,Atleast i speak some arabic

Posted from Netherlands

By iman | January 17th, 2008 at 8:43 am

loooooooool…i live in manchester so MANCHESTER UNITED, supported the redz for as long as i can remember hehehe….i speak arabic(tunisian) very fluent, its like i lived in tunisia all ma life, i speak the same as in arabic as i speak in english, i can read and write in arabic hehehe…OHH MA GIDDD…i hate french as well even though i got an A in it….i cant stand it when tunisian chat in french..it makes me mad,,and nopeee i cant speak frech and i dnt want to either looool.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Moni | January 18th, 2008 at 1:43 am

It is still very early and I must go to school I hate school. yesterday I have discovered that manchester actualy is a small city , not as large as London, Arsenal rules by the way lolll. Same old MAN U always cheating !, but they (MAN U) play some terrible good football to be honoust.
You mentioned that you supported the redz for as LONG as you can remember..is that a long long (dusty times) time ago ? ore just in the eigties and/ore 90ties
because its hard for me to imagine that u are an old tart ..
I gues your in the 20 and above, U re brothers are they dangerous ? because i like to come over for a week if thats no problemo hehe also with your Parents, want to trie fish&ships nope just kiding but If u want you are welcome in Holland we have a lots of rain here !
In tunisia where i live there is soo much sun , it is like a western movie , the people included ! The Good,BAD, and the Ugly Welcome 2 north West Tunisia. Dear Fancy ass Iman I go know because if not i mis mi bus…I catch you latter Crazie

Posted from Netherlands

By 1 | January 21st, 2008 at 2:01 pm

kiss my ass, assholes

Posted from Philippines

By BenBajallah | January 21st, 2008 at 4:12 pm

Why cant we have any comments about the tunisian team!?!? F*** that…I´ve got my pride, and not willin to lose that either!! `The players who are going, are playin 2 win`….whatever, when im going to ghana and would play….IM PLAYIN 2 WIN TOO…….they should sign a coach with tunisian blood, one who gets goosebumps during Himat Al Hima….

Ciao

Posted from Netherlands

By BenBajallah | January 21st, 2008 at 4:13 pm

And kiss ur mommas ass stupidass Philippine….dont hate us because we have a team to be proud of…

Posted from Netherlands

By iman | January 23rd, 2008 at 9:10 am

o senegal today.. i really hope we win …and i wish we can score alot of goals like morocco and egypt…the other north african countures were good..and now tunisia better keep it up.OOOOOOOOOO IM SCAREDDDDDDDDDDD!!

Posted from United Kingdom

By BenBajallah | January 24th, 2008 at 1:31 pm

senegal was hard….i think south-africa and angole will be a lot easier…DAMN! im watchin´ morocco right now, they are gettin´their ass kicked…..3 goals within 4 minutes….i hate sayin this, but i still give morocco a good chance winning the cup!! but pray its gonna be tunisia…inchallah!!!

Posted from Netherlands

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