Duarte makes Jose Mourinho impression at 2017 Africa Cup of Nations
KAMPALA.
His dark eyes moved feverishly as the light from his Mac did little to brighten what is now a characteristic glum look. Days were left to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal match between Burkina Faso and Tunisia.
With the Burkina Faso party settling into Le Meridien Hotel, Paulo Duarte could not resist the burning urge to get down to work by the foyer.
The 47-year-old stared intensely at videos of Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles, occasionally taking the clipboard and furiously scribbling something illegible. It was not in vain as a late Aristide Bancé show saw the Stallions stun Tunisia 2-0 at Stade de l’Amitié.
When the two Jonathans - Pitroipa and Zongo - picked up injuries as Burkina Faso stuttered to a draw against hosts Gabon in a penultimate group game, many expected the Stallions to be enfeebled by shock and uncertainty. Duarte’s reaction to the injuries was anything but unsettling. “The injuries,” he said, “are nothing to do with the pitch or our preparations. That’s just football at the top level.”
Things have become almost unbearably tense for Burkina Faso at Gabon 2017, but there has been no unseemly dash to the exit door.
Duarte is unquestionably responsible for the positive outlook. A nondescript centre half during his playing days - he never represented his native Portugal - Duarte spent a dozen seasons with minnows União de Leiria. He worked with José Mourinho in one of those seasons (2001-2002 to be exact), and it appears the Special One, as always, left an indelible mark.
Burkina Faso have played functional football with a common desire of hampering their opponents. Egypt should expect a dose of hard-nosed counterattacking football from the Stallions at Stade de l’Amitié in today’s semifinal. Just as Mourinho does, Duarte must have presented his team with dossiers tailor made to hamper the Pharaohs’ play.
This reactive brand has brought the best out of grafters like Préjuce Nakoulma at perhaps the expense of starlets like Bertrand Traoré. Burkina Faso faithful - like fans of teams Mourinho has coached - will have few complaints if Duarte takes them to only their second Afcon final (they lost in heartbreaking style to Nigeria in 2013).
When Burkina Faso played Uganda in the 2017 Afcon qualifiers, Duarte’s dark eyes noticed that “Massa is a good player, but he is old.” What cracks will they pick out from seven-time champions, Egypt? Perhaps the vulnerabilities of Egypt’s 44-year-old net minder Essam El-Hadary.
