Nigeria arrived in Accra last night ahead of tomorrow's humungous quarter-final with Ghana so I went out to their team hotel hoping for a natter with some Super Eagles - but when I arrived they were too busy singing to talk. They were transfixed in serious gospel action, with the Christian players and officials chanting and dancing in unison while their Muslim brethren prayed more quietly beside them.
"They gave me strict instructions to stop anyone from interrupting them because, as you can see, they're preparing for the game," explained one of the three Ghanaian policemen on patrol. "They're very good singers, aren't they? Let's hope they don't play football so well," chuckled the copper before adding that the players would be happy to chat tomorrow afternoon - so I'll be heading back up there a little later.
Unlike European teams, most of the squads in this tournament haven't hidden away in maximum security dwellings and have been admirably approachable. The big exception has been the Ivory Coast, Didier Drogba and co having surrounded themselves with a ring of security that may only be penetrated on appointment. And appointments aren't easy to get - unless, that is, you're the Ghanaian Emmanuel Eboue.
Samuel Inkoom is the 21-year-old right-back of Ghanaian league leaders Kumasi Asante Kotoko (who bask in not one but two splendid nicknames: Porcupine Warriors, and Fabulous). With the Ghanaian league on a break for the duration of the African Cup of Nations, Inkoom decided to head home to Sekondi on the coast, where he began his career with the Giants of West Sekondi and, of course, where Les Elephants of the Ivory Coast have been based for most of this tournament.
After the Ivory Coast-Nigeria match in the first week, he made inquiries about getting to meet his hero, and to his obvious delight, word seeped back that Eboue had consented to a rendezvous. "I was introduced to him as the Ghanaian Eboue - at first he was amazed but then he was proud to know I admire him so much," gushed Inkoom yesterday. "Then he gave me a lot of good advice."
Such as? "He said that to become a good lateral defender I needed to work hard, train at the beach to improve my speed and avoid alcoholism. He also strongly urged me to be careful of women."
Unfortunately, no one warned him to be careful of dodgy snappers - if they had, the young defender may have had photographic mementos of his meeting with "the man who inspires me so much". Alas, the photographer he'd hired to commemorate the occasion failed him. "That cameraman irritates me a lot!" groaned Inkoom. "I paid him 15 cedis (about £7), but he's just called to tell me the pictures were destroyed during the development process. It's painful! He simply irritates me! All I can do is get a refund. It's so sad."
Still, if Inkoom heeds his hero's counsel, at least he won't try to drown his sorrows in booze. Or boobs. Indeed, he may even come face to face with the Arsenal star again - on a pitch.
