{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Mathematical 7","provider_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7","title":"Euro 2016 \u2013 a lesson for African football! - Mathematical 7","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"IYvKtZxTj2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/euro-2016-a-lesson-for-african-football\/\">Euro 2016 \u2013 a lesson for African football!<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/euro-2016-a-lesson-for-african-football\/embed\/#?secret=IYvKtZxTj2\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Euro 2016 \u2013 a lesson for African football!&#8221; &#8212; Mathematical 7\" data-secret=\"IYvKtZxTj2\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Euro_2016.jpg","thumbnail_width":299,"thumbnail_height":168,"description":"I am watching the ongoing European Championship 2016 with a lot of interest. I am paying particular attention to what makes the championship different from its African counterpart, AFCON. Why is the European Championship such a massive television spectacle? The difference is clear. The presentation on television, the coverage with an unbelievable number of cameras showing every conceivable angle, the application of the latest technology, the perfect-finish grass pitches, the extremely high technical standard of the matches, the phenomenal skills of the players, the ease of reading and interpreting team strategies and tactics even by the ordinary person, all are little details that add up to make the championship only second to the World Cup in global followership, tourism and business. It is obvious there is a huge gulf between the European championship and Afcon with Africa still having a long way to go to catch up in terms of all ramifications. What creates the biggest gulf for me is the simplest of all the contributing factors \u2013 the state of the turf! For the umpteenth time, I am watching Euro 2016 and lamenting African football which must wake up to the reality that the difference between it and joining the league of the best in the little are the little details, particularly that of the turf. There is nothing like a flat, lush, slightly wet green grass in determining the quality of football. The turf on which the matches are played plays the biggest part in the overall quality of play and in the individual players' ability to fully express their talent and ability. As simplistic as this may look, in my estimation, it is the single most important factor needed to make African football to rise above the present plateau it appears to have comfortably settled in right now. The exposure that many African players get migrating and playing on the lush fields in Europe makes the players to play better and to cumulatively reduce the once yawning gap in the standards between football in Europe and in Africa."}