By Amr Shaheen BBC Sport, Cairo

Scolari says Africans teams need better tactics

Former Brazil coach Luis Felipe Scolari said an African side will qualify for the semi-finals at the 2006 World Cup.

Speaking in Cairo at a Fifa workshop reflecting on the 2002 World Cup finals, Scolari said the only thing that could prevent this is poor team organisation.

"What you need to do is teach your players tactical discipline," Scolari told his African colleagues.

"If you are able to discipline your players, I can guarantee that there will be an African team in the semi-final of the next World Cup."

Scolari, who is now in charge of Portugal, said there are many similarities between Brazilian and African players.

"They are both very skilful and creative. I feel that Brazilian and African players share the same genes.

African teams need tactical discipline Luis Felipe Scolari

"These are the players who can produce results," he said.

Joseph Venglos, coach of Czechoslovakia at the 1990 World Cup, did not hide his admiration for African players.

"You are lucky to be coaching such a superb quality of players.

"There is a lot of work that we coaches have to do when we work with other players, in order to develop the special qualities which you naturally find in African players," Venglos said.

German Winfried Schafer, who managed Cameroon at the World Cup, described his experience with the Indomitable Lions as a success, despite their first round exit.

"In the beginning, it was hard for me and for them.

"They were not used to being trained with a coach who does not speak French.

"Courage, respect for themselves, their coach and most of all, for their opponents, were the keys behind the glory of the Indomitable Lions," the Cameroon manager explained.