It came in a year of crowd trouble, match postponements because of unrests, and 'normal' problems in football administrations. Nigeria, only 4 years ago looking like a rising Brazil of Africa, have self-distroyed their brilliant perspective. As Morocco's 98 dream team architecture has fallen apart. Even Cameroon have raised a question mark eventually by a decision to switch coaching responsibilities after a year that could not have been more successful. If a national team coach sees his European based professional players an average of 10 weeks a year he will be be more than happy.
Nobody can expect that something grows and develops under such circumstances.
It is not much more but a lottery then. Too much seems to be made out of single results. France worked full 4 years to build the team of 1998 and it has payed off because after such a time everybody knows his general part in a structure and now they build up on that. Today Bonfrere has returned, but is in the middle of an intrigous power struggle. But there are positive signals as well.