It was Christmas 2008 when the project was born. I was just back from Madagascar exploring

the concept of 'Imperfection'.

And then Mark, my mad father, said: "What with the World Cup being staged in South Africa in

eighteen months' time, why don't you photograph grassroots footie in Africa, in your own unique way,

and we will publish a book to show the world the importance and authenticity of football in Africa?"

My father loves football and we both love Africa.

I was very keen on taking a different look at the meaning of football to this continent. There was

no real planning for the nine month trip. Nothing had been pre-arranged. So I got on a flight to

Cape Town from Brussels.

With me was a Hasselblad with one 80 mm lens, 300 rolls of film, a digital camera, my log book,

a mini printer and a stock of new footballs, all packed into a old VW Beetle equipped with a roof rack,

three spare tyres, two jerry cans and a higher suspension.

15,000 kms later I returned the car to Cape Town. Then I set off to Accra, Ghana, where I got

a Nissan Vanette. I built a bed for the inside. I had four boxes; one for footballs, one for food and

the other two for clothes and film. This mobile home took me 5000 kms across six countries in

West Africa.

Throughout the trip I had exchanged manufactured footballs for homemade ones. Back in South Africa,

I found myself with thirty-five such balls and realised the extent to which they represented the essence

of my trip and the heart of the project.