The traditional controversy over the timing of the African Nations Cup finals has started much earlier than usual as clubs anticipate losing key players to the tournament in January.
Already leading coaches like Frank Rijkaard, Jose Mourinho and Sam Allardyce have spoken out against the timing of the tournament, which is played in the middle of the season for the major leagues in Europe.
And the chorus of complaints is for the first time bolstered by some of Africa’s top talent. Three time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o, another former winner El Hadji Diouf and the Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien have all been adding volume to the tune.
Next year’s Nations Cup finals will be played in Ghana from Jan. 20 to Feb. 10 but because it is a continental championship, FIFA rules dictate that players called up by their countries must be released two weeks before to participate in pre-tournament preparations.
This means that some players could be away from their clubs for as much as five weeks at a crucial point of the league season.
To date, the Confederation of African Football has obstinately refused to budge, even with the weight of criticism from leading personalities in the world game.
CAF president Issa Hayatou famously pronounced his reasons two years ago, turning into an amateur meteorologist when he claimed the Nations Cup in the off season in June and July was out of the question because it was the rainy season on the continent.
If that is the case, is CAF going to hand back the right to host the 2010 World Cup?
The first cracks are now beginning to show, notably after Tuesday’s meeting of FIFA’s Strategic Committee, which is designed to think about the future of the game.
It has appointed a working group to look at fixing new dates for the Nations Cup. Hayatou is part of the group, which also includes English Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.
Expect some fireworks.
Mark Gleeson, Johannesburg
PHOTO: Bolton’s El Hadji Diouf falls over against Chelsea at the Reebok Stadium REUTERS/Darren Staples
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[...] African Nations Cup battle begins months early Next year’s Nations Cup finals will be played in Ghana from Jan. 20 to Feb. 10 but because it is a continental championship, FIFA rules… [...]
- Posted by Ghana » Blog Archives » Ghana News :: Highlife Jazz Fusion of Ghana at Ford Amphitheater ::: Breaking News | News in Ghana | entertainmentIssa Hayatou is a tough negotiator and he knows that CAF can maybe bargain for an extra half World Cup place with the dates of the Nations Cup.
What about the Mali-Togo game this weekend though! It would be a major boost for Arsenal if the Sparrowhawks didn’t qualify - and for me as I have bet on him to be the Premiership top scorer!
- Posted by Sport BloggerInteresting to see the National Football vs Club Football tussle extended to even outside of Europe. I guess when sports clubs become super rich and influential outfits, this problem arises. I think even the NBA has this problem also.
- Posted by Five TimesAfrica has already made concessions by merging its World Cup qualifying and African Cup matches, thus significantly reducing the number of matches.
Europe cannot ask the Africans to make decisions that will cost them revenues, when the Europeans themselves are screaming because they want more money.
The rainy season is a factor because poor infrastructure means a lot of warter-logged pitches in the rainy season. If moved to the rainy season, only a couple of countries will be able to host the tournament.
- Posted by VincentAfrica has already made concessions: first they moved the tournament from March to January and second they merged the World Cup qualifying and African Cup matches, thus significantly reducing the number of matches players are called up for.
Europe cannot ask the Africans to make decisions that will cost them revenues, when the Europeans themselves are screaming because they want more money.
The rainy season is a factor because poor infrastructure means a lot of warter-logged pitches in the rainy season. If moved to the rainy season, only a couple of countries will be able to host the tournament.
- Posted by Vincent[1] Very biased reporting from Mark Gleeson
- Posted by Ayo Akinfe[2] Anyone O’Level geography student would have told him that Africa does not have a “summer”
[3] This is a classic case of applying European situations to Africa
[4] Sub-Saharan Africa has a rainy and a dry season
[5] There is no way you can play a major tournament in Africa in the rainy season which runs from April to November
[6] The exception is South Africa and the Arab states of the north
[7] South Africa will host the 2010 World Cup because it has the same climate as Australia and the May to September period is its winter
[8] We should send Gleeson a tape of the recent Nigeria vs Lesotho game in Warri. It looked like a water polo match
[9] Even if the pitches had drainage, you still have the problem of flooding, roads being blocked, buildings being uprooted, rainfall drenching players, fans getting soaked, electric cables collapsing and general disruption caused by the rainy season
[10] The only solution to this problem is to have a European break in January/February when the ANC takes place.
[...] to be played at a time in sync with other international football tournaments (ie, during our Summer months), and to play the Cup every four years rather than every two. There should be little surprise that [...]
- Posted by Texperts - 66000 » Ghana. Where the Premiership will be lost?