African Cup of Nations

Lex Luthor

Any idea when the players are expected to meet up with their repective squads? Start date is Jan 20th

kinaldo

As a Newcastle fan I'm not looking forward to this at all, although I will of course happily watch it. I really can't understand why clubs still stand for Fifa organising tournaments during what's probably one of the busiest periods in the footballing calender.

It runs from Jan 20 to Feb 10, so for that time and the following games we could be without Martins, Geremi, Beye and Faye.

Stoke City (a)
Man Utd (a)
Bolton (h)
Arsenal (a)
Boro (h)
Villa (a)

Martins is the biggest loss as he's probably our most important and dangerous player, while the likes of Michael Owen and Mark Viduka can't be relied upon to be fit.

Also, Nigeria will be amongst the favourites to reach the final and their coach, Bertie Vogts, is so far the only coach out there to invoke Fifa's rule allowing them to take players away two weeks ahead of the tournament (Jan 6).

The loss of our captain, Geremi, our star performer recently, Habib Beye, and our most solid looking defender this season, Abdoulaye Faye, means that Newcastle will almost certainly have to dip into the transfer market for cover.

It could also destroy Chelsea and Arsenal's title hopes which may appeal to Man Utd fans, but is really bad for football.

OhNoYouDidn't

I agree with Kinaldo, if my team signed regular internationalists from large African nations I would be furious if a competition like this came along and caught everyone by surprise....

Every two years the same whinge from the same clubs.

kinaldo

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I agree with Kinaldo, if my team signed regular internationalists from large African nations I would be furious if a competition like this came along and caught everyone by surprise....

Every two years the same whinge from the same clubs.

Aside from the fact that it's not just the same clubs giving out every two years, I think you're missing my point. Most of their players play in Europe these days so having it in January and February doesn't make any sense. The CAF argue against moving it to the summer because then it would clash with their rainy season. So why not move the 2010 World Cup to January and February then? Oh no wait...

Ruskie4Rent

I don't see why clubs are complaining.
Well I understand, but its obviously going to happen if you fill your side up with alot of Africans. Its supposed to be the best time of year for football in most of the continent, so there's no alternative than to play it at that period. It is annoying, but clubs should know its going to happen when they add an african player to their squad.
This is a significant competition to alot of african players, and playing for their country in their continental competition is just as important to them as playing for their club, so it annoys me when managers come out and talk as if the african nations is something less important than the premier league. It won't stop them sending scouts over to have a look at some of the talent.

OhNoYouDidn't

kinaldo wrote: »

Aside from the fact that it's not just the same clubs giving out every two years, I think you're missing my point. Most of their players play in Europe these days so having it in January and February doesn't make any sense. The CAF argue against moving it to the summer because then it would clash with their rainy season. So why not move the 2010 World Cup to January and February then? Oh no wait...

the African Cup of Nations is played at a time that suits in the African climate. Always has, always will. There is no 'rainy season' in South Africa, only between the tropics.

Right or wrong, when you sign a Nigerian, Cameroonian, South African or Egyptian, its a bit rich to start compaining when they go to the African Nations cup. If Newcastle have do dip into the transfer market for cover, thats bad planning on their part.

kinaldo

Also it's not just clubs and fans giving out about this, a lot of their players including Eto'o and Essien have criticised the timing and organisation of it. The players have no say, and if they fail to show up for international duty they can be suspended from club football (this almost happened with Makalele recently).

kinaldo

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

There is no 'rainy season' in South Africa, only between the tropics.

I guess that rules out most of the continent from ever bidding for a World Cup then. Of course it didn't stop Japan and South Korea from hosting a tournament.

PHB

Well large parts of Africa have similar climates to Europe/South America. There are a multitude of places this could be played during the summer. I'd say this will be one of the last ones that is held during the winter, too many African players are coming into the leagues now, the G14 (or the expanded version of it) are gona get pissed off.

Lex Luthor

so worst case scenario is Jan 6th....????

_blank_

PHB wrote: »

Well large parts of Africa have similar climates to Europe/South America. There are a multitude of places this could be played during the summer.

Yeah, but it has to be rotated, just like the Euros.

Hardly fair to not allow countries in the tropics not host it because of a few clubs thousands of miles away in Europe.

Frankly, fúck them. They know when they are signing the Africans what is going to happen every 2 years.

It's why, I suspect, Alex Ferguson doesn't sign Africans. (Yes, I know about Fortune and Djemba).

The G14 can fúck off as far as I'm concerned, they are trying to ruin football for the smaller clubs. Dickheads.

L'prof

Why does it take place every 2 years anyway and not every 4 like the Euros and World Cup?

L'prof

DesF wrote: »

The G14 can fúck off as far as I'm concerned, they are trying to ruin football for the smaller clubs. Dickheads.

I doubt that ruining football for smaller clubs is high on their agenda but they certainly only take into consideration what is in their own best interests!

_blank_

jasonorr wrote: »

I doubt that ruining football for smaller clubs is high on their agenda but they certainly only take into consideration what is in their own best interests!

They'd be glad to be rid of smaller clubs, and keep a status quo involving only the elite.

Be under no illusions about that.

L'prof

DesF wrote: »

They'd be glad to be rid of smaller clubs, and keep a status quo involving only the elite.

Be under no illusions about that.

Right...even if this was true, do you think this is achievable? So by the smaller clubs you mean anybody outside their "elite" group, if they managed to get rid of them all where do they go scouting for players? They need the smaller clubs just as much as the smaller clubs need them to raise the profile of the game!

_blank_

I don't mean that they'd want rid of them as entities.

They just don't want any other team "infiltrating" their cosy group.

They don't want any team to make the step up.

They want to keep the small teams small, and the "big" teams with all the money to divvy up between them.

L'prof

DesF wrote: »

I don't mean that they'd want rid of them as entities.

They just don't want any other team "infiltrating" their cosy group.

They don't want any team to make the step up.

They want to keep the small teams small, and the "big" teams with all the money to divvy up between them.

I know what you're saying but it's not quite like that! I'd liken it to Natural Selection...I think they are willing to let more clubs in but, at the same time they only want the biggest, best, richest clubs to join them! But, in 10-20 years time that could be a club who is currently in League 1, 2, 3!

_blank_

jasonorr wrote: »

I know what you're saying but it's not quite like that! I'd liken it to Natural Selection...I think they are willing to let more clubs in but, at the same time they only want the biggest, best, richest clubs to join them! But, in 10-20 years time that could be a club who is currently in League 1, 2, 3!

Well, they haven't let Chelsea in.

It's all about greed, nothing more.

L'prof

DesF wrote: »

Well, they haven't let Chelsea in.

Not yet but, it's only a matter of time...when are they gonna change its' name?

_blank_

What does the "G" stand for anyway?

Greed?

Gits?

L'prof

DesF wrote: »

What does the "G" stand for anyway?

Greed?

Gits?

Something like that but, it's the 14 that I have a problem with!

PHB

The G14 is soon to become about a G70 or so. The reason they are doing this is because they are gona take all the top teams from all the countries across Europe, and then become an even more powerful entity than they arleady are. They are gona pretty much get all teams that want to maintain the current status quo.

OhNoYouDidn't

kinaldo wrote: »

Aside from the fact that it's not just the same clubs giving out every two years, I think you're missing my point. Most of their players play in Europe these days so having it in January and February doesn't make any sense. The CAF argue against moving it to the summer because then it would clash with their rainy season. So why not move the 2010 World Cup to January and February then? Oh no wait...

so what you are basically arguing is that the Africans should arrange tournaments to suit your Olé Olé-ism rather than the safety of players and fans and commercial issues.

Right. That seems sensible.

herbieflowers

Managers relaise the risk they take when signing African players, they're not bloody fools...you buy the player, you take the risk of losing him, simple as...

kinaldo

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

so what you are basically arguing is that the Africans should arrange tournaments to suit your Olé Olé-ism rather than the safety of players and fans and commercial issues.

Right. That seems sensible.

Yes that's exactly what I was saying, and my argument has been supported by a host of clubs, managers, Fifa officials and African players.