The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, known as the Total Africa Cup of Nations, Gabon 2017 (also referred to as AFCON 2017 or CAN 2017) is the biennial international men’s football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The Africa’s flagship football tournament, the 31st edition starts today and will end on the 5th of February, 2017.

In the years past, players had always expressed their displeasure at the timing of the tourney which according to them does not favour them especially with their club sides. Expectedly, players who are fighting for regular playing time will surely not welcome playing in AFCON but then they are obliged to play for their countries. We have seen instances where players feign injuries to avoid playing the three week tourney.



Even the clubs with exceptional African players complained about the timing. Chelsea under Mourinho never liked the timing as Didier Drogba, Mikel Obi, Salomon Kalou, Micheal Essien and others would leave the club during the business end of the season. And in some cases, the players could come back injured, fatigued, lose form and lose shirts as the case may be.

Most managers are always skeptical to sign African players knowing fully well the consequences. Former Wigan Manager Roberto Martinez had said the Africa Cup of Nations is a big dissentive to Premier League clubs in signing African players. He even asked FIFA and CAF to make the tournament every four years like the European Championships.

The 2015 edition best player, 25 year old Ghana midfielder Christian Atsu is not happy with the timing of the Africa Cup of Nations to end of the European calendar in order to benefit players, especially those plying their trade in Europe and has urged CAF to review it.
According to him, several African players lose their position at their club sides upon their return from Afcon which is true.

“I think this goes to Caf because they need to realise that when players are doing well [at their club side] and go to Afcon in January, when they come back, there is someone playing in their position and if that person is performing, it is difficult to win it back,” Atsu told TV3.

“Caf need to do something about the tournament in January. It needs to be moved to end of the season. For me when the season ends, a lot more people can watch the Afcon because there is no football. There will be more scouts, more fans and that would mean bigger exposure for African football,” he added.

This year, some managers such as Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte are lucky. Manchester City for example have no player going as Yaya Toure has officially retired from international duty, while Kelechi Iheanacho’s Nigeria failed to reach the tournament.

However, this year’s edition has seen seven Cameroonian players refusing to play for their country. They are – Joel Matip (Liverpool), André Onana (Ajax d’Amsterdam), Guy Roland Ndy Assembe (Nancy), Allan Nyom (West Bromwich), André Zambo Anguissa (Olympique Marseille), Ibrahim Amadou (Lille), Maxime Poundje (Bordeaux) – who were named in Cameroon’s provisional squad for the tournament, but have refused to play in it, mainly for the reason of club commitments.

There is an arguement from CAF to preserve the tradition. Agreed, gone are the old days when the tournament was dominated with African based players (there were no much Europe based players then). Since the European doors were open to talented and lucky Africans, the AFCON timing became an issue.

The CAF have always defended their actions and in this case, they cited the rainy season which occurs in most parts of the African continent.

Currently, the Afcon is one of only two men’s senior international football tournaments held every two years, but the only one not in the summer, at the end of the European club football season. The other continental championships – European Championship, COPA America and Asian Cup – are held every four years and also in the summer, just like the FIFA competitions – World Cup, Confederations Cup and Olympic Football Tournament.

The only other men’s senior continental championship held every two years is the CONCACAF Gold Cup, but very importantly it is played, unlike the Afcon, in the summer (June/July) and so doesn’t clash with any European club commitments.

Read more http://www.thesportsbay.com/afcon-2017-timing-affects-europe-based-players/

Na today?

Proposed World Cup in winter, nko?
That one no disturb Europe?

Please let's start pleasing ourselves jare.

Leave colonial mentality...

Is there a better timing? Probably august at the start of the season

EPL suffer that thing ehn...drogba, Mikel, kalou, essien, toures, demba ba and others