Africans Slam 'Contemptuous' Spurs

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The YeyeMan
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Africans Slam 'Contemptuous' Spurs

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Club v country row grows as angry Africans slam 'contemptuous' Spurs

James Copnall and Amy Lawrence
Sunday January 4, 2004

The Observer

Frederic Kanoute scored a hat-trick to send Tottenham into the fourth round of the FA Cup - and showed them just what they will be missing when he heads off to play for Mali in the African Cup of Nations next week.

Hours before Spurs' 3-0 third-round win against Crystal Palace, the row over Kanouté's 'switch' of nationality continued to rage, with African football officials slamming Spurs and their caretaker manager, David Pleat.

'As an African, Tottenham's attitude really hits me hard,' said Bavieux Traoré , a long-standing official with the Mali Football Federation. 'They are showing so much contempt for us. The African Nations Cup is a major international tournament, and trying to stop him playing is simply unacceptable. Tottenham would never do this to a European country.'

Kanouté, who scored twice in the first 20 minutes, is said to be seething over his club's attempts to stop him joining the Mali squad a week on Wednesday. The Nations Cup runs from 24 January to 14 February in Tunisia, and if Mali do well, Kanouté could miss five or six club games. The Franco-Malian striker has played for France under-21s but can play for Mali at senior level after a change in Fifa's eligibility rules.

Pleat insisted after yesterday's game that Kanouté might yet be persuaded to stay behind but Henri Stambouli, the Mali coach, told The Observer from France: 'Kanouté will play with us at the Nations Cup. That is 100 per cent definite.'

Pleat's disdainful comments on Friday and yester day have enraged Malians. 'Do you know the population of Mali? Neither do any of my players,' was a typical swipe. Last night he said: 'I don't even know where Mali is.'

Did he know he had offended people in Mali (there are 11.6 million of them - and their team are higher up the Fifa rankings than Scotland and Wales)? 'We haven't done anything to offend anybody,' said Pleat last night. 'It's the press that has highlighted the situation. We just feel it is unfair that we signed him as a French player and now basically we are told he is going to play for another country. I am not saying he has changed his country - his father was born in Mali. But there is a status committee at Fifa and they will have to make a decision.'

Pleat also questioned Kanouté's physical ability to play tournament football. 'They probably have to play something like five matches in 14 days. I am not sure Freddie is that equipped to play in that intensity. He's a player who is very sensitive to his body parts: his ankles have to be right, his knees have to be right, that's the way he is.'

Pleat had earlier said that it would 'clearly not be in Freddie's best interests' for him to play in Tunisia. Traoré would have none of it. 'Why should we bow down to Tottenham?' he said. 'If you look at what African teams do in the World Cup, why should we feel inferior to Europeans? Mali is a country, Tottenham is a club. Why should we be subordinate to their wishes?'

More than a dozen Premiership players have been called up for the Nations Cup and other clubs have been more understanding than Tottenham about losing players. Portsmouth will lose striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Nigeria) and midfield player Amdy Faye (Senegal).

'There's not a lot you can do about it,' said manager Harry Redknapp. 'All the players want to play in the tournament. It will change only if they retire from international football and I would never ask any player to do that. We have to live with it.'

Chelsea's Claudio Ranieri, who will have to do without Geremi (Cameroon) and Celestine Babayaro (Nigeria), said: 'It's not good. It would be better to have everybody in the world playing to the same calendar.'
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Post by ukblack »

David Pleat is an angel*, this is the same guy who while doing commentary on ITV in the mid 90's said a player was 'being Irish", An English term for being thick.

If he doesnt know where Mali is thats due to his own ignorance and no one elses. Can someone please send him an atlas! :evil: :evil: :evil:
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Post by cic old boy »

David Pleat has really gone down in my estimation. Stupid man.
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Post by Shownoja »

David has always been stupid, will forever remain stupid and in all probability will die stupid.
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Post by monkeypost »

I hope Obafemi the brat is reading comments from all these African footballers, i am so impressed by their comments.
Last edited by monkeypost on Tue Jan 06, 2004 3:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Akamoke »

UKblack, I don't think an Atlas would do him any good either, he would have to identify Africa first :twisted:
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Post by Cellular »

Where's Ayo? Can he help us contribute to buy Pleat an Atlas?
THERE WAS A COUNTRY...

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Post by YUJAM »

Cellular:
Pa Jimoh would be in a better position to do this. You do know that he and Pleat see eye to eye on this matter! 8)
Where's Ayo? Can he help us contribute to buy Pleat an Atlas?
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Post by realtrouble »

The best quote came from Harry Rednapp and Claudio Ranieri. We have a football crises that needs a solution
'There's not a lot you can do about it,' said manager Harry Redknapp. 'All the players want to play in the tournament. It will change only if they retire from international football and I would never ask any player to do that. We have to live with it.'

Chelsea's Claudio Ranieri, who will have to do without Geremi (Cameroon) and Celestine Babayaro (Nigeria), said: 'It's not good. It would be better to have everybody in the world playing to the same calendar.'
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Post by Its a Goal »

This has always been Pa Jimoh's contention and it is a very valid point even though I don't agree with the rest of Pleat's insensitive remarks:
We just feel it is unfair that we signed him as a French player and now basically we are told he is going to play for another country.
2 of the finest indigenous coaches Nigeria ever had lost in a space of 4 days. Dear Lord, is this a sign that you are taking away from us what we failed to appreciate? I pray for forgiveness of our sins. I pray for the humility to recognize our wrongs and the humbleness and wisdom to right our ways.

REST IN PEACE COACH STEPHEN KESHI!!! REST IN PEACE COACH AMODU SHAIBU!!!
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Post by Ghost »

Ultimately, it may make sense to move the ANC back to the summer, so long as we continue to have our best players in Europe. It's not fair to the players or the clubs. However, the attitudes of these European managers really stinks. So for now, "F" them.
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Post by ukblack »

I think CAF said it would be too hot in sure to play the games so thats why they are played in Jan.
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Post by cic old boy »

David Pleat knows that all his talk that we signed him as a French player and he now wants to be African is total bollocks. Like this is an uncommon thing. What about all the British/English players that suddenly become Jamaican or Irish in order to become internationals?
Last edited by cic old boy on Tue Jan 06, 2004 5:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by LEFTIE »

Pleat, like a lot of English club supporters is an ignorant fool.
It is a matter of fact that Freddy has not just found his African roots
overnight, I believe he has actually previously played for Mali in a friendly.

Furthermore,Pleat and others talk about the African Nations cup as if it is some two bob tournament and not the major international tournament that it is. They should know that the ANC is actually older than the equivalent Euro tournament. I believe it started in the late fifties,whereas the European tournament only started in the late sixties(I think).

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