Tunisia 2004: Allardyce, Wenger Turn Heat on CCC
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Tunisia 2004: Allardyce, Wenger Turn Heat on CCC
Tunisia 2004: Allardyce, Wenger Turn Heat on
http://www.thisdayonline.com/sport/20040107spo08.html
Want to keep Okocha, Kanu till Jan 21
By Tunde Sulaiman
THISDAYSports can exclusively report that Coach Christian Chukwu's Nations Cup preparations are set to suffer another jolt following the decision of a number of Premiership managers to renege on their 'gentleman's' agreement to release their players by Sunday.
Affected by the volte-face of their mangers are Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Celestine Babayaro and Isaac Okoronkwo who are virtually indispensable to Chukwu's Tunisia 2004 plans.
However, Everton has agreed to release defender Joseph Yobo after their game with Fulham on Saturday - just 24 hours to the deadline.
A source on the hotline from London last night told us that the managers are all having re-thinks following the loaded domestic schedule which has taken a heavy toll on their players and hence their reluctance to release their Nigerian stars until the very last moment.
According to the source Bolton's Sam Allardyce is even pushing for Okocha to stay until January 21 when the club will play the semi final of the Carling Cup against Aston Villa, the team that knocked out Chelsea from the competition.
In between they also have a FA Cup third round replay against Second Division Tranmere Rovers on January 13 plus the regular Premiership ties.
"Allardyce is pilling pressure on his skipper (Okocha) to stay behind and help the club play the Carling Cup semi final game on January 21st. His argument is that since Nigeria won't be playing until the 27th he still had enough time to join them for their Nations Cup preparations," explained the source.
Kanu's new found form, injuries to Dennis Bergkamp and Sylvain Wiltord and the loaded fixture schedule means that Arsene Wenger has come to rely more and more on his Nigerian international, who travelled with the first team yesterday to Liverpool for tonight's Premiership game against Everton. The former junior international starred in last weekend's 4-1 FA Cup demolition of Leeds.
Although the Gunners avoided having to take part in a third round FA Cup replay, they are also in the Carling Cup semi final where they play Middlesbrough.
According to source Wenger has told Kanu that he was thinking of releasing him 'seven to eight' days to Tunisia 2004 so that he will be able to feature for them in the January 18th Premiership clash with Aston Villa and urged him to get in touch with Chukwu over his proposal.
"Wenger told Kanu that since he was now featuring regularly in the team it would pay him to play as many games as possible in order to cement his first team position when the Nations Cup ends. He also told him that he had at no time ever agreed to allow him to go this weekend," said the source.
We were reliably informed that Kanu told Wenger that he would have to notify both Chukwu and the FA of the new development, which the Highbury boss gave his go ahead.
He was scheduled to put a call through to Faro and Abuja last night.
Also caught up in the crowded fixture log jam is Celestine Babayaro, whose club Chelsea was lucky to escape with a 2-2 draw with Watford and now have to replay them next Wednesday - three days after Chukwu's deadline for the Premiership players to report to camp.
However, a highly placed FA official told THISDAYSports last night that they would consider taking the matter to FIFA should the coach insist on sticking to his deadline.
"It's only Chukwu that can decide on if the players should be given more time. If he doesn't then it is very clear what the FIFA law says. We have bent over backwards to accommodate the Premiership clubs by allowing them keep the players until 14 days to the competition so as to avoid any friction between us. But if they're latest ploy is true then they are asking for too much," said the FA official.
http://www.thisdayonline.com/sport/20040107spo08.html
Want to keep Okocha, Kanu till Jan 21
By Tunde Sulaiman
THISDAYSports can exclusively report that Coach Christian Chukwu's Nations Cup preparations are set to suffer another jolt following the decision of a number of Premiership managers to renege on their 'gentleman's' agreement to release their players by Sunday.
Affected by the volte-face of their mangers are Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Celestine Babayaro and Isaac Okoronkwo who are virtually indispensable to Chukwu's Tunisia 2004 plans.
However, Everton has agreed to release defender Joseph Yobo after their game with Fulham on Saturday - just 24 hours to the deadline.
A source on the hotline from London last night told us that the managers are all having re-thinks following the loaded domestic schedule which has taken a heavy toll on their players and hence their reluctance to release their Nigerian stars until the very last moment.
According to the source Bolton's Sam Allardyce is even pushing for Okocha to stay until January 21 when the club will play the semi final of the Carling Cup against Aston Villa, the team that knocked out Chelsea from the competition.
In between they also have a FA Cup third round replay against Second Division Tranmere Rovers on January 13 plus the regular Premiership ties.
"Allardyce is pilling pressure on his skipper (Okocha) to stay behind and help the club play the Carling Cup semi final game on January 21st. His argument is that since Nigeria won't be playing until the 27th he still had enough time to join them for their Nations Cup preparations," explained the source.
Kanu's new found form, injuries to Dennis Bergkamp and Sylvain Wiltord and the loaded fixture schedule means that Arsene Wenger has come to rely more and more on his Nigerian international, who travelled with the first team yesterday to Liverpool for tonight's Premiership game against Everton. The former junior international starred in last weekend's 4-1 FA Cup demolition of Leeds.
Although the Gunners avoided having to take part in a third round FA Cup replay, they are also in the Carling Cup semi final where they play Middlesbrough.
According to source Wenger has told Kanu that he was thinking of releasing him 'seven to eight' days to Tunisia 2004 so that he will be able to feature for them in the January 18th Premiership clash with Aston Villa and urged him to get in touch with Chukwu over his proposal.
"Wenger told Kanu that since he was now featuring regularly in the team it would pay him to play as many games as possible in order to cement his first team position when the Nations Cup ends. He also told him that he had at no time ever agreed to allow him to go this weekend," said the source.
We were reliably informed that Kanu told Wenger that he would have to notify both Chukwu and the FA of the new development, which the Highbury boss gave his go ahead.
He was scheduled to put a call through to Faro and Abuja last night.
Also caught up in the crowded fixture log jam is Celestine Babayaro, whose club Chelsea was lucky to escape with a 2-2 draw with Watford and now have to replay them next Wednesday - three days after Chukwu's deadline for the Premiership players to report to camp.
However, a highly placed FA official told THISDAYSports last night that they would consider taking the matter to FIFA should the coach insist on sticking to his deadline.
"It's only Chukwu that can decide on if the players should be given more time. If he doesn't then it is very clear what the FIFA law says. We have bent over backwards to accommodate the Premiership clubs by allowing them keep the players until 14 days to the competition so as to avoid any friction between us. But if they're latest ploy is true then they are asking for too much," said the FA official.
