Cybereagles

Africa has Nations Cup back where it belongs... and Jurgen Klopp asked for it. It's back during the heart of the European winter after an unsuitable change in 2019 to appease major clubs
The Africa Cup of Nations has moved back to its traditional slot in the calendar
The 2021 tournament in Cameroon will be played from January 9 to February 6
It's good to see the tournament back in its rightful spot after moving in 2019
By MARTIN SAMUEL - SPORT FOR THE DAILY MAIL
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... ed-it.html
PUBLISHED: 17:30 EST, 16 January 2020 | UPDATED: 02:37 EST, 17 January 2020


An entertaining reaction can be expected now the Africa Cup of Nations will be reverting to its previous place in the calendar from 2021.

Yet in a way Jurgen Klopp asked for this. At the Club World Cup before Christmas, he wanted to know how FIFA were going to balance their revamped, expanded club competition in two summers' time with international tournaments involving nations in Europe, Africa and Central and North America.

Now he has the answer. UEFA's Nations League will start a little earlier, CONCACAF's Gold Cup might start a fraction later - and the Africa Cup of Nations will be played in the heart of the European winter, from January 9 to February 6. As it always should have been.

The scandal was moving it to Europe's summer in 2019. Had it remained in this slot, much of the continent would never have been able to host. The rainy season in east Africa is April to June, in west Africa April to July and on the horn of Africa June to October.

Only the north and south of the continent escape downpours in the part of the year Europe calls summer. So, while FIFA's invasion of the close season may be the most pressing reason for the shift, the official and very reasonable explanation is that the 2021 hosts, Cameroon, cannot possibly hold an event in June and July.

We think it rains where we are. It doesn't. Not like there.

In Douala, one of the tournament's major venues with the 50,000 capacity Japoma Stadium, the average monthly rainfall for June and July is 14 inches and then 26.8 inches. It rains 50 of 61 days across those months.

To put this into perspective, the widespread flooding in England and Wales last year was caused by roughly 3.3 inches of rain over 36 hours. In January and February, Douala receives 1.4 to 2.2 inches of rain. That is manageable. The summer monsoons are not.

Yet Africa shifted its tournament - which pre-dates the European Championship by three years - because its players were coming under increased pressure from their clubs. Nations were losing them to early retirements or conveniently timed injuries.

They were missing pre-tournament camps. The clubs think money buys football's soul. They think wages trump all, so that Marvelous Nakamba owes more to a year at Aston Villa than he does to Zimbabwe.

'In Europe, we play in rain,' sniffed Avram Grant when confronted with losing a handful of players at Chelsea in 2008.

It is this patronising attitude, and absence of understanding, that forced the African continent into an unsuitable change.

It now appears to have been a temporary one. Egypt in 2019 will be an exception, not the new normal, and thank heavens for that.

The summer months in north Africa bring further complications. Not rain: sun.

Egypt is a hot country and July is its hottest month. The 2019 edition began controversially with Uganda's goalkeeper Denis Onyango taken off on a stretcher suffering from heat exhaustion, and the intensity of the competition suffered.

In the part of the competition with three starting times, the games that kicked off mid-afternoon had an average of 1.14 goals. Early evening fixtures averaged 1.64, rising to 2.46 for those that began at 9pm.

Yet why should Africa's competition suffer like this? The European clubs may think they own the continent now but in 1957, when the Africa Cup of Nations began, Africa did not even get a guaranteed entrant at the World Cup finals.

The first certain African World Cup place became reality in 1970 - earned by Morocco - by which time there had been seven champions of Africa.

So who stood up for the continent in the years when even FIFA did not want to know? The major clubs of Europe? Hardly.

In Qatar in 2022, a confederation with 54 competing members will receive just five places.

So take the Africa Cup of Nations away and the continent with the most FIFA members would spend the best part of every four years waiting for countries that could be counted on one hand to play a tournament of import. Yet apparently they owe us.

If anything has broadened the influence of African football and African footballers, it's the Africa Cup of Nations. It gave players from the region a target, brought the scouts from the most affluent clubs and leagues, raised standards and helped deliver some of the greatest footballers of recent decades. Now it is back where and when it belongs.

So, watch the bleating start.

Cristao II wrote:Good article. If they dont want to buy African players in England - so be it.

Cristao II wrote:Good article. If they dont want to buy African players in England - so be it.

Enugu II wrote:

Africa has Nations Cup back where it belongs... and Jurgen Klopp asked for it. It's back during the heart of the European winter after an unsuitable change in 2019 to appease major clubs
The Africa Cup of Nations has moved back to its traditional slot in the calendar
The 2021 tournament in Cameroon will be played from January 9 to February 6
It's good to see the tournament back in its rightful spot after moving in 2019
By MARTIN SAMUEL - SPORT FOR THE DAILY MAIL
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... ed-it.html
PUBLISHED: 17:30 EST, 16 January 2020 | UPDATED: 02:37 EST, 17 January 2020


An entertaining reaction can be expected now the Africa Cup of Nations will be reverting to its previous place in the calendar from 2021.

Yet in a way Jurgen Klopp asked for this. At the Club World Cup before Christmas, he wanted to know how FIFA were going to balance their revamped, expanded club competition in two summers' time with international tournaments involving nations in Europe, Africa and Central and North America.

Now he has the answer. UEFA's Nations League will start a little earlier, CONCACAF's Gold Cup might start a fraction later - and the Africa Cup of Nations will be played in the heart of the European winter, from January 9 to February 6. As it always should have been.

The scandal was moving it to Europe's summer in 2019. Had it remained in this slot, much of the continent would never have been able to host. The rainy season in east Africa is April to June, in west Africa April to July and on the horn of Africa June to October.

Only the north and south of the continent escape downpours in the part of the year Europe calls summer. So, while FIFA's invasion of the close season may be the most pressing reason for the shift, the official and very reasonable explanation is that the 2021 hosts, Cameroon, cannot possibly hold an event in June and July.

We think it rains where we are. It doesn't. Not like there.

In Douala, one of the tournament's major venues with the 50,000 capacity Japoma Stadium, the average monthly rainfall for June and July is 14 inches and then 26.8 inches. It rains 50 of 61 days across those months.

To put this into perspective, the widespread flooding in England and Wales last year was caused by roughly 3.3 inches of rain over 36 hours. In January and February, Douala receives 1.4 to 2.2 inches of rain. That is manageable. The summer monsoons are not.

Yet Africa shifted its tournament - which pre-dates the European Championship by three years - because its players were coming under increased pressure from their clubs. Nations were losing them to early retirements or conveniently timed injuries.

They were missing pre-tournament camps. The clubs think money buys football's soul. They think wages trump all, so that Marvelous Nakamba owes more to a year at Aston Villa than he does to Zimbabwe.

'In Europe, we play in rain,' sniffed Avram Grant when confronted with losing a handful of players at Chelsea in 2008.

It is this patronising attitude, and absence of understanding, that forced the African continent into an unsuitable change.

It now appears to have been a temporary one. Egypt in 2019 will be an exception, not the new normal, and thank heavens for that.

The summer months in north Africa bring further complications. Not rain: sun.

Egypt is a hot country and July is its hottest month. The 2019 edition began controversially with Uganda's goalkeeper Denis Onyango taken off on a stretcher suffering from heat exhaustion, and the intensity of the competition suffered.

In the part of the competition with three starting times, the games that kicked off mid-afternoon had an average of 1.14 goals. Early evening fixtures averaged 1.64, rising to 2.46 for those that began at 9pm.

Yet why should Africa's competition suffer like this? The European clubs may think they own the continent now but in 1957, when the Africa Cup of Nations began, Africa did not even get a guaranteed entrant at the World Cup finals.

The first certain African World Cup place became reality in 1970 - earned by Morocco - by which time there had been seven champions of Africa.

So who stood up for the continent in the years when even FIFA did not want to know? The major clubs of Europe? Hardly.

In Qatar in 2022, a confederation with 54 competing members will receive just five places.

So take the Africa Cup of Nations away and the continent with the most FIFA members would spend the best part of every four years waiting for countries that could be counted on one hand to play a tournament of import. Yet apparently they owe us.

If anything has broadened the influence of African football and African footballers, it's the Africa Cup of Nations. It gave players from the region a target, brought the scouts from the most affluent clubs and leagues, raised standards and helped deliver some of the greatest footballers of recent decades. Now it is back where and when it belongs.

So, watch the bleating start.

benteke wrote:

Cristao II wrote:Good article. If they dont want to buy African players in England - so be it.

Let it be.
They don't buy enough African players anyway, so let them have their excuse.

I like some of the points made by this gentleman Martin Samuel.

cchinukw wrote:

benteke wrote:

Cristao II wrote:Good article. If they dont want to buy African players in England - so be it.

Let it be.
They don't buy enough African players anyway, so let them have their excuse.

I like some of the points made by this gentleman Martin Samuel.

Until you realise the intent may be the interest of English players not the love of African footballers who compete well for their English clubs.

benteke wrote:

cchinukw wrote:

benteke wrote:

Cristao II wrote:Good article. If they dont want to buy African players in England - so be it.

Let it be.
They don't buy enough African players anyway, so let them have their excuse.

I like some of the points made by this gentleman Martin Samuel.

Until you realise the intent may be the interest of English players not the love of African footballers who compete well for their English clubs.

I don't care, he made some good points, the thread starter even highlighted some of them.
Why should I still clamour for this chap who wrote this article to love us and African players, i couldn't care less if he does or not, more important is AFCON, that's what matters in this topic.

cchinukw wrote:

benteke wrote:

cchinukw wrote:

benteke wrote:

Cristao II wrote:Good article. If they dont want to buy African players in England - so be it.

Let it be.
They don't buy enough African players anyway, so let them have their excuse.

I like some of the points made by this gentleman Martin Samuel.

Until you realise the intent may be the interest of English players not the love of African footballers who compete well for their English clubs.

I don't care, he made some good points, the thread starter even highlighted some of them.
Why should I still clamour for this chap who wrote this article to love us and African players, i couldn't care less if he does or not, more important is AFCON, that's what matters in this topic.

Bigpokey24 wrote:Will Cameroon be able to host? They are still building the stadiums.

benteke wrote:Wow. Daily Mail coming up with such a sensible article

Well said

Cristao II wrote:Good article. If they dont want to buy African players in England - so be it.

Enugu II wrote:

Cristao II wrote:Good article. If they dont want to buy African players in England - so be it.

The story about not buying African players is nonsense and illogical. Remember African players come with a value and these clubs are not doing them a favor. Secondly, the clubs are not running a collusion league. They are competing against each other and must think of getting the best players and for value over the term.

txj wrote:

Enugu II wrote:

Cristao II wrote:Good article. If they dont want to buy African players in England - so be it.

The story about not buying African players is nonsense and illogical. Remember African players come with a value and these clubs are not doing them a favor. Secondly, the clubs are not running a collusion league. They are competing against each other and must think of getting the best players and for value over the term.

You are setting up a straw man argument. The issue is not simply about clubs not buying African players.

The point, whether any of likes it or not is that it will be part of the consideration for buying African players, the nature of the contracts drafted and signed, what kind of clauses get inserted, etc.

It will affect the level of pressure on the players, the time of the release and the insurance coverages...

It will impact everything and will expose our players with little protection from CAF/FIFA...

Benedict Iroha wrote:I wonder why African nations cannot just build retractable roof for the June/July weather period. Like the Amsterdam arena on a smaller scale, you can find a turkey construction company that will do that for a good price.

Benedict Iroha wrote:I wonder why African nations cannot just build retractable roof for the June/July weather period. Like the Amsterdam arena on a smaller scale, you can find a turkey construction company that will do that for a good price.

Benedict Iroha wrote:I wonder why African nations cannot just build retractable roof for the June/July weather period. Like the Amsterdam arena on a smaller scale, you can find a turkey construction company that will do that for a good price.