“It doesn’t help African players” – Klopp on AFCON Change

[txj]

Jurgen Klopp was asked his thoughts on the change of schedule to the Africa Cup of Nations for next year—and had plenty to say against organisers, associations and those who constantly demand more football.

As of 2021, the AFCON is back to being played in winter, meaning Liverpool will be without Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita for a month or so.

While that was naturally of some irritation to the boss, his concern rests once again with the welfare of the players and he went fully in on the lack of transparency and cohesion between the game’s governing bodies when playing tournaments and fixtures.

Here’s every brilliant word the boss said in his press conference in answer to the question about the AFCON change—starting with a tongue-in-cheek comment about how much he had to say.

“Do we really want to open this book now?!

“I couldn’t respect the African Cup of Nations more. I like the competition, I watched it a lot.

“Sensational players you see for the first time there, but not the last time because they show up in Europe and everywhere, all really interesting.

“But it’s an obvious problem that you play a tournament in the middle of the season. I get it, it makes more sense for Africa to play it in our winter when the weather is better for them, I get that. The only problem is…a couple of things are not OK.

“One thing is the FIFA plans for a tournament in summer 2021, a week later the AFCON would have started, another tournament for a lot of world-class players, I’ve mentioned that in the past. Not sure if that was part of the decision, playing at the same time or the weather or whatever. It’s too many tournaments.

“The other [problem is], it doesn’t help African players. We will not sell Sadio, Mo or Naby because they have a tournament in January or February, of course not, but if you have to make a decision about bringing in a player, it’s a massive one.

“You already know for about four weeks you won’t have them. It doesn’t help the players, for sure not.

“The decisions are made without asking players, managers, anyone about the decision.

“FIFA, who should sort all that as the head of all these associations, doesn’t look like being involved.

“They are still happy having their ’21 [Club] World Cup, offering a lot of money, means the clubs are like “maybe we can play it.”

“I know the discussions will start, when we ask for less games, everybody will say ‘take less money’. I will say right here I’m ready to do so.

“It’s not just one problem. It’s like nobody can live without [these games], like it’s a natural right to have this, but they forget in these moments that these tournaments are played by players! They don’t have a break!

“I feel massively for Harry Kane. I heard maybe he’s not in the Euros – maybe some English people in the FA will start thinking ‘too many games, maybe’. Always something has to happen to start thinking about it.

“So now we send all these guys in the winter again, in the middle of the season, to a tournament in different circumstances. It’s not easy to take. About the welfare of the players, nobody thinks.

“FIFA, UEFA, FAs of all countries have to come together to finally solve that. FIFA decides things without talking to UEFA, I heard UEFA are making the Champions League bigger…! And nobody talks to each other.

“Like in England: the FA says ‘ok, only from fourth or fifth round having replays’. And the Carabao Cup says ‘as long as they have them, we don’t cancel the second semi-final’. Ask one team involved what they think of the second semi-final!

“In the end it leads to…the Africa Cup of Nations going back to January and February which is, for us, a catastrophe.

“In that moment losing three players and on top of that we have absolutely no power. If a player is injured and we say he cannot play for us, we have to send him to Africa and they have a look. Maybe one or two weeks, he’s back. And with all the other things it’s the same. We don’t have any say, we just plan the flight. Nowadays it should not be like this.

“I speak here about it and nobody will lesson. It’s like the biggest waste of time ever, the moaner from Liverpool is on it again.

“As long as nothing changes I will say it all the time: it’s about the players.

“It’s not about me, there are so many things to sort but all these guys never find time to sit all together on one table and make a general schedule: ‘here we have it, all these different games we have to play and here is the break for the players!‘

“Right, let’s respect that. but if you have that break, don’t make a replay in that break or whatever. That would help massively.”


https://www.thisisanfield.com/2020/01/i ... le-change/

[txj]

The key question for me on this issue is- what's in the best interest of the players?

From everything I've read about the process leading up to this change, none of the players current or past was ever consulted. Some of the reporting from CAF's SG mentions players, but its not clear who he was referring to or the extent of those consultations. But clearly the determining issue was weather.

IMO that is not good enough....

However, a tournament in the rainy season has to be a real problem, without serious changes to the level of infrastructure, which IMO is the root issue...

But there are alternatives.

For me, this issue required far broader and deeper consultation than has been done so far...

[cchinukw]

If the African continent want to hold the aces, it really needs to get its act together and develop and support the local leagues.

I don't think it made a difference when the teams were dependent on only a few professionals.

Now that the best players so called are based in Europe and they form the bulk of the participants at the tournament, the is likely to be greater.

[Bigpokey24]

to me this is bad... AFCON in the summer was top notch in my books

[The YeyeMan]

My view on this has changed. I used to be a strong advocate of playing AFCON in Jan/Feb but I'm less so now.

There should be greater consultation with players about this; and FIFA needs to settle on a schedule that works best for players. Those at the highest level play far too many games.

[Cristao II]

On the contrary it does - They can most definitely have a good rest during June to Aug.

[Senator WIRES]

If the African continent want to hold the aces, it really needs to get its act together and develop and support the local leagues.

I don't think it made a difference when the teams were dependent on only a few professionals.

Now that the best players so called are based in Europe and they form the bulk of the participants at the tournament, the is likely to be greater.

Hold wetin? when the selection of best African player is based on performances from European leagues, what do you expect?

[danfo driver]

Mr. rotten teeth needs to mind his fooking business. Gone are the days when the Europeans can tell us what can "help" us or not. Cvnt!

[fabio]

What were the reasons for moving it in the first place?

[Bigpokey24]

If the African continent want to hold the aces, it really needs to get its act together and develop and support the local leagues.

I don't think it made a difference when the teams were dependent on only a few professionals.

Now that the best players so called are based in Europe and they form the bulk of the participants at the tournament, the is likely to be greater.

Hold wetin? when the selection of best African player is based on performances from European leagues, what do you expect?

AFCON matters not, the next APOY will come from performances at their clubs... AFCON is a joke, they even moved AFCON because of some friendly club football in China ( so they are telling us we are going to wake up at odd hours to watch some pathetic football clubs play for a friendly tournament ..smh

I cannot even remember the last time i sat down to watch a world club football match

[txj]

My concern is first and foremost about the players. Yes, as a Liverpool fan I'm aware LFC will be affected. But so will others..

But there is no doubt this is going to affect African players and by extension the tournament.

Its easy for peeps to say ignore the European clubs; from the comfort of our own careers. But what about those players looking for contracts? How much protection will CAF provide them? Zero!

The last tournament was IMO the best tournament since Maroc 88, and it held in the summer! That ought to count for something...

While weather is often cited as the key issue behind the change, IMO the real issue is infrastructures and organization.....

[The YeyeMan]

Mr. rotten teeth needs to mind his fooking business. Gone are the days when the Europeans can tell us what can "help" us or not. Cvnt!

Clown! Europeans have forced AFCON to move because it interferes with their World Club Championship. You think CAF is calling the shots?

[danfo driver]

What were the reasons for moving it in the first place?

The slaves kowtow’ed to their massa.

[YemiBrazil]

Great development!

I look forward with excitement to Egypt vs Senegal in the semi-final next year

[john12]

The problem is this, "Africans want respect but they're not willing to earn it" Let's call a spade a spade most of African players reside in Europe and make their daily bread in europe which means we need them more than they need us. Now, imagine having to sign an African player and you will start calculating losing him for 6 weeks midseason where and when Titles are won. if na you, will you sign them taking those risks??? No. Unfortunately, as long as African Leagues ain't $#% and most of African players perform week in and out at the Big 5, we need them more than they need us and with this decision, clubs will be less likely to Sign African Players. Now, I understand why Sir alex Ferguson signed only few African players in his regime. This is a bad move for African players Anyhow you want to view it

[fabio]

The problem is this, "Africans want respect but they're not willing to earn it" Let's call a spade a spade most of African players reside in Europe and make their daily bread in europe which means we need them more than they need us. Now, imagine having to sign an African player and you will start calculating losing him for 6 weeks midseason where and when Titles are won. if na you, will you sign them taking those risks??? No. Unfortunately, as long as African Leagues ain't $#% and most of African players perform week in and out at the Big 5, we need them more than they need us and with this decision, clubs will be less likely to Sign African Players. Now, I understand why Sir alex Ferguson signed only few African players in his regime. This is a bad move for African players Anyhow you want to view it

Arsene Wenger?

[john12]

Arsene Wenger looked like he personally liked African players but how many Arsene wenger or even Mourinho are willing to so the same??? No matter how you twist or turn it, this is a bad move for our PLAYERS because coaches will only consider "EXCEPTIONAL Talent" at the big clubs. my broad, respect is Earned not Given. we want to be respected, then build your leagues to world class standards. if not, you need them white boys more than they need you

[kalani JR]

Mr. rotten teeth needs to mind his fooking business. Gone are the days when the Europeans can tell us what can "help" us or not. Cvnt!

But what do the players want? Will they still be willing to skip mid season for a month long tournament?

[green4life]

Sorry but I don’t buy the argument that clubs will buy less African players because it’s moved back to the traditional period. If a player is good and a manager feels he will be a good fit and the price is right, he will chase the player first and worry about AFCON implications later. When Chelsea was winning titles under Jose thru Ancelotti, on any given day half the starting lineup was nearly 50% African (Drogba, Essien, Mikel, Kalou and Geremi). CAF’s decision is based on what they feel is best for the tournament. Shey they shifted it to summer before: did European clubs buy more African players than during Essien’s time? Abeg. Whatever.

[txj]

Sorry but I don’t buy the argument that clubs will buy less African players because it’s moved back to the traditional period. If a player is good and a manager feels he will be a good fit and the price is right, he will chase the player first and worry about AFCON implications later. When Chelsea was winning titles under Jose thru Ancelotti, on any given day half the starting lineup was nearly 50% African (Drogba, Essien, Mikel, Kalou and Geremi). CAF’s decision is based on what they feel is best for the tournament. Shey they shifted it to summer before: did European clubs buy more African players than during Essien’s time? Abeg. Whatever.

1. You are citing the example of established players with contracts transferring to new clubs.
2. Football business has changed drastically from what it was in the early 2000s...

[green4life]

Sorry but I don’t buy the argument that clubs will buy less African players because it’s moved back to the traditional period. If a player is good and a manager feels he will be a good fit and the price is right, he will chase the player first and worry about AFCON implications later. When Chelsea was winning titles under Jose thru Ancelotti, on any given day half the starting lineup was nearly 50% African (Drogba, Essien, Mikel, Kalou and Geremi). CAF’s decision is based on what they feel is best for the tournament. Shey they shifted it to summer before: did European clubs buy more African players than during Essien’s time? Abeg. Whatever.

1. You are citing the example of established players with contracts transferring to new clubs.
2. Football business has changed drastically from what it was in the early 2000s...

I’m citing the fact that football at its core is a business first. If you are Watford and Mane puts in a good referral for his young brother, Sarr, and the price is right, they will buy Sarr notwithstanding the likelihood of losing him for up to 6 weeks every 2 years. Why? Because EPL survival is worth well over 100 million pounds per year. On the flip side, staying on the Sarr example, if Sarr blows up at Watford or otherwise outgrows their level, bigger clubs won’t say ‘we won’t buy you due to AFCON risk’. If a Liverpool or Chelsea feel he can make meaningful contributions towards their ambition and the price is right, they will do the deal notwithstanding AFCON risk.

[Cristao II]

Ermm Liverpool please stop buying African players ... ejo!! African players can finally have a proper summer break every couple of years.

[green4life]

Flipping the argument one last time using my favorite example of Sarr; if the AFCON is only played in the summer but Sarr is an average chap who Watford isn’t sure will help their team, they won’t say “Ewo, let us pity you and give you a chance since you won’t leave during the season for AFCON’. The point being that the AFCON angle is a cop out argument. Yes, they’d rather not lose the player once every other year for a tournament but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t make much of a difference for decision makers.