Barcelona ask duo to skip African Nations Cup

[freakazoid]

Barcelona ask duo to skip African Nations Cup

MADRID, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Barcelona have asked Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure not to represent their countries at the African Nations Cup in Ghana in January.

'I don't know if they'll go and I hope they don't but we can't force them,' Barca sports director Txiki Begiristain told Spanish radio station RAC1.

'For Eto'o it would be a strange year. Injury, recovery and then international duty. I asked Toure before we signed him.

'Ronaldinho did not go to the Copa America (in June) and it was a brave decision. But I understand how important they are for their countries.'

Eto'o, the three-times African Player of the Year, has been sidelined since the beginning of September after undergoing surgery on a thigh injury. Toure, who is also out with a thigh injury, joined Barca from Monaco in June.

Ronaldinho, along with AC Milan's Kaka, both asked to be left out of Dunga's Brazil squad for the Copa America in Venezuela in June, saying they needed a break from playing.

The African Nations Cup runs from Jan. 20 to Feb. 10.

[Midknight]

Here we go again...

In all seriousness though, why does the CAN take place at such a weird time of the year ?

[dinho]

why dey ent ask xavi, iniesta, oleguer and deco not to go play the Euro championship qualifiers?

[Toppa]

why dey ent ask xavi, iniesta, oleguer and deco not to go play the Euro championship qualifiers?

ENT!

Eto'o and them should definitely go, just like Diarra tried his best to represent Mali even though it was a crucial match for Madrid.

[Filho]

why dey ent ask xavi, iniesta, oleguer and deco not to go play the Euro championship qualifiers?

i hear yuh boy Omar. Barca wouldn't even buy these men if they weren't international quality. but you have to admit..the African Nation's Cup is timed poorly for these fellas who employed in Europe. I could see why the clubs have a problem. You can't really compare it to Euro qualifiers cuz the African players are going to miss league games.

I doh see anything wrong with Barca statement. They will always try to keep their most prized assets. It seems the norm for big clubs now..at the same time they not coming out forceful and sound like they understand that they are trying to make the player make a very difficult decision...whereas in the not so distant past, I find they used to sound like they doh undertand why they should even consider going to something like the African nation's Cup, or the Gold Cup..or even copa America...

[Mango Chow!]

why dey ent ask xavi, iniesta, oleguer and deco not to go play the Euro championship qualifiers?

i hear yuh boy Omar. Barca wouldn't even buy these men if they weren't international quality. but you have to admit..the African Nation's Cup is timed poorly for these fellas who employed in Europe. I could see why the clubs have a problem. You can't really compare it to Euro qualifiers cuz the African players are going to miss league games.

I doh see anything wrong with Barca statement. It seems the norm for big clubs now..at the same time they not coming out forceful and sound like they understand that they are trying to make the player make a very difficult decision...whereas in the not so distant past, I find they used to sound like they doh undertand why they should even consider going to something like the African nation's Cup, or the Gold Cup..or even copa America...

     The only thing about that, Filho, is that one (myself, in this case) has the weary suspicion that the the thinking  is still the same, it's just that they aren't presenting it to  the players the same way as before.  I always appreciated the fact that, at Chelsea, Jose made it very clear to his players how much he understood that the CAN was important to his African players by not even consodering asking them to forgo the tournament.  He even purchased players (with Abramogrinch's money) to make up for his prospective  losses in the team roster.  I'm sure other teams took that approach, too which still makes Barcelona's newfound approach seem not-quite-so-noble, especially when you consider that they're not losing that many players. 



   

[Peong]

I wonder how the football seasons in African countries run.
Lemme search.

[Filho]

why dey ent ask xavi, iniesta, oleguer and deco not to go play the Euro championship qualifiers?

i hear yuh boy Omar. Barca wouldn't even buy these men if they weren't international quality. but you have to admit..the African Nation's Cup is timed poorly for these fellas who employed in Europe. I could see why the clubs have a problem. You can't really compare it to Euro qualifiers cuz the African players are going to miss league games.

I doh see anything wrong with Barca statement. It seems the norm for big clubs now..at the same time they not coming out forceful and sound like they understand that they are trying to make the player make a very difficult decision...whereas in the not so distant past, I find they used to sound like they doh undertand why they should even consider going to something like the African nation's Cup, or the Gold Cup..or even copa America...

     The only thing about that, Filho, is that one (myself, in this case) has the weary suspicion that the the thinking  is still the same, it's just that they aren't presenting it to  the players the same way as before.  I always appreciated the fact that, at Chelsea, Jose made it very clear to his players how much he understood that the CAN was important to his African players by not even consodering asking them to forgo the tournament.  He even purchased players (with Abramogrinch's money) to make up for his prospective  losses in the team roster.  I'm sure other teams took that approach, too which still makes Barcelona's newfound approach seem not-quite-so-noble, especially when you consider that they're not losing that many players. 



   

Yeah...it might just be good PR. But I detect a shift in the prestige and the respect the CAN receives nowadays based on press and media coverage. It entering probably its most popular phase ever..especially now that you have a record number of Africans who are household names in Europe, like Drogba, the 2 Toures, Eto'o, Essien, Kanoute, Diarra, Eboue..etc, etc. But you never really know with these clubs. They might have good PR, but putting the fellas under real pressure behind closed doors. I tell yuh what tho'..if Barca try to put Eto'o under the gun..yuh know he will buss his mouth  Eto'o doh business. Yaya look like a more quite obedient fella. Hope both of them go..CAN needs its biggest stars.

[Tenorsaw]

In my opinion, this is a blatant disrespect for African football.  This is the legitimate Confederation tournament for Africa, and man asking men not to play for their countries.  The scheduling of the tournament should probably be reviewed in the future, since it falls right in the middle of the European season, but teams know that is the case when they sign African players.

[fatman]

 European clubs have gotten far too powerful they are wealthy and in the case of English clubs their owners have a disconnnect regarding the historical and cultural impact of the game. All those interested in the future of the international game must use what ever forum they have to show  their discontent. 
    Where African players and countries are concerned there is a natural bias, rightly mentioned the African Nations Cup has risen in status, the cultural bias is however still there. It is important for players llike Eto and Toure who have already exstablished them selves follow the pattern of George Weah and demand African international games be given the same respect as a Germany England international.

[Toppa]

In my opinion, this is a blatant disrespect for African football.  This is the legitimate Confederation tournament for Africa, and man asking men not to play for their countries.  The scheduling of the tournament should probably be reviewed in the future, since it falls right in the middle of the European season, but teams know that is the case when they sign African players.

But really, why should they cater to the European League?

[Midknight]

Of course there's a certain lack of respect that these big clubs show to internationals from less established players - TNT has seen it in the past with basically pissing tail clubs from League 1 and League 2. I distinctly remember some club manager referring to the qualifiers with Bahrain as unimportant !

However, a lot of people missing the point. You can't compare a two-three week tournament that basically requires players to miss a month of games (for the finalist clubs) to a one off international on a Fifa match day.
When players play a tournament in summer, it always reduces their recuperation time, for the next season, but at least that is the only negative point you could find whereas, when we dealing with tournaments in the middle of the season, noto nly is there the fatigue of an intense number of games in a short period, but you have the games missed as well
If is one man will always prefer international ball to club ball anyday, is me.

However, the CAN scheduling is a hold back from the days when the vast majority of African international players actually use to play in Africa. This is less and less the case now. THAT is the answer to your question Toppa. Any self respecting tournament needs to adapt to the changing realities that define it. The day the Gold Cup gets people to respect it, and the MLS happens to be the dominant league furnishing national team players in Concacaf, they will have to take a break during the tournament. They won't have a choice.

I suppose one could argue that climatic conditions *might* render it impractical to do the CAN during the summer break according to the country that hosting (outside of austral africa), but I want somebody to cofirm that for me.

[Toppa]

Of course there's a certain lack of respect that these big clubs show to internationals from less established players - TNT has seen it in the past with basically pissing tail clubs from League 1 and League 2. I distinctly remember some club manager referring to the qualifiers with Bahrain as unimportant !

However, a lot of people missing the point. You can't compare a two-three week tournament that basically requires players to miss a month of games (for the finalist clubs) to a one off international on a Fifa match day.
When players play a tournament in summer, it always reduces their recuperation time, for the next season, but at least that is the only negative point you could find whereas, when we dealing with tournaments in the middle of the season, noto nly is there the fatigue of an intense number of games in a short period, but you have the games missed as well
If is one man will always prefer international ball to club ball anyday, is me.

However, the CAN scheduling is a hold back from the days when the vast majority of African international players actually use to play in Africa. This is less and less the case now. THAT is the answer to your question Toppa. Any self respecting tournament needs to adapt to the changing realities that define it. The day the Gold Cup gets people to respect it, and the MLS happens to be the dominant league furnishing national team players in Concacaf, they will have to take a break during the tournament. They won't have a choice.

I suppose one could argue that climatic conditions *might* render it impractical to do the CAN during the summer break according to the country that hosting (outside of austral africa), but I want somebody to cofirm that for me.

No, it isn't. As long as the CAN matches are approved by FIFA then the European clubs will have to deal.

[superoli]

it's all about working together and if they can reschedule to play the African cup  in Summer without too much hassle then why not ?

Also remember the African cup is every two years whereas the european cup is every four years

[Midknight]

Of course there's a certain lack of respect that these big clubs show to internationals from less established players - TNT has seen it in the past with basically pissing tail clubs from League 1 and League 2. I distinctly remember some club manager referring to the qualifiers with Bahrain as unimportant !

However, a lot of people missing the point. You can't compare a two-three week tournament that basically requires players to miss a month of games (for the finalist clubs) to a one off international on a Fifa match day.
When players play a tournament in summer, it always reduces their recuperation time, for the next season, but at least that is the only negative point you could find whereas, when we dealing with tournaments in the middle of the season, noto nly is there the fatigue of an intense number of games in a short period, but you have the games missed as well
If is one man will always prefer international ball to club ball anyday, is me.

However, the CAN scheduling is a hold back from the days when the vast majority of African international players actually use to play in Africa. This is less and less the case now. THAT is the answer to your question Toppa. Any self respecting tournament needs to adapt to the changing realities that define it. The day the Gold Cup gets people to respect it, and the MLS happens to be the dominant league furnishing national team players in Concacaf, they will have to take a break during the tournament. They won't have a choice.

I suppose one could argue that climatic conditions *might* render it impractical to do the CAN during the summer break according to the country that hosting (outside of austral africa), but I want somebody to cofirm that for me.

No, it isn't. As long as the CAN matches are approved by FIFA then the European clubs will have to deal.

That kind of attitude gets you nowhere in life. One hand can't clap.

If the European clubs decide to 'deal' with it by purposely reducing the number of african players they recrute and the African players 'deal' with it by early retirements, it won't do a fart of good for the game, be it on the international level or club level

[Toppa]

Of course there's a certain lack of respect that these big clubs show to internationals from less established players - TNT has seen it in the past with basically pissing tail clubs from League 1 and League 2. I distinctly remember some club manager referring to the qualifiers with Bahrain as unimportant !

However, a lot of people missing the point. You can't compare a two-three week tournament that basically requires players to miss a month of games (for the finalist clubs) to a one off international on a Fifa match day.
When players play a tournament in summer, it always reduces their recuperation time, for the next season, but at least that is the only negative point you could find whereas, when we dealing with tournaments in the middle of the season, noto nly is there the fatigue of an intense number of games in a short period, but you have the games missed as well
If is one man will always prefer international ball to club ball anyday, is me.

However, the CAN scheduling is a hold back from the days when the vast majority of African international players actually use to play in Africa. This is less and less the case now. THAT is the answer to your question Toppa. Any self respecting tournament needs to adapt to the changing realities that define it. The day the Gold Cup gets people to respect it, and the MLS happens to be the dominant league furnishing national team players in Concacaf, they will have to take a break during the tournament. They won't have a choice.

I suppose one could argue that climatic conditions *might* render it impractical to do the CAN during the summer break according to the country that hosting (outside of austral africa), but I want somebody to cofirm that for me.

No, it isn't. As long as the CAN matches are approved by FIFA then the European clubs will have to deal.

That kind of attitude gets you nowhere in life. One hand can't clap.

If the European clubs decide to 'deal' with it by purposely reducing the number of african players they recrute and the African players 'deal' with it by early retirements, it won't do a fart of good for the game, be it on the international level or club level

As long as Africa continues to produce talent that would never be an issue.

[Carib-Briton]

The Conference I went to on monday callled ''Is football the new African slave-trade'' one of the speakers predicted this was gonna happen with these particular players (Then again it has happened before so I can't give him much credit lol)

[Tenorsaw]

The Conference I went to on monday callled ''Is football the new African slave-trade'' one of the speakers predicted this was gonna happen with these particular players (Then again it has happened before so I can't give him much credit lol)

Unless that presenter could have come up with concrete data showing that African players are recruited on the cheap and typically earn less than their counterparts from other regions, I not buying that.  I know Drogba, Essien and company are well paid.  Also, what would some of these players been doing, if it were not for football.  We know the Dutch and French clubs in particular have their academies set up in many African countries, but who not trying to recruit from a baby age now?  That is a global trend happening in all developing areas, where flair anf natural talent seems to be abundant. 

[Carib-Briton]

The Conference I went to on monday callled ''Is football the new African slave-trade'' one of the speakers predicted this was gonna happen with these particular players (Then again it has happened before so I can't give him much credit lol)

Unless that presenter could have come up with concrete data showing that African players are recruited on the cheap and typically earn less than their counterparts from other regions, I not buying that.  I know Drogba, Essien and company are well paid.  Also, what would some of these players been doing, if it were not for football.  We know the Dutch and French clubs in particular have their academies set up in many African countries, but who not trying to recruit from a baby age now?  That is a global trend happening in all developing areas, where flair anf natural talent seems to be abundant. 

It was more than one people speaking.
They told of how people are treated at the Ajax Academy in SA.
They refered to the Feyernood academy as a ''prison camp''
They talked so much stuff it is actually too much to type.
One sad thing was how many African players who are not ''up to standard'' are discarded in Europe to fend for themselves.


They used the examples of particular players of how African clubs are ripped off etc etc
Everyones Favourite player on the board was there too Marlon King 
Piara Power was there,Tony Finnigan and others. I think they filmed it so If I get the DVD and get permission to upload it I will.

BTW it says IS football the new African-Slade trade not IT IS and I wasn't trying to get you to buy anything  and neither was I just now, I was just giving a brief summery of what was said which too long for me to be typing

If your interested in you can read this article, the writer was actually one the people that set up the event

http://empower-sport.com/home/p2_articleid/43
They discussed it aswell. The article is more of a summery though than what was discussed in greater detail.

[legal alien]

Of course there's a certain lack of respect that these big clubs show to internationals from less established players - TNT has seen it in the past with basically pissing tail clubs from League 1 and League 2. I distinctly remember some club manager referring to the qualifiers with Bahrain as unimportant !

However, a lot of people missing the point. You can't compare a two-three week tournament that basically requires players to miss a month of games (for the finalist clubs) to a one off international on a Fifa match day.
When players play a tournament in summer, it always reduces their recuperation time, for the next season, but at least that is the only negative point you could find whereas, when we dealing with tournaments in the middle of the season, noto nly is there the fatigue of an intense number of games in a short period, but you have the games missed as well
If is one man will always prefer international ball to club ball anyday, is me.

However, the CAN scheduling is a hold back from the days when the vast majority of African international players actually use to play in Africa. This is less and less the case now. THAT is the answer to your question Toppa. Any self respecting tournament needs to adapt to the changing realities that define it. The day the Gold Cup gets people to respect it, and the MLS happens to be the dominant league furnishing national team players in Concacaf, they will have to take a break during the tournament. They won't have a choice.

I suppose one could argue that climatic conditions *might* render it impractical to do the CAN during the summer break according to the country that hosting (outside of austral africa), but I want somebody to cofirm that for me.

nuff respect to the CAN, but i doh understand why they tourmament is every two years, even in the world cup year....

[palos]

If the European clubs decide to 'deal' with it by purposely reducing the number of african players they recrute and the African players 'deal' with it by early retirements, it won't do a fart of good for the game, be it on the international level or club level

Daz not a good argument bro.  Talent determines who clubs buy.  Geography has nothing to do with it.  If a club believes that a player is sufficiently talented to help them win consistently, they will buy him.  Clubs not in the business of cuttin off dey nose to spoil dey face.  Dey in de business of makin money and winning.

Africa has superior talent.  As long as that remains true, clubs will continue to buy their players in order to be competitive.

[weary1969]

I eh care if d competition is 4 a yr. Is because dey play in dese countries these clubs like Barca could get players like Eto. When d nonesense go stop

[Midknight]

If the European clubs decide to 'deal' with it by purposely reducing the number of african players they recrute and the African players 'deal' with it by early retirements, it won't do a fart of good for the game, be it on the international level or club level

Daz not a good argument bro.  Talent determines who clubs buy.  Geography has nothing to do with it.  If a club believes that a player is sufficiently talented to help them win consistently, they will buy him.  Clubs not in the business of cuttin off dey nose to spoil dey face.  Dey in de business of makin money and winning.

Africa has superior talent.  As long as that remains true, clubs will continue to buy their players in order to be competitive.

You missing mih point.
I'm not talking about the Drogbas and the Weahs. I'm talking about the vast majority of African internationals who are nothing more than squad players on these big teams. 

They may be talented, but the fact remains that they have one strike against them already before they even kick a ball - unlike South Americans for instance.

I distinctly remember hearing something about hearing a certain club owner asking his manager to reduce bringing more Africans to the club, and while that may have just been old talk, you will notice that Chelsea didn't bring any additional ones whereas they offload geremi.

But to be quite honest, that is besides the point. I'm more thinking about the smaller clubs who could very well recruit some of the lesser known African players who are actually eligible for work permits but who will think twice because their squad is smaller and they can't afford to lose a player like that.

Imagine if Carlos was playing for Togo and not Trinidad and Tobago for instance. The man been injured for virtually the whole of the first half of the season, and just as he come back - boom - you lose him again to the CAN, and you never know, he might get injured over there again (because we all know the wild man football that they play over there [sarcasm] - that won't make you grind you teeth ?

[kiffysmooth]

It interesting to know de manager said that he couldn't force them if they wanted to.  Dat leaves me to wonder if is de same ting goes for our overseea player who does say dey getting so much horrors to be released for national duty.  If yuh ask me, I feel like is ultimately de choice of the player, and with lil repercussions, unless de man come back injured.

[Madd Ras#13]

is dis de off season fuh de football clubs in africa or fuh de majourity of de african countries? if so den dem dont need tuh revise wen de tournament is bein kept seein dat de majority of players dat takes part still ply dey trade wid ah african club

[Midknight]

is dis de off season fuh de football clubs in africa or fuh de majourity of de african countries? if so den dem dont need tuh revise wen de tournament is bein kept seein dat de majority of players dat takes part still ply dey trade wid ah african club

Last years CAN had 58% of players from clubs outside of Africa.
7 of 16 teams had a majority of African based players but of these, Egypt and Congo Kinshasha were the only two teams to get past the group stage.

[asylumseeker]

My message to the Europeans is that the Nations Cup is not an IMF loan where they tell us what to do with it.
Collins Osei, Ghana/USA

This is my personal favourite in response to an article by Farayi Mungazi [A Question of Timing] discussing this topic.

[Midknight]

link to the article A question of timing

Asylumseeker; as valid as that comment is, like most of the comments shooting down the article, I notice that it is completely emotional in nature with no rational arguments. Pride comes before a fall.

The exceptions to this rule are the following arguments :

1) the importance of a more frequent CAN for the smaller african nations
2) the rainy season problem
3) how to provide for the players playing in other continents other than Europe
4) the importance of a more frequent CAN for developping infrastructure

These are what people need to be talking about instead of ceding to emotons as soon as the subject comes up.

[asylumseeker]

Midknight, I believe that comment symbolises the historical imbalance of Africa's relationship with Europe through the ages.

In the instant situation we have an African institution that has grown and flourished over 50 years on a continent in which solidarity is challenging (in a context in which Africa is consistently told to develop its indigenous institutions) and having done so is still met with European opposition.

In that light it may be less emotional than you suggest.

******

African Nations Cup participation out of my hands: Eto'o
MADRID, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The decision over whether Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o represents Cameroon at the African Nations Cup is out of his hands, the player has said.
"I will play where they tell me to. I am not the boss," Eto'o said in an interview with Spanish daily Sport on Friday.
"I can't do anything. I understand the club's worries but I also understand my country's concerns. They have to sort it out between them. Txiki (Begiristain, Barca's sports director) has to speak to the Cameroon Football Federation."
Earlier this week, Begiristain said he had asked Eto'o and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure to skip the tournament which runs from Jan. 20 to Feb. 10 in Ghana.
Eto'o, the three-times African Player of the Year, has been sidelined since the beginning of September after undergoing surgery on his right thigh, and missed more than four months of last season after needing surgery for a knee injury in the same leg.
He refused to set a date for when he hoped to return to action. Doctors have said they expect Eto'o to be out for at least two months.
"I need to take it little by little because the most important thing is that I return to help the side win. I don't want to come back and be a burden," he said.


 

[SUPA]

why dey ent ask xavi, iniesta, oleguer and deco not to go play the Euro championship qualifiers?

There u go meh friend, dat is de correct answer right dey. We are grown folks here, so we all know why, but it not wise tuh post it, cuz some people may get de wrong impression of dat member and may be even de forum. HIGHLY BLESSED.