Out Of Africa

Once again, it time for The African Nations bandwagon to roll into town.
The opening match kicks off on the 20th January next year and the tournament finishes 10th February, the venue, Ghana.
More than a few years back this wouldn't have meant much to European Football but in an age of multi cultural teams and a great many Africans playing in the Top leagues in England, Spain, Italy and the rest of Europe, it is time for the bellyaching to begin.
Many of Europe's top managers have already gone on record bemoaning the fact the tournament kicks off bang in the middle of Europe's domestic season.
Avrim Grant and Chelsea will lose four first team regulars and has joined a long list of managers ruing the nations cup.
Senegal captain and Bolton forward El Hadji Diouf has recently gone on record asking the administrators to review the timing of the event.
Since 1968 the Nations Cup has been held every two years and although it is rarely played without its lions share of problems it is a major spectacle in the World footballing calendar.
European clubs have in the past laughably said they will stop signing African players and may demand that their top players take up international retirement. This isn't going to happen so what is the solution.

The Conféderation Africaine de Football reckon the tournament is held in January and February because it is the rainy season in June and July and much of Africa is under water in that period.

Now I'm no meteorologist and I don't wish to sound flippant but this is Africa we are talking about, its a big place, is the weather really that bad that it would mean you couldn't play football matches for two months and just when is the South African World Cup due to kick off, that's right, 11th June.

Money must (as always ) come into the equation, if the Nations Cup moved to summer it could quite conceivably be competing with the World Cup,European Championships or the Summer Olympics and this would hit the Africans TV rights and the like.

Surely the answer then would be to move it to an odd year and we could then look forward to a Football tournament every summer.

Whatever the outcome, you can see both sides of the coin, Europe's top managers are well aware of the situation when they buy African players and football squads (especially in England) are usually big enough to cope with any forced absentees, but when it comes round to May and some top club has once again failed to fulfil their potential, you can bet your bottom dollar that the absence of vital players during the African Nations Cup will be high on most managers list of excuses.