AFCON
Setback for Super Eagles and others! World Leagues unwilling to release players for Cup of Nations until Jan. 3
The World Leagues Forum (WLF) has written to global soccer governing body FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to say they will not release players for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) until Jan. 3.
FIFA regulations state clubs must release players for AFCON by Dec. 27, which is 13 days before the tournament starts. The WLF said that date was “unreasonable and disproportionate” for many clubs and players in action this month.
The WLF, which represents more than 40 professional leagues, said they had written twice to FIFA and CAF last month but did not receive an answer and any punishment for not releasing players would be “null and void”.
“As indicated in our unanswered letter of November 19, more than a month ago, we consider that the FIFA rule must be adapted,” WLF General Secretary Jerome Perlemuter wrote in a letter sent on Thursday and seen by Reuters.
“As a consequence, in order to mitigate the impact of the decisions made on the AFCON, we consider that the release of players shall start on January 3 for those clubs and players having matches before then.
“We will also consider that any sanction imposed by FIFA will be deemed abusive, null and void.”
Reuters has contacted FIFA and CAF for comment.
While most European leagues wind down for a winter break, the English Premier League has scheduled three rounds of games between Boxing Day on Dec. 26 and the first week of January.
The Africa Cup of Nations runs from Jan. 9-Feb. 6. It was switched back to its traditional slot in January and February at Cameroon’s request to avoid the rainy season.
WLF stressed clubs were releasing players “for free while still paying their salaries” for a tournament being held in winter “against CAF’s initial commitment made in 2017 (to play the finals in June and July)”.
The 2019 tournament, won by Algeria, was held in the June-July period which is the close season for most leagues.
“Our clubs gladly commit to this solidarity scheme. But in consideration, we expect decisions not to be made in isolation by FIFA and CAF. We urge for more dialogue and cooperation in matters relating to the match calendar,” Perlemuter added.
-Reuters
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has sacked its Serbian coach, Milutin Sredojević who is popularly known as Micho.
This is coming ahead of Libya’s back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations clashes with Nigeria next month.
Paradoxically, Sports Village Square gathered that the coach’s contract was only recently renewed for six months before the axe fell on the Serbian.
His sack was precipitated by the results obtained in their teo matches of the AFCON qualifiers.
Libya drew 1-1 with Rwanda at home and lost 2-1 away to Benin Republic despite beig a goal up at half time.
The Libyan side, Mediterranean Knights are due to play against the Nigeria Super Eagles in Uyo on 6 October while the return leg holds on 14 October at the 11 July Stadium in Tripoli.
According to information Sports Village Square gathered from Tripoli, the Mediterranean Knights’ coach, Micho led the Libyan national team to win nine matches since taking over in October of last year, he failed to build a strong team due to his poor choices.
He also took a risk with the footballers chosen in the AFCON qualifiers, and the result was shocking to the Libyan sports audience.
According to sources close to the Libyan Football Federation, there is a strong tendency to sign a national coach to lead the Libyan team during the remaining qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has lashed out at Ghana and some other African countries whose home grounds were recently banned from hosting CAF matches owing to inadequate facilities. He made the remarks in Nairobi, Kenya during a press conference,
After the MatchDay 2 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, CAF ruled Ghana’s Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi as being inadequate to host international matches. Being the only approved ground in the country, Ghana will now look towards either Cote d’Ivoire or Togo for their remaining home matches of the Afcon qualifiers.
Other African countries without approved home grounds are: Djibouti, Chad, Niger, Eritrea, Gabon, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, São Tomé and Burundi.
Motsepe voiced his frustration over the recurring issue of nations being unable to host home games.
“Nothing frustrates me more than a national team or club side having to play home matches outside,” he stated.
He stressed the significance of playing in front of home fans, adding, “You can’t grow football if the national teams or club sides aren’t playing in front of their home fans.”
Motsepe reiterated CAF’s commitment to working with countries to ensure they have at least one suitable stadium to host international fixtures.
“Our conversations in every country are to make sure there is at least one stadium capable of hosting a CAF category C game,” he emphasized.
The on-going CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire has brought together, the last three coaches that handled the Nigeria national football team.
Gernot Rohr, Jose Peseiro and Austin Eguavoen are part of the the elite coaches currently gathered in Abidjan.
Gernot Rohr whose tenure of 5 years and 55 matches is the longest ever by any coach in Nigeria, is currently handling Nigeria’s Africa Cupof Nations and World Cup qualifying rivals, Benin Republic. He was succeeded in the interim by Austin Eguavoen who is currently having another interim stint.
Peseiro left his position after the Africa Cup of Nations
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