AFCON moved back to Jan/Feb 2021

[IrishRedDevil]

https://www.skysports.com/football/...an-become-best-in-the-world-says-papiss-cisse

The tournament was due to be held in June and July next year but, due to weather conditions in the country at that time, the Cameroon Football Federation has decided to stage it between January 9 and February 6 - dates which will cause disruption for Premier League clubs.

 

[Pexbo]

https://www.skysports.com/football/...an-become-best-in-the-world-says-papiss-cisse

The tournament was due to be held in June and July next year but, due to weather conditions in the country at that time, the Cameroon Football Federation has decided to stage it between January 9 and February 6 - dates which will cause disruption for Premier League clubs.

To be fair, screw the premier league. It’s a local nations competition and should be played at the most appropriate time for the local nations.

 

[Idxomer]

It shouldn't have changed in the first place.

 

[RobinLFC]

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[Pexbo]

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For feck sake

 

[KiD MoYeS]

Probably the right decision but feck me, the scousers are a ridiculous level of lucky.

 

[Rightnr]

Right decision and Pool had like two easy games in that period IIRC.

 

[RobinLFC]

Vaccination rate in Cameroon is 2.3% as far as I can see. Even though their 7-day average is just ridiculously low (73 cases per day compared to 53k for the UK for example), it might be a big risk to potentially cause an outbreak there. Not sure how it should be handled, of course calling it off is the safe approach and can be completely understood. Sucks for the local people though, can imagine they've been really looking forward to this one after the initial postponement.

 

[golden_blunder]

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@Niall is leading talks. Your friendly CAF will bring you updates as they happen

 

[thegregster]

Great timing by the BBC.

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[therealtboy]

Great timing by the BBC.

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Spoke to Mehdi Abeid who plays for Al-Nasr Dubai, where I work, he says the Algerians are still preparing for the AFCON and it's all fake news.Doubt they'll cancel so close to the tournament.

 

[the_cliff]

There's new rumours of cancellations each week. European clubs don't want to let go of their players, which is why rumours of cancellation keep coming up. My guess it will happen with the European based players or the clubs are gonna be left with a lot of unhappy players.

 

[Dumbstar]

If the largely still unaffected regions of Africa would like the Europeans (and South Africans) to bring in Omicron en masse then please, proceed with your tournament.

Ps. Thanks Man Utd for getting so many positive cases to scare the bejeesus out of them.

 

[the_cliff]

If the largely still unaffected regions of Africa would like the Europeans (and South Africans) to bring in Omicron en masse then please, proceed with your tournament.

Ps. Thanks Man Utd for getting so many positive cases to scare the bejeesus out of them.

You seem to have a bad grasp of geography if you think that a variant that started in South Africa is more prevalent in western Europe than in West Africa.

 

[lifted]

You seem to have a bad grasp of geography if you think that a variant that started in South Africa is more prevalent in western Europe than in West Africa.

Nigeria have detected Omicron cases from as far back as October too.

 

[TsuWave]

You seem to have a bad grasp of geography if you think that a variant that started in South Africa is more prevalent in western Europe than in West Africa.

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/omicron-variant-covid-in-europe-netherlands-before-alert-raised/

Dutch health authorities announced on Tuesday that they found the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus in cases dating back as long as 11 days, indicating that it was already spreading in western Europe before the first cases were identified in southern Africa.

 

[RobinLFC]

Nigeria have detected Omicron cases from as far back as October too.

Yeah, Omicron is not a SA variant, it was just discovered and reported by SA scientists.

Still though, it is true that Africa has escaped a much bigger drama so far (or could be down to their much lower average age in their population as well), so the AFCON might trigger a potential disaster. Or not of course, I don't have a clue.

 

[MUFC OK]

Yeah, Omicron is not a SA variant, it was just discovered and reported by SA scientists.

Still though, it is true that Africa has escaped a much bigger drama so far (or could be down to their much lower average age in their population as well), so the AFCON might trigger a potential disaster. Or not of course, I don't have a clue.

Regarding you lot;

Brentford (h), Palace (a), Leicester (h) is hardly a nightmare to go without Salah and Mane.

Regarding Africa, it might also be due to under reporting of cases, population density etc. Hard to say really.

 

[Klopper76]

I've been reading that Covid isn't the only reason they're thinking about postponing. There are security concerns as well.

This is where the information is coming from:

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[adexkola]

I've been reading that Covid isn't the only reason they're thinking about postponing. There are security concerns as well.

This is where the information is coming from:

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Ongoing insurgency in the Anglophone part of the country. Limbe, a city in this region, is supposed to host a few group games. Douala is adjacent to this region and is hosting group/knockout games. Garoua, another group stage venue, is located in the far north of the country, and apart from being a really difficult place to reach, is sat right next to Boko Haram's stomping grounds in Nigeria next door.

Even without Covid the security concerns alone should have had CAF consider moving the tournament somewhere friendlier like Morocco or Ivory Coast.

 

[Dancfc]

From a selfish perspective I'll be relieved to have Mendy for the Liverpool, City and Spurs games. Even facing Salah and Mane is a good trade off for us to have Edou in the nets.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Wow, I knew this place had clout but this is big time. Good luck @Niall

"Now, though, in a fresh update provided by Press Association journalist Rob Harris, there is a meeting due to take place today between CAF and the Cameroon government to discuss the fate of the tournament."

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.li...n-liverpool-key-meeting-breaking-22515799.amp

 

[the_cliff]

So this is going ahead:

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Looking forward to it

 

[minoo-utd]

It’s been confirmed it’s going a head on the decided date after a meeting held between CAF and FIFA presidents. This is not the first time FIFA tries to cancel this very important and old competition. Being from Egypt it’s not good indication at all from FIFA to try this every few years also they put club world cup matches which AL-AHLY the African champion participates into it, they put it on Feb 5th which the AFCON should finish on 6th of February which means if Egypt reach the final then 8 of Ahly players will not be with the club at the first game of the CWC. What a mess by FIFA.

 

[André Dominguez]

Going to Cameroon, Covid it's the least of players concerns
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/12/02/cameroon-civil-war-worse-nigeria-ambazonia-anglophone-crisis/

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Are Liverpool going to allow Salah and Mane to represent their countries or keep them prisoners?

 

[The Firestarter]

Are Liverpool going to allow Salah and Mane to represent their countries or going to keep them prisoners?

 

[Klopper76]

Are Liverpool going to allow Salah and Mane to represent their countries or keep them prisoners?

Keep them priso...err I mean haha good joke.

 

[Redlyn]

Going to Cameroon, Covid it's the least of players concerns
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/12/02/cameroon-civil-war-worse-nigeria-ambazonia-anglophone-crisis/

I think they'd be safer here in cameroon from covid than wherever they are coming from. However the close proximity with other players and staff would be the real issue, as is the case everywhere football is being played right now really.

For political reasons it is just not possible to host an event excluding completely the anglophone area.
There is just one stadium in the anglophone region that is hosting the matches and it's Limbe. I would say its the safest town in those parts.
Most of the conflict is happening further north and there have been several international matches in that stadium over the years without incident.

The event has been rescheduled twice, so I think right now CAF and FIFA just want to get on with it.

 

[cyberman]

Are Liverpool going to allow Salah and Mane to represent their countries or keep them prisoners?

Well they kept Salah from the olympics when he had a right to go so who knows

 

[Sandikan]

Well they kept Salah from the olympics when he had a right to go so who knows

The Olympics is generally an U23 competition though and seen as a bit of a mess about.
This tournament is their equivalent of the Euros or Copa America so is a much bigger deal.

 

[André Dominguez]

Well they kept Salah from the olympics when he had a right to go so who knows

The Olympics are not considered a FIFA competition, clubs are not required to realease their players. At Rio 2016 Portugal football Olympic team was basically composed by U21s released by the clubs (the main players were obviously not released) and the three vancies for players over 23 were took by two players who were not part of their manager's plans (Sérgio Oliveira actually became a late bloomer) and a free agent.

We thought this team would not even get 1 point, but they actually managed to qualify the groups stage, and later were trashed by a German U21 who went to the tournament with all the guns (they lost the final against Brazil, though)

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Good that’s it going ahead. Liverpool can say nothing about it, but of course they’ll cry and say plenty.

When you buy African players shock horror that they have to play in the African tournament that you knew about before you bought said players.

 

[the_cliff]

It’s been confirmed it’s going a head on the decided date after a meeting held between CAF and FIFA presidents. This is not the first time FIFA tries to cancel this very important and old competition. Being from Egypt it’s not good indication at all from FIFA to try this every few years also they put club world cup matches which AL-AHLY the African champion participates into it, they put it on Feb 5th which the AFCON should finish on 6th of February which means if Egypt reach the final then 8 of Ahly players will not be with the club at the first game of the CWC. What a mess by FIFA.

That's probably why the Egyptian FA were one of the African associations that were in favour of postponing/cancellation. What chances do you give yourself of reaching the final ?

Good luck tomorrow against Raja in the super cup by the way. I love African football and it will be an amazing game. Shame it's not taking place in Africa.

 

[Dumbstar]

Are Liverpool going to allow Salah and Mane to represent their countries or keep them prisoners?

We'll be releasing them to sit in a Cameroonian jail instead. Now call me a silly boy but if I was fighting to upset the government's image which venues would I target in the next two or three days for maximum media coverage and support?

It's a pickle.

 

[FootballHQ]

Can this not be played in the summer again or is it impossible due to climate?

Pretty sure it was 40 odd degrees a few years back in Egypt when it was held in summer time.

That would seem logical decision for me as think African world cup qualifying has reached play off stage so that will get wrapped up in March.

 

[Klopper76]

Good that’s it going ahead. Liverpool can say nothing about it, but of course they’ll cry and say plenty.

When you buy African players shock horror that they have to play in the African tournament that you knew about before you bought said players.

They'll only miss two games against Brentford and Palace.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

They'll only miss two games against Brentford and Palace.

Worked out ok all things considered? (number of fixtures and opponents)

 

[Klopper76]

Worked out ok all things considered? (number of fixtures and opponents)

Yeah the timing is lucky. We're allowed to hold onto Salah and Mane until we play Chelsea, then they travel. After the Chelsea game there's maybe a League Cup semi final and an FA Cup game at home to Shewsbury but no league game for two weeks. Could've been worse.

 

[the_cliff]

Can this not be played in the summer again or is it impossible due to climate?

Pretty sure it was 40 odd degrees a few years back in Egypt when it was held in summer time.

That would seem logical decision for me as think African world cup qualifying has reached play off stage so that will get wrapped up in March.

Problem is it's in Cameroon, which is monsoon season in the summer.