African Cup of Nations..... why now???

[bitsmith]

It doesn't matter it's like this since 1968, they should change it or at least go to 4 years cycle like EURO, it's crazy to have that tournament each 2 years. Back then they did not have players in Europe and ACON is not doing any favours to African players, I'm fairly sure many teams avoid signing them unless they're worldies (for big clubs) or great quality for the money for smaller ones. It's specially wrong for Premier League as it does have a busy period around ACON and losing your players in such times is very wrong.

 

[CatMan]

It doesn't matter it's like this since 1968, they should change it or at least go to 4 years cycle like EURO, it's crazy to have that tournament each 2 years. Back then they did not have players in Europe and ACON is not doing any favours to African players, I'm fairly sure many teams avoid signing them unless they're worldies (for big clubs) or great quality for the money for smaller ones. It's specially wrong for Premier League as it does have a busy period around ACON and losing your players in such times is very wrong.

Completely agree.

 

[Cherry tree blue]

Surely it's time for the EPL to take a break at this time of year perhaps UEFA could organise some qualifiers instead of spreading them
out over the year

 

[The Footy Diary]

It's been this way since 1968. Long before the Premier League, long before the Champions League. Why the hell should they change to suit England or Europe?

Teams know what they're getting when they sign African players.

Exactly this - it's the same as the Asian players going away for the Asian Cup this month and other teams losing players to international duty during other league games.

 

[KenTheLandlord]

Its been like this since the first edition in 1957. Who are we to change them?

The Asian Cup is 9-31 January too. That will affect Palace, Jedinak and Southampton, Yoshida and Swansea Ki Sung-yueng

 

[City1974]

I do think the ACON should be every 4 years rather than every 2, as is the European Championships and I think also the South American equivalent (Coppa America) .

Also it could\should be played in late May\June\July (although this depends if hosted in the North, Central or South part of the African continent and thus suitability of temperatures), in either of the summers between a European Championship and World Cup i.e. the summer 1 year on from a Euros or the summer 1 year on from a World Cup.

 

[bluemoon32]

Any club whining about it should just do the obvious, don't sign African players in future.

 

[dennishasdoneit]

Its been like this since the first edition in 1957. Who are we to change them?

The Asian Cup is 9-31 January too. That will affect Palace, Jedinak and Southampton, Yoshida and Swansea Ki Sung-yueng

Who are we indeed.
It is not for little britain to to tell Africa what to do with its continents biggest football tournament.What gives little britain the right to do that? its like new york city blues telling Manchester City what to do re Lampard.
Or Leicester Citys midfield telling Liverpool midfield giant to do one.....

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I'd be interested to know what African players think about this, because it's their careers that are harmed by it. It's undoubtedly true that clubs don't buy African players because of this tournament. And based on the past winners, it doesn't seem like the best African teams actually give much of a shit about it. The last 6 winners have been Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt 3 times and Tunisia. The teams that regularly qualify for the World Cup don't usually win the ACN, which suggests that it's as much of a distraction for the world class African players in the middle of their domestic campaign as it is for the rest of us.

 

[KenTheLandlord]

I'd be interested to know what African players think about this, because it's their careers that are harmed by it. It's undoubtedly true that clubs don't buy African players because of this tournament. And based on the past winners, it doesn't seem like the best African teams actually give much of a shit about it. The last 6 winners have been Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt 3 times and Tunisia. The teams that regularly qualify for the World Cup don't usually win the ACN, which suggests that it's as much of a distraction for the world class African players in the middle of their domestic campaign as it is for the rest of us.

There is no evidence whatsoever that clubs dont buy African players because of the tournament. The tournament is rammed with scouts looking for the next best player. Have a quick look at the squad lists for the countries and it is full of European based players, They want to play and they go.

It was a distraction because it was run every two years and clashed with the world cup six months later. They shifted the tournament to odd years in 2013 (having two consecutive tournaments) to remove that problem. The countries are free now, like Europe, to concentrate on both. It is played in January because that is the date suitable for the Africans when it started in 1957. It has never changed.