CAN 2021: the African selections are resigned to doing without their L1 and L2 players
Ghanaian defender John Boye and Algerian goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja will not be able to join their selection for the CAN 2021 qualifiers. AFP - PHILIPPE LOPEZ
Text by: Ndiasse Sambe Follow
4 min
Faced with the desire of the French L1 and L2 clubs not to release the internationals for the CAN 2021 qualifiers, most of the selections have decided to comply with this decision.
Only Senegal has officially attempted action, while CAF remains absent on the issue.
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Senegal has taken the side of "protest".
The Senegalese Football Federation has in fact asked its French counterpart to intervene so that its players can participate in the next CAN playoff matches, qualifying as "
discriminatory
" the decision of French clubs not
to release their internationals
brought to play outside. of the European Union.
The attempt is certainly doomed to failure, but it is the only official since Wednesday March 17 and the press release from the Professional Football League (LFP) recording the decision of the French clubs.
"
Move on to something else
"
Like most African selections, Senegal will eventually have to resolve and activate a plan B, if not C, to face the Congo (March 26) and Eswatini (March 30).
Countries like Ghana, have not even tried to go against the decision of French clubs encouraged by FIFA which relaxed the rules for summoning players.
Black Stars coach Charles Akonnor has therefore made a list without his stars brothers Ayew, André (Swansea) and Jordan (Crystal Palace) but also without one of his executives playing in Ligue 1, John Boye (Metz).
And while the Tunisian coach Mondher Kebaier acts as if nothing had happened by summoning his “French” Dylan Bronn (Metz), Ali Abdi (Paris FC), Seifeddine Khaoui (Marseille) and Wahbi Khazri (Saint-Etienne), the one from Niger, Jean Michel Cavalli, swallowed the pill as best he could.
“
We swallowed it, we accepted it.
We will have to do with it, and move on
, ”said the French technician.
Where is the CAF?
The Comorian coach Amir Abdou, also resigned himself to this situation: "
Too bad, we are used to tinkering with us,
" he blurted out on RFI.
But, the guide of the Coelacanths wonders about the silence of the African Football Confederation.
“
The Caf did not show up, not a word.
There is nothing coming from CAF.
There was no reaction from them, I find that abnormal.
"
For Corentin Martins "
CAF could have moved the matches to the month of June
",
in order to avoid in March
"
a great imbalance between different nations
".
At the present time, there is little chance that the African players of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 will therefore be able to join their selections for the last days even if "
no law prohibits it
", recalls the coach of the Ivory Coast, Patrick Beaumelle.
“
There is no law that prohibits an international player from coming to play for his country.
The club also cannot force him to stay, but the player is under contract and paid by the club, so he must submit to the will of the club.
It's a real headache
.
" All is said…
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