The African Championship of Nations
Apr. 12th, 2008 06:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mcgillianaireLast September, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveiled a new national-team tournament to unearth domestic African talent. For a while now many if not most players on African national teams have been foreign-based, primarily in Europe. This is especially true of the top African nations. In response to this the CAF decided to create a biennial cup competition alternating with the existing African Cup of Nations, featuring players who are only active in their home country's domestic leagues. The rules are so stringent that even a player who has moved to other African leagues will not be allowed to take part. The CAF has also stressed the importance of players being active in their home nation's domestic league and not just based or associated with it in some way or another.
I think the competition is an excellent idea but it also presents some obvious problems. As Jerrad Peters points out:
"This competition will be the perfect venue for scouts and agents to connect with desperate youngsters. For a minimal fee – sometimes as little as the promise of food, shelter, and a chance with a big, European club – they can acquire a player’s rights and cash-in on their asset upon arranging a lucrative transfer after one or two seasons. Essien, Drogba, and Eto’o are three of the few success stories. Far more of their countrymen are uprooted from their homes in exchange for small, play-as-you-go contracts in Russia or Ukraine."
There is also a concern that the tournament will be little different from existing club competitions such as the CAF Champions League the CAF Confederation Cup. Both tournaments also feature only African-based players. And while it is true that only active players in their home nation's leagues will be allowed to participate, only eight countries will feature in the actual tournament in Côte D'Ivoire next year. With so few teams on display, and presumably the biggest ones only, will such a tournament really deliver on its promises?
I hope it does because this could be the only opportunity for talented African-based players to showcase themselves on the international stage. And even though this does put them at risk of being scouted away by the lure of big money and the minutest chance of playing for Real Madrid, it should help lift the overall standard of grassroots African football and hopefully encourage much-needed further investment.
The preliminaries have begun. Let's hope it takes-off!
I think the competition is an excellent idea but it also presents some obvious problems. As Jerrad Peters points out:
There is also a concern that the tournament will be little different from existing club competitions such as the CAF Champions League the CAF Confederation Cup. Both tournaments also feature only African-based players. And while it is true that only active players in their home nation's leagues will be allowed to participate, only eight countries will feature in the actual tournament in Côte D'Ivoire next year. With so few teams on display, and presumably the biggest ones only, will such a tournament really deliver on its promises?
I hope it does because this could be the only opportunity for talented African-based players to showcase themselves on the international stage. And even though this does put them at risk of being scouted away by the lure of big money and the minutest chance of playing for Real Madrid, it should help lift the overall standard of grassroots African football and hopefully encourage much-needed further investment.
The preliminaries have begun. Let's hope it takes-off!
