Confederation of Africa
Football (CAF) believes its decision to move the timing of the Africa
Cup of Nations from even to odd years is partly responsible for the
qualification of two Africa teams, Nigeria and Algeria to the round of
16 at the on-going World cup in Brazil.
Brazil 2014 is the first World cup to be played after CAF took the decision in respect to
concerns from fitness expert who are of the opinion that it’s hard for a
player to peak twice in such a short time as the Nations cup is usually
five months away from the World cup.
Also the Africa Nations Cup
distract teams who used it as a yard stick to judge their handlers and
sometimes fire their coaches just months before the Mundial leaving the
new man in charge with little or no time to prepare his team properly.
But all of those are now in the past and CAF secretary general Hicham
El Amrani is off the opinion that Nigeria and Algeria progression is
down to moving the Cup of Nations to odd years.
“Playing the Nations
cup same year as the World Cup, makes it impossible for African players
to have two major events to play in the space of six months.”
“The
fact that two teams made it through is a combination of various factors,
one of which is Caf’s decision to change the Nations Cup from even to
odd years,”
He also attributed the team’s progressions to their
“preparations, talent and skills” as well as the “overall progress and
development of the African game”.
El Amrani also confirmed that Caf
President Issa Hayatou has contacted both federations to pass on his
congratulations as well as wishing them the best for the next phase of
the competition.
“We wish the best of luck to Algeria and Nigeria as the entire African continent is behind them,” said El Amrani.
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