African Cup of Nations

[phips]

So both Toures will be leaving our team for this tournament but who else of worth in the EPL will be leaving their club team for this?
I'm curious to see how other teams will be affect by losing players for this tournament. Unforutnately, unless I'm mistaken, United wont be losing anyone for this but they are hit with injuries so that kinda makes up for it...

City:
Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast)
Kolo Toure (Ivory Coast)

Chelsea:
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast)
John Obi Mikel (Nigeria)

Newcastle:
Demba Ba (Senegal)
Chiek Tiote (Ivory Coast) [maybe?]

QPR:
Armand Traore (Senegal)
Adel Taarabt (Morocco)

Arsenal:
Gervinho (Ivory Coast)
Marouane Chamakh (Morocco)

Tottenham:
Benoît Assou-Ekotto (Cameroon)
Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo) [didnt he say something about playing for them again?]
Sébastien Bassong (Cameroon) [maybe?]
Steven Pienaar (South Africa)

Sunderland:
Asomoah Gyan (Ghana)

West Brom:
Peter Odemwingie (Nigeria)
Youssouf Mulumbu (Congo) [maybe?]

Wolves:
George Elokobi (Cameroon) [maybe?]

Blackburn:
Yakubu (Nigeria) [maybe?]

Wigan:
Victor Moses (Nigeria) [maybe?]
Mohamed Diamé (Senegal)
Anyone else?

Obviously some of these "losses" will affect some teams more than others and I think that Newcastle will be hurt the most by losing Demba Ba...he's vital to their team and his departure will be huge. Kinda the same, but maybe to a lesser extent, if Ade leaves Spurs. Losing Yaya will be big for us but we do have the luxury of having a deep, quality squad.

[1950]

Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa & Togo all didn't qualify, so BAE, Pienaar, Ade & all the Nigerians & Cameroonians stay.

Asamoah Gyan is out on loan anyway & Mulumbu retired from international football, not that Congo are taking part either.

Most likely going are:

City:
Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast)
Kolo Touré (Ivory Coast)

Chelsea:
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast)

Newcastle:
Demba Ba (Senegal)
Cheik Tioté (Ivory Coast)

QPR:
Armand Traoré (Senegal)
Adel Taarabt (Morocco)

Arsenal:
Gervinho (Ivory Coast)
Marouane Chamakh (Morocco)

Wigan:
Mohamed Diamé (Senegal)
Steve Gohouri (Ivory Cost)

I'd imagine that Tioté will go, so it's definitely Newcastle who will suffer the most with him & Ba gone. Yaya, Drogba & possibly Taarabt (they did alright without him) are other significant absentees, but apart from that teams should be able to cope.

[Wonderwall]

Ivory coast are one of the hot fave's which is a shame as it means they are probably going to go a long way

[PeterParker]

Ivory coast are one of the hot fave's which is a shame as it means they are probably going to go a long way

The last three editions were won by Egypt, because they were the only ones that played tactical well. Imho, Cote D'Ivoare will leave the competition early because the stars aren't very interested in this tournament. I remember 5 years ago, Eto'o played like Ade Akinbyi, or even worse.

Personally, i love this competition. I've seen the most bizzare and awkward games and goals here.

[1950]

But Egypt didn't qualify & neither did Algeria for that matter. Based on reputation alone, CIV & Ghana should be runaway favourites, ahead of Senegal & Morocco.

A lot of big teams missing this time around. The goalkeeping should be even funnier than usual.

[phips]

Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa & Togo all didn't qualify, so BAE, Pienaar, Ade & all the Nigerians & Cameroonians stay.

Ah, didnt know that..thanks.

Sadly, like everyone has said, Ivory Coast look really strong and that means that we will be without the Toures for awhile =/

[s1ty m]

I could take or leave this competition and I think it is odd that it is every 2 years, slap in the middle of the season, certainly for those African players who are playing in Europe. I think the development of the game is important, so how does this help? I wonder how many clubs think twice about bringing in players who they know will be off for a month or two every 2 seasons? It has to be a factor and, if so, is surely counter-intuitive in terms of developing the game.

The game needs support and development elsewhere isn the world, but they don't necessarily do this bi-annual competition. Every 2 years kind of devalues it too, in my opinion. I was going to add that it is odd that FIFA allow it, before realising that if FIFA are involved, oddness is the norm.

[WiganBlue]

Is it going to be on tele in the UK?

[Nigels Tackle]

Is it going to be on tele in the UK?

normally a eurosport ting innit...

[gillie]

Is it going to be on tele in the UK?

normally a eurosport ting innit...

I also think its on one of the BBC channels either 3 or 4 but not sure which.

[Blue Since 76]

I could take or leave this competition and I think it is odd that it is every 2 years, slap in the middle of the season, certainly for those African players who are playing in Europe. I think the development of the game is important, so how does this help? I wonder how many clubs think twice about bringing in players who they know will be off for a month or two every 2 seasons? It has to be a factor and, if so, is surely counter-intuitive in terms of developing the game.

The game needs support and development elsewhere isn the world, but they don't necessarily do this bi-annual competition. Every 2 years kind of devalues it too, in my opinion. I was going to add that it is odd that FIFA allow it, before realising that if FIFA are involved, oddness is the norm.

If they ran the tournament every four years it would also mean less qualifying which would free the African teams up to play more friendlies in Europe/south america. That would help their development more as they'd be playing a much better standard of team more regularly.

[WiganBlue]

Is it going to be on tele in the UK?

normally a eurosport ting innit...

I also think its on one of the BBC channels either 3 or 4 but not sure which.

I know its been on the BBC in the past, hope it is this time.

[CityGer]

If they ran the tournament every four years it would also mean less qualifying which would free the African teams up to play more friendlies in Europe/south america. That would help their development more as they'd be playing a much better standard of team more regularly.

It's dead simple, hold the tournament with the same frequency and at the same time as the Euro Championships.

FIFA should have tried to encourage this a long time ago.

[1950]

If they ran the tournament every four years it would also mean less qualifying which would free the African teams up to play more friendlies in Europe/south america. That would help their development more as they'd be playing a much better standard of team more regularly.

It's dead simple, hold the tournament with the same frequency and at the same time as the Euro Championships.

FIFA should have tried to encourage this a long time ago.

Nobody would watch it then. FIFA = greedy bastids.

[CityGer]

Nobody would watch it then. FIFA = greedy bastids.

If they marketed it correctly and got kick off times sorted they could actually increase european interest in the tournament by having it in the summer.

Especially as the Euro's is a short tourney with not too many games.

[Blue Since 76]

If they marketed it correctly and got kick off times sorted they could actually increase european interest in the tournament by having it in the summer.

Especially as the Euro's is a short tourney with not too many games.

Couldn't have it at the same time for TV but could be an odd year (2013 etc).

Couldn't do summer as it'd be way too hot. It'd be like playing the world cup in the middle east or something.

[CityGer]

Couldn't have it at the same time for TV but could be an odd year (2013 etc).

Couldn't do summer as it'd be way too hot. It'd be like playing the world cup in the middle east or something.

Somewhere like Qatar?

[Blue Since 76]

Somewhere like Qatar?

That'd just be mad. You'd have to air condition the pitches but I can't see that being technically possible. If you're not careful you'd have to break the games into quarters just so the players could have a drink. And who wants to watch players having a drink for say 3 minutes? You'd have to find something informative to fill that time with.

[CityGer]

That'd just be mad. You'd have to air condition the pitches but I can't see that being technically possible. If you're not careful you'd have to break the games into quarters just so the players could have a drink. And who wants to watch players having a drink for say 3 minutes? You'd have to find something informative to fill that time with.

Let's hope FIFA suss it out by 2022.

[phips]

When is the earliest that a team can get eliminated?