With the return of the African Cup of Nations in winter, the summoned African internationals find themselves forced to make a choice between their club and their selection. A choice that can harm them. The Ivory Coast striker, Sébastien Haller, pointed out this anomaly on December 29 when a journalist from the Dutch media From Telegraaf asked him if he would not have preferred to stay and play for his club, Ajax Amsterdam.
“Would you ask this question to a European player before a Euro? Of course I’m going to go play CAN. It is the greatest honor. This question proves the lack of respect for Africa“Said the Ris-Orangis native. His reaction prompted former England international Ian Wright to speak on Instagram:”Has there ever been a tournament as little respected as the CAN? His media coverage is completely tinged with racism“.
Words that echo those of the very fresh president of the Cameroonian Federation, Samuel Eto’o, annoyed by the pressure from non-African bodies to postpone CAN 2022, organized in his country: “OWe are treated as we have always been treated: we are less than nothing and we must always suffer.“On the eve of the kick-off of the competition, the former Beninese international Emmanuel Imorou, participating in the 2010 and 2019 editions, recalls the contempt for the African Cup while pointing to the multiple dysfunctions that prevent changing the way we look at him.
Franceinfo sport: Do you feel or have you felt a lack of consideration or even contempt for the CAN?
Emmanuel Imorou : Now that I have passed to the other side (he is responsible for communication at La Berrichonne de Châteauroux, editor’s note), it is true that I realize that it is normal for some people that a player does not go to play the CAN. And if he didn’t go to the France team, would we say that? Of course not. It has become ‘normal’ for some clubs to choose for the player if he will join his national team. All this testifies to the lack of respect that we can have in general towards the African continent, even beyond the CAN. I think any African international can say the same.
#TDA – The new president of FECAFOOT, @SamuelEtoo, discusses the holding or not of the next CAN. And he doesn’t hide his exasperation. # CAN2021 pic.twitter.com/y5cpXw3wPl
– CANAL + SPORT Africa (@cplussportafr) December 20, 2021
According to you, it’s not all a question of timing and it goes beyond the field of football?
If tomorrow the Euro is shifted to January, I don’t think the European clubs will be able to retain their players. But having an African Cup at the same time as the club season, it is obvious that that does not help. There is something that has to come from the players themselves. Today, it is too easy for an African player to be able to ignore the selection [en se cachant derrière les ambitions de son club]. All this gives credit to people who think that the African selection means nothing.
Seeing great players who play for major European clubs (Mohamed Salah, Sébastien Haller, etc.) take a stand and join their selection for all matches and not just for the final stages of major competitions, is extremely important. In Benin, we had Stéphane Sessègnon. He might play at PSG, it was out of the question that he would miss any international match.
The last few months have seen a lot of media speeches to defend the CAN, is this a sign of awareness?
I think there have always been people who have taken a stand not to neglect the competition. Now it’s true that the voice of a Samuel Eto’o [peut changer la donne]. He has his faults but he’s someone who says what he thinks. He’s not the type to sit in front of bigger than him. It’s very important that a guy who has already had a career uses his media weight, his charisma and his outspokenness to defend African football.
You were talking about the players who were hiding behind their club ambitions so as not to go to CAN. Two players from Saint-Etienne, Mahdi Camara and Zaydou Youssouf, have made the choice to stay in Forez. Their coach Pascal Dupraz praised “a very good attitude which shows that there are boys who still want to fight for the club”. What do you think ?
It’s super unhealthy. He implies that those who have left do not think of their club. I find that so absurd. The national team is part of the life of a player regardless of the situation of the club or the selection. We have too much tendency lately to convey the message that a player belongs to his club. It’s wrong. Today, the further the selection is in the Fifa rankings, the more the club has the feeling that it predominates. It’s unbearable, but it’s become normal.
Have you been pressured by your club before participating in your two CAN in 2010 and 2019?
No. The first time, I was in Gueugnon and my coach was very understanding. The second time, that was not a problem either because it was summer when my contract was due to expire with Caen. But I remember that it happened that I came back from selection with a pain in the thigh for example. The next few times, I didn’t talk about it anymore. I often say that the players participate too [à la décrédibilisation de la CAN] but the irony of the story is that I myself asked my coach for his permission to go to CAN 2010. I was young and I was not yet aware of everything, and himself told me I didn’t have to ask him permission.
/2022/01/04/phpEgARNd.jpg)
To remedy the lack of consideration that there is towards CAN and African football, you spoke of the voices of people like Samuel Eto’o … What more would it take to that things change?
Above all, the selections should first of all be respected and respected. There are too many examples of national teams chasing players who do not want to come for selection. In Gabon, they pay certain players to wear their country’s jersey. It shouldn’t exist. We have the right not to want to play for his selection, but we have to assume it. It shouldn’t be that easy to be able to turn around one way or the other. Just that, it would bring a share of respect, pride and recognition.
What about the timing issues?
Personally, I think it would be better to play it in the summer and outside the club calendar. In the immediate future, there will not necessarily be more consideration but it would already be easier for the players to go to selection. In an ideal world, an international should not have to choose, but must make a choice. Either we betray his club, or we betray his selection. Some players make the mistake of being too good to prefer selection. If I put myself in a club’s shoes and want to recruit a player, let’s say I’m hesitating between two players and one of them is sure not to be around for a month. Obviously, doubt creeps in.