New AFCON changes will benefit African stars
Tony Baffoe, a FIFA and CAF General Co-ordinator, says the changes in the date for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will benefit both players and African football and bring harmony between Africa and European football.
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He believes also, that the increment in the number of teams to participate in the AFCON will inure to the benefit of the ‘emerging’ teams on the continent, who often miss out on the competition, due to the difficult qualifying campaign.
From a professional point of view, Baffoe will not give his assessment of the CAF decision until he sees the road map and plan to implement this increment, given the details involved.
However, the ex-Ghana international who featured at the eight-team Africa Cup of Nations held in Senegal in 1992, believes European clubs will now be keen to sign on players who they find attractive from Africa, while African players who also ply their trade in Europe, would not have to worry about losing their first team places in their clubs when they respond to national duty.
“Definitely, a very significant decision by CAF and great news that the dates have changed as it will provide great opportunities for the players. It also will put to rest the anxious moments both players and particularly, their European clubs face any time an AFCON draws near. The request for the players are done at the crucial times the clubs need their services most and so reluctantly release them. Once they find a replacement, the players lose their places on return,” Baffoe told the Graphic Sports in an exclusive interview yesterday.
Baffoe, who is the General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG), said retired African legends and active players were in full support of the shift from the January-to February to the June-July date, approved by the Executive Committee (ExCo) of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) at its meeting in Rabat, Morocco, last week.
He rejected claims that CAF had bowed to international pressure and said the move was rather to complete the synchronisation of the CAF calendar to the international calendar.
Despite seeing the positives in the increment of the AFCON teams from 16 to 24, beginning the 2019 tournament, Baffoe believes CAF would have to convince all that it is the decision in the best interest of the game on the continent.
“Of course, it is a good idea because it provides more teams to challenge for the title. Football is what it is because of what the ‘small’ teams also bring along. Now, the game is developing so fast in tactical play and technical organisation and that is what these teams, which I prefer to call the ‘emerging’ teams, are showing.
“Guinea Bissau showed it in Cameroun and Cape Verde have proved it in the past few years. If they are to show up consistently and maintain their form, certainly, they will add up to the intriguing story of African football.
“The approval was given by people who head the federations in their respective countries, so they must have considered all those things before giving the green light. It is a new model so you can not criticise without experience,” he assured the man who was the General Co-ordinator of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2014 FIFA World Cup, 2016 AFCON finals, said.