African Cup Of Nations 2021/22 - Who is missing and When?

[murf]

Wiki page with all the tournament details

DATES
Tournament is Jan 9th - Feb 6th

Note - Agreement has been reached such that players can stay in England and play up to 3rd JANUARY.

Midweek of January 3 - Carabao Cup semi-final first leg
Weekend of January 8 - FA Cup third round
January 9 - AFCON group stage starts
Midweek of January 10 - Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
January 14, 15, 16 - Premier League round 22
January 20 - AFCON group stage ends
January 21, 22 and 23 - Premier League round 23
January 23 to 26 - AFCON last 16
January 29 and 30 - AFCON quarter-finals
February 2 and 3 - AFCON semi-finals
Weekend of February 5 - FA Cup fourth round
February 6 - AFCON final and third-place play-off
February 8 and 9 - Premier League round 24

(Possibly up to 5 TFF games (3 FPL))

WHO?
Premier League players (possibly) going to AFCON 2021

SQUADS- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/59698987

Arsenal: Thomas Partey (Ghana), Mohamed Elneny (Egypt), Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast)
Aston Villa: Mahmoud Trezeguet (Egypt), Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), Marvelous Nakamba (Zimbabwe)
Brentford: Julian Jeanvier (Guinea), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria), Tariqe Fosu-Henry (Ghana),
Brighton: Yves Bissouma (Mali)
Burnley: Maxwel Cornet (Ivory Coast)
Chelsea: Edouard Mendy (Senegal), [Hakim Ziyech - not picked by Morocco?]
Crystal Palace: Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Jeffrey Schlupp (Ghana), Jordan Ayew (Ghana), Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast)
Everton: Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Ivory Coast), Alex Iwobi (Nigeria)
Leeds United: None
Leicester City: Daniel Amartey (Ghana), Nampalys Mendy (Senegal), Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria), Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria)
Liverpool: Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Naby Keita (Guinea), Sadio Mane (Senegal)
Manchester City: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
Manchester United: Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast), Amad Diallo [Ivory Coast - not selected]
Newcastle United: None
Norwich City: None
Southampton: Moussa Djenepo (Mali), Mohammed Salisu (Ghana),
Tottenham Hotspur: None
Watford: Peter Etebo (Nigeria), William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria), Adam Masina (Morocco), Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), Emmanuel Dennis (Nigeria), Imran Lousa (Morocco)*
West Ham: Benrahma (Algeria)*
Wolves: Romain Saiss (Morocco), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast)*

(not my list so blame Talksport (+ some marked * added from Sky list) for any inaccuracies - but please shout if you spot any!)

[morganb]

Via RMC Sport (French website) https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/societe/le-s ... 40154.html

Uncertainty around the Africa Cup of Nations
Will the Africa Cup of Nations be the next major continental competition to have to make a drastic decision in the face of the pandemic? What was still a reflection several weeks ago has become much more than a probability in recent days. According to our information, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) may announce a cancellation of the 2022 edition in Cameroon. In any case, the reflection is underway.

Several national coaches have echoed this possibility without an official decision being announced to them for the moment. Beyond the organizational difficulties related to Covid-19 and its new variant Omicron, CAF is facing the grumbling of some clubs, mostly English, who would like to be able to keep the players on British soil in the coming weeks. African players called up by their selection would have to quarantine on their return to the United Kingdom, which would therefore deprive clubs of their players for a longer period. And the country is currently affected by a significant wave of Covid cases.

Story also here:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sport ... riant.html

[murf]

Is the quarantine on return thing still correct now the red list has been emptied?

[Spinynorman]

Doesn't really say that it's a definite:

https://www.skysports.com/football/news ... ce-motsepe

[Bob Newhart]

Scratch one Hakim Ziyech https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/59769523

[murf]

Plenty of unconfirmed rumours around that Egypt are allowing Salah to stay for Chelsea game

[blahblah]

Is the quarantine on return thing still correct now the red list has been emptied?

News of this seems to have dissolved, so I think it doesn't exist at the moment. But the Govt policies, laws, recommendations seem difficult to be certain of ......

[Peterrr666]

Plenty of unconfirmed rumours around that Egypt are allowing Salah to stay for Chelsea game

How true is this?

[hancockjr]

Plenty of unconfirmed rumours around that Egypt are allowing Salah to stay for Chelsea game

How true is this?

I can confirm it's 100% true. There are definitely plenty of unconfirmed rumours about it.

[Peterrr666]

Plenty of unconfirmed rumours around that Egypt are allowing Salah to stay for Chelsea game

How true is this?

I can confirm it's 100% true. There are definitely plenty of unconfirmed rumours about it.

[murf]

Afcon 2021: Squads for tournament in Cameroon - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/59698987

Not all announced yet but hopefully this link will update.

[Striker]

I've been surprised how Dennis has been named in virtually all projected Nigerian squad lists, with no caveat, given his past relationship with the coach. Thankfully (from a FF perspective) he isn't in the Nigerian squad announced a few hours ago.

However there is still a chance that he could be included since Nigeria have initially named a squad of just 24, even though CAF has announced that this year 28 man squads will be allowed.

[hancockjr]

I've been surprised how Dennis has been named in virtually all projected Nigerian squad lists, with no caveat, given his past relationship with the coach. Thankfully (from a FF perspective) he isn't in the Nigerian squad announced a few hours ago.

However there is still a chance that he could be included since Nigeria have initially named a squad of just 24, even though CAF has announced that this year 28 man squads will be allowed.

I'm surprised anyone has read anything about Dennis and AFCON without that being mentioned, though of course it's the past relationship with the past coach; they have a new one.

Either way, he's in the 28 man squad:

https://guardian.ng/breakingnews/osimhe ... 2022-list/

[Striker]

From a fantasy point of view it's disappointing that he's made the last four picks.

Assuming that he wants to go, he's been a lucky boy that Nigeria sacked Rohr two weeks ago, as I doubt that he would have picked him based on what I read as recently as earlier this month. It hasn't only been Rohr that he's had disciplinary problems with. But perhaps he's matured a bit since the time that he refused to get on his team's bus (Club Brugge) when someone else was already sitting in his favourite seat. Tw*t!

[Darbyand]

Exclusive: Player release for African Cup of Nations can be delayed by clubs to allow them to play up to January 3 before joining up with their national teams.

Tournament begins on January 9 in Cameroon.
https://t.co/cEMrQiLXEZ

[murf]

Exclusive: Player release for African Cup of Nations can be delayed by clubs to allow them to play up to January 3 before joining up with their national teams.

Tournament begins on January 9 in Cameroon.
https://t.co/cEMrQiLXEZ

Long been mooted but that is the first I have seen that CAF have accepted it.

So we can keep Salah to get his points haul.... versus Chelsea.

[morganb]

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport ... ing-afcon/

Claudio Ranieri has suggested that Emmanuel Dennis may not be going to the African Cup of Nations due to a discrepancy in the timing of Nigeria's announcement of his selection.

"The national team has a time to send their precall, I know the email arrived late and I want to know everything. The email arrived late to call him. The national team has a time, during this time they have to send the precall, if they don’t send the precall we can choose."

[murf]

Ziyech and Diallo from the original list have not been selected - any more?

I think most squads have been announced but not all so there is no definitive list I can find yet.

Shout if you see any changes needed to the first post list, ta.

[Malrom]

Ziyech and Diallo from the original list have not been selected - any more?

I think most squads have been announced but not all so there is no definitive list I can find yet.

Shout if you see any changes needed to the first post list, ta.

Thank you for all the effort, murf!

Very much appreciated

[blahblah]

Will they all be back for the next lot of Prem matches?

[murf]

Will they all be back for the next lot of Prem matches?

Last 16 finishes today so steady stream of flights home already (Egypt v Ivory Coast on now so some names out after that) Final is Feb 6, Cup weekend Sunday so, in theory, yes.