English Premier League poorer as Africa Cup of Nations beckons

Cote d’Ivoire’s Wilfried Bony (left) controls the ball under pressure from Ghana’s Kwesi Appiah during the 2015 African Cup of Nations final. Stoke City’s Bony and Crystal Palace’s Appiah will both miss crucial English Premier League matches to turn out for their countries in next month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. PHOTO | FILE |

What you need to know:

  • The tournament, to be hosted by Gabon, will see 16 teams compete from January 14 to February 5.
  • Some clubs have come up with flimsy excuses to deny their players trips to Africa, such as feigning injuries, something that is likely to attract the wrath of both Caf and Fifa.

The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations is fast approaching with just under three weeks to kick-off.

The tournament, to be hosted by Gabon, will see 16 teams compete from January 14 to February 5 and, in order to get the squads ready, several players will have to be released from their respective English Premier League clubs by January 2, 2017, in accordance to the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and world football governing body, Fifa, rules of engagement.

Every manager in the English premiership with African players on his roster rues the African tournament’s kick-off as it implies that the continent’s best will need time off at the most crucial phase of the premiership.

Over three dozen players will be away for international duty in Gabon and any player whose team makes progress to the final will have missed at least six solid league matches in the five-week schedule.

Thus, the African tournament always has a significant impact on the transfer window dealings with most clubs seeking to make up for missing African stars during the January transfers.

Just four teams in the premiership — Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Swansea — will not be distracted by the exodus of players to Gabon.

And the absence of powerhouse Nigeria from the African showpiece is a blessing in disguise for Chelsea who have on their roster “Super Eagles” stars John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses, both in a rich vein of form.

Meanwhile, Yaya Toure’s recent retirement from international football has guaranteed Manchester City his availability as Cote d’Ivoire look for his replacement.

Many premier league managers have criticised the timing of the Afcon.

Other continental championships, including the European Championships, are traditionally held in the league’s off-season months of June and July. On the other hand, the pressure has been immense on the top stars like Liverpool’s Joel Matip who has had to excuse himself from the Gabon tournament, a move that almost boiled over as he was accused of failing to honour and respect his country of Cameroon.

LEICESTER HAD HIT

Some clubs have come up with flimsy excuses to deny their players trips to Africa, such as feigning injuries, something that is likely to attract the wrath of both Caf and Fifa.

Premier League defending champions Leicester, currently struggling to regain the form that saw them clinch the title against all odds last season, will be one of the biggest casualties during the African tournament with important players like  Africa Footballer of the Year-designate Riyad Mahrez, Islam Slimani (both Algeria), Daniel Amartey, Jeff Schlupp (both Ghana) and Yohan Benalouane (Tunisia) all expected to travel to Gabon next month.

It will be interesting to see how the clubs juggle their options in the absence of the African stars who, on the other hand, are eagerly awaited by their national teams and legion of African fans to light up Gabon.

EPL stars headed to Africa Cup of Nations: Stoke City: Wilfried Bony (Cote d’Ivoire), Mame Biram Diouf (Senegal), Ramadan Sobhi (Egypt); Sunderland: Papy Djilobidji (Senegal), Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia), Lamine Kone (Cote d’Ivoire), Didier Ndong (Gabon);

Swansea: None; Tottenham: None; Watford: Nordin Amrabat (Morocco), Brice Dja Djedje (Cote d’Ivoire), Adlene Guedioura (Algeria); West Brom: None; West Ham: Andre Ayew (Ghana), Sofiane Feghouli (Algeria), Cheikdou Kouyate, Diafra Sakho (Senegal); Liverpool: Sadio Mane (Senegal); Manchester City: None;

Manchester United: Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire); Middlesbrough: Adama Traore (Mali); Southampton: Sofiane Boufal (Morocco); Everton: Idrissa Gueye, Oumar Niasse (Senegal), Arouna Kone (Cote d’Ivoire); Hull City: Ahmed Elmohamady (Egypt), Mbokani (DR Congo);

Leicester: Riyad Mahrez, Islam Slimani (Algeria), Daniel Amartey, Jeff Schlupp (Ghana) Yohan Benalouane (Tunisia); Arsenal: Mohamed Elneny (Egypt); Bournemouth: Max Gradel (Cote d’Ivoire); Burnley: None; Chelsea: None; Crystal Palace: Kwesi Appiah (Ghana), Bakary Sakho (Mali), Wilfried Zaha (Cote d’Ivoire).