Club versus country tug of war continues as African Cup of Nations kicks off

Nigeria will allow striker Terem Moffi to play for French club Nice at the weekend before he heads to the Africa Cup of Nations but Cameroon are blocking teenager Regis Mughe from turning out for Marseille after he refused a call-up to the finals.

The two contrasting approaches come in the perennial club versus country battle that marks the two-yearly tournament.

The Cup of Nations, which kicks off in Abidjan on Saturday, is being held mid-season and FIFA rules mean clubs must give up their players for the continental championship even if they then miss crucial domestic games over the next weeks.

It is a situation which draws repeated fire from aggrieved coaches and puts the players in an awkward situation of having to choose club over country or vice versa.

Sometimes compromises are reached, however, like Andre Onana staying at Manchester United to play against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday before flying out to the tournament in the Ivory Coast. He will likely miss Cameroon’s opening game against Ghana on Monday.

Moffi, who is his club’s top scorer this season with six, was a late call-up by Nigeria this week and it has been agreed he can stay and play against Stade Rennais on Saturday and miss Nigeria’s opening game on Sunday.

But Olympique de Marseille teenager Mughe, who turned down a call-up by Cameroon, has been blocked from playing for his club.

It was a first call-up from Cameroon for the 19-year-old but with another seven Marseille players also heading to the Cup of Nations, he felt it an opportunity to stay behind and get some playing time in the first team.

“I read that it was us, as a club, who advised him not to go to the Nations Cup,” said Marseille coach Gennaro Gattuso. “I want to make it clear, it was his decision and we have supported him as a club. There are currently discussions between the club and Cameroon. At the moment he is not available. If there are changes, he will be in the squad,” he added.

REFUSE 

Countries can force players who refuse a national team call-up to sit out club matches for the duration of the tournament, plus an extra five days punishment.

For this year’s Cup of Nations, players hail from clubs in 70 different countries, reflective of the consistent export of African footballers to all corners of the world.

Given the French colonial history and continued close links with Africa, it is no surprise that French clubs are again most affected, with 92 players called up from 36 different clubs, from Ligue 1 down to the amateur ranks.

Decades ago, the African championship was timed to fit in with their winter break but now overlaps with both key league and cup games in France.

Struggling Lorient, second from bottom in Ligue 1, must do without seven players over the coming weeks at a time when they could use all available resources.

In the Premier League, Nottingham Forest will be without six while Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen will miss four Africans from their squad.

“I said ‘If I wish you good luck it would be a lie,'” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp joked last week about talisman Mohamed Salah leaving to play for Egypt.

“From a personal point of view, I would be overly happy if they go out of the group stage.”