Afcon

[ianlfc]

Why on Earth there isn’t a long International break to get all the International bollix out of the way at the same time as AFCON, I have no idea.

Surely that would be the better, fairer way of doing it if AFCON needs to be in the middle of the European league season.

That's not a bad idea at all, considering all the international breaks during the season especially early on. Maybe all of January and they can bugger off to warmer climates and play the pub teams over there.

[redebreck]

Comoros will play their last 16 tie without a recognised keeper, due to COVID protocols.

[Crimson Dynasty]

Why on Earth there isn’t a long International break to get all the International bollix out of the way at the same time as AFCON, I have no idea.

Surely that would be the better, fairer way of doing it if AFCON needs to be in the middle of the European league season.

Possibly because some other leagues have their winter breaks at this particular period, which players wouldn't want to be sacrificing to go play in Euro or World Cup qualifiers, I'd assume.

Normally the international breaks are crafted around the schedules of (primarily) European leagues and South American leagues and the respective TV viewing schedules of those major regions.
Most of the African leagues and countries have an inverted calendar to northern hemisphere countries (their winter is our summer and vice versa) which means for a fair good countries there now, the leagues are off-season for their summer break (and they can therefore afford to lose the majority of their players to a tournament like AFCON).

[miller0863]

Good point re winter breaks, hadn’t thought of that.

[redebreck]

Some deaths reported at one of the games.
R I P

[Crimson Dynasty]

Mané's Senegal beats Cape Verde to make the last 8 and get into the quarters
So I guess we're not going to be seeing him back anytime soon.

He scored the first.
So at least his form is good.

Egpyt play their round of 16 match tomorrow against Ivory Coast, so we should know Mo's situation after then.

Meanwhile Keita's Guinea were knocked out in an upset by Gambia, and Keita should be available for Klopp for the FA Cup match.

Hopefully he doesn't pick up a knock or anything like that on the return flight back or at the Duty-free shop reaching for his wallet.

[Steveo]

Plenty of turbulence this time of year in the northern hemisphere

[Steveo]

Apparently Mané had a very nasty head injury (knocked unconscious) just before scoring his goal. Then fell to the floor and had to be taken off.

Let’s hope he is ok.

[Crimson Dynasty]

Plenty of turbulence this time of year in the northern hemisphere

It would be just like him to somehow get crocked between leaving Africa and getting back to England and be unavailable on the physio's bench for the next several weeks before making a (timely) return back and cameo just before the next international break.

[Crimson Dynasty]

Apparently Mané had a very nasty head injury (knocked unconscious) just before scoring his goal. Then fell to the floor and had to be taken off.

Let’s hope he is ok.

In England (and Europe) he'd have to be subbed more or less immediately, for concussion protocols, no?

Especially if he was unconsciouss.
Yes, let's hope he's fine.
It'd be just our (typical stinking) luck that something like this would happen.