CAF wishes Nigeria, Algeria good- luck

By Tony Ubani
Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) believes its
decision to move the timing of the Africa Cup of
Nations from even to odd years is partly
responsible for the qualification of two Africa
teams, Nigeria and Algeria to the round of 16 at
the on-going World cup in Brazil.
Brazil 2014 is the first World cup to be played
after CAF took the decision in respect to concerns
from fitness expert who are of the opinion that
it’s hard for a player to peak twice in such a
short time as the Nations cup is usually five
months away from the World cup.
Also the Africa Nations Cup distract teams who
used it as a yard stick to judge their handlers and
sometimes fire their coaches just months before
the Mundial leaving the new man in charge with
little or no time to prepare his team properly.
But all of those are now in the past and CAF
secretary general Hicham El Amrani is off the
opinion that Nigeria and Algeria progression is
down to moving the Cup of Nations to odd years.
“Playing the Nations cup same year as the World
Cup, makes it impossible for African players to
have two major events to play in the space of six
months.”
“The fact that two teams made it through is a
combination of various factors, one of which is
Caf’s decision to change the Nations Cup from
even to odd years,”
He also attributed the team’s progressions to
their “preparations, talent and skills” as well as
the “overall progress and development of the
African game”.
El Amrani also confirmed that Caf President Issa
Hayatou has contacted both federations to pass
on his congratulations as well as wishing them
the best for the next phase of the competition.
“We wish the best of luck to Algeria and Nigeria
as the entire African continent is behind them,”
said El Amrani.