Changes to Afcon draw attract mixed reactions

Varying Notions. Maroons coach Mwebaze (L) and Cranes boss Micho differ on the development. PHOTOS BY A. BABIRYE & I. KEZAALA

What you need to know:

  • On his part, Maroons coach Asaph Mwebaze believes Caf ‘should have just put more effort in club competitions and increased their representation and financed them’.

KAMPALA. Caf’s confirmation that starting with the 2019 edition, the Africa Cup of Nations will move from January/February to June/July, and that competing countries will increase from 16 to 24, has received mixed reactions from the game’s tutors.
The changes were rubber-stamped by the Caf executive committee in a meeting in the Moroccan capital Rabat on Thursday.
Hosting of the finals in June/July will have been greatly welcomed in Europe, where clubs were always hard-done by releasing players in the middle of the season.

But the embrace is not as uniform domestically.
“First, moving of the finals exposes us Africa as having succumbed to European pressure,” Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic told this newspaper. The Serbian has spent the last 16 years of his coaching in Africa.
“This has to be properly taken care of by Caf. July is a rainy season and in Africa it is harder to maintain the quality of the pitches in rainy season.
“We also have some parts in Africa which are very hot in June and July, which means those countries may never host the tournament”

Economic interests won
Micho was also not particularly impressed with the increased numbers of participants. “We just have to go with the majority,” he said.
“There is an economic interest for those who wanted Afcon to increase to 24 countries so it looks like economic interests have won as more countries mean more money generated.
“However, the quality will be affected. But on the other hand, it means we have an open avenue to qualifying for Cameroon 2019 and many more editions.
“But I’m proud we qualified when it was hard enough with 16 nations. Now we just have to make it a habit.”

Open chance
Proline coach Mujib Kasule argues that increasing the number of teams at Afcon “gives more countries a chance to participate as qualification will be easier.
“Countries will put more resources into football as this incentives them.

“This is the best way countries expose their sporting investment and as such market themselves when they appear at the world stage.”
On his part, Maroons coach Asaph Mwebaze believes Caf ‘should have just put more effort in club competitions and increased their representation and financed them’.
The approved changes take effect at Cameroon 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals.