Pardew said losing African players mid-season was a “massive worry”. Photo Credit: Getty Images
Crystal Palace Manager Alan Pardew, has told the BBC that the timing of the Africa Cup of Nations is disruptive to the English Premier League season.
Dozens of African players playing for English clubs will be trooping back home for the Africa Cup Nations tournament in Gabon in January.
“It’s very disruptive for us. It was particularly damaging for me at Newcastle where I had three or four African players. There was always a massive worry,” said Pardew at his weekly pre-match press briefing.
In 2012 while he was still managing Newcastle, Pardew struggled to find suitable cover of his then star performers Cheick Tiote, from Ivory Coast, and Demba Ba, from Senegal, who went away on Nations Cup duty. As a result, the club suffered a deep in form.
Pardew said clubs now have to consider whether an African player would be going away for Nations Cup duty before signing them.
“It’s one of the things that comes on your scouting tick list. Are we going to lose him to the Africa Nations Cup? We considered it when we signed Pape Souare,” said Pardew.
He suggested a review of the tournament timing. Most big international football tournaments are usually played in the summer after the European season has ended.
Source: BBC
