Toni Conceicao, the head coach of Cameroon has described the scheduling of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations as a shame to African football.
According to the 60-year-old Portuguese football tactician, the scheduling of the AFCON 2021 could compromise the safety of the players that participated in the tournament.
Toni Conceicao went on to stress that the scheduling of the 2021 AFCON did not only risk compromising the safety of the players but also risked compromising the competitiveness of the tournament.
Recall that Toni Conceicao led Cameroon to face Egypt in the semi-final match of the 2021 AFCON on Thursday, February 3, 2022. The match ended 0-0 in regular time and ended 3-1 on penalties in favor of Egypt.
Less than 48 hours after, the Portuguese coach led Cameroon to face Burkina Faso in the tournament’s third-place match. The match ended 3-3 in regular time and ended 3-5 on penalties.
Egypt suffered the same fate or even worst. The Pharaohs of Egypt played three matches in 8 days in the tournament. Two of the knockout games stretched into extra time and penalty shootout including the semi-final win over Cameroon on February 3, 2022.
Despite such a loaded schedule, Egypt have just two days to prepare for the AFCON final. They are expected to face Senegal that have rested for three days in the final on Sunday, February 6, 2022. The match will kick off at 20:00.
Before Cameroon confronted Burkina Faso in the 3rd place match which the host won, Toni Conceicao told Goal that Cameroon and Egypt were in the same situation in the tournament.
He lamented how difficult it is for the players and coaches in the tournament to navigate through the loaded schedule, stressing that it is not easy for teams to recover within 48 hours after a competitive game.
The Portuguese tactician said: “We are in the same situation [as Egypt]. [It’s] not easy.
“It’s a shame for African football that the coaches and players are not at 100 percent. As coaches, we have to find the best solution, and Egypt’s head coach has to find a solution as well…
“[Caf] have to organize it to find what is best for safety and security of players,” Conceicao continued. “We are just the actors who must follow the regulations as everyone else does.
“It’s not easy to recover in 48 hours, science proves that players can’t be recovered totally,” he added. “We’ll try and refresh our team, but it’s impossible after 120 minutes, after the emotion demands, to recover the players fully.”
Andre Onana agrees with coach Toni Conceicao that AFCON 2021 schedule was complicating
Cameroon’s first-choice goalkeeper Andre Onana has agreed with his coach Toni Conceicao that AFCON 2021 schedule was complicating.
Though the Ajax goalkeeper admitted that it was complicated to play every two days during the tournament, he and his teammates had to find a way to adapt to the reality of the tournament.
“It’s indeed complicated to play every two days,” the goalkeeper told GOAL. “We played a decisive match across 120 minutes, and the boys will find themselves again to go again and play a match just as important.
“We’ll find the ways to recover, we won’t have excuses.
“In terms of the programme of matches, I didn’t choose this, we can only adapt to Caf and respect the people of Caf.”
