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France's Claude LeRoy criticized the new African Nations Cup calendar, saying the best players are exhausted after a long European season.
The finals take place in June-July for the first time in their history in Egypt, after being contested in January-February recently.
"The best players are burned," BBC Sport Africa, 71, said in a record nine Nations Cups.
"Mohamed Salah – it was very difficult for him." Sadio Mane – yes, he scored a few goals but he did not influence.
"He's a fantastic player, a huge talent, but you can see that he's not completely ready for this type of competition, be it physically or mentally."
Salah, Egyptian, and Senegalese, Mane, enjoyed two years of virtually uninterrupted football.
The Liverpool stars played a full season in 2017-18 as their Premier League team advanced to the Champions League final before heading to the 2018 World Cup shortly thereafter before playing another extended season. to win the Champions League.
Three weeks later, the Nations Cup started, Egypt's Salah defeating Zimbabwe in the opening match.
While Salah and Mane may have illuminated English and European football this season, they shone brightly in Egypt.
The Egyptian looked bad in the group stage and struggled to influence the matches despite her two goals scored before the end of the round, while Mane scored three goals but was largely anonymous. The Senegalese have reached their first final since 2002, Sunday.
Sadio Mane (left) of Senegal and Egyptian Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool win the European Champions League 2019 before embarking on their Nations Cup campaigns.
With the expansion of 16 to 24 teams, players now have to play an extra match – seven rather than six – if they are competing for the final.
"For me, the best period was January-February, when they were playing a lot of matches for their clubs in England, Germany, Spain, Italy, France or in other countries," added LeRoy, currently in charge of Togo.
"Of course, some games are missing, but maybe this is the contribution that Europe can sometimes make to Africa."
One of the main reasons given by the African Football Confederation for organizing the tournament was in 2017 because the regular rankings between clubs have already been won before the finals.
In the last Nations Cup, Cameroon had won the tournament despite half a dozen players who had apologized for reasons ranging from differences of opinion with the federation to the desire not to lose their place in a club.
"80% of players in this Nations Cup play outside of Africa – and they are not only here but also very concentrated," Caf General Secretary Mouad Hajji told reporters on July 5th. .
"Because before, players always thought about their return to their clubs and the question of knowing they would keep their place, we now see players much more free and who express themselves more. "
LeRoy also worries about the impact that the June-July move will have on players, given the different weather conditions on the continent.
While the Egyptian heat has been intense during many matches, Ugandan international Emmanuel Okwi, saying that footballers should not be forced to play in such conditions, there is also concern about how matches could be played. affected by playing in the Equatorial Belt in 2021.
"We were perfect for most countries in January-February and we are now playing a shot in June-July when it's 40 degrees," said LeRoy.
"The physical level of the players is very bad and at the end of the competition, some players will have to immediately return to pre-season with their training.I'm afraid of next season for some of them."
The next tournament should take place in Cameroon, where it should be wetter and wetter, which will pose different problems for players and organizers.
"Cameroon will have the rainy season, so what will happen if a match has to be suspended because of the rain? This can create a lot of problems."
However, LeRoy, who won the Nations Cup in 1988 with the Indomitable Lions, praised the enlargement to 24 teams, saying that it has allowed teams like Madasgascar – the magical story of the Nations Cup – to shine. on the biggest African football scene.
He also hailed the "fantastic" organization in Egypt, where the organizers had only five months to prepare for the biggest Nations Cup in history.
"In terms of the organization, the quality of the field, the quality of the training ground, the quality of the hotel for the teams – at this level, it is fantastic, "said the former coach of Senegal, Congo, DR Congo, Ghana and Senegal.
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