Topic: International Watch

[ScouserAtHeart]

Will Bobby be back by then at least

[killer-heels]

The Palace game looks a bit tougher now under Vieira rather than Hodgson.

[Nick110581]

Surely it might get cancelled with this new variant kicking around

[ScouserAtHeart]

Omicron leads European clubs to raise Africa Cup of Nations safety concerns

Covid-19 variant leads to ‘deep concerns’ from clubs
European Club Association seeks urgent talks with Fifa

Europe’s clubs are seeking urgent talks with Fifa after raising concerns over player safety at next month’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The emergence of the omicron variant of Covid-19 has led to countries around the world reintroducing restrictions and travel bans, and may lead to a fresh dispute over player release for international duty next month.

The public health situation globally looks set to present a major challenge before the African finals in Cameroon between 9 January and 6 February and the international windows elsewhere starting on 24 January and running to 1-2 February.

The European Club Association (ECA) board expressed its “deep concerns” around player safety and welfare around the international matches early next year, “particularly in light of the worsening public health situation and the severe challenges faced during recent international windows”.

An ECA statement added: “The board agreed to engage urgently with Fifa to ensure all necessary precautions are in place to protect players and club interests as the health situation continues to deteriorate in an alarming manner.”

The ECA is understood to be desperate to avoid a repeat of the problems which surrounded the September international window. At that time Premier League clubs refused to release players for duty in countries on the UK’s red list, because at the time they would have been required to quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days on their return to the UK. Four England-based Argentina internationals did report for their country but their presence led to the abandonment of the World Cup qualifier against Brazil on 5 September.

For the October window, a new agreement was reached where fully vaccinated players were allowed to travel for international duty in red-list countries on the basis that they quarantined for 10 days at a club facility, only leaving isolation to train and play. That agreement was criticised by Jürgen Klopp, with the Liverpool manager saying it was “not a real solution”. The chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, Maheta Molango, called for the quarantine period to be halved to five days.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/dec/02/omicron-leads-european-clubs-to-raise-africa-cup-of-nations-safety-concerns

[Schmarn]

Nigeria now on the red list. Shares a border with Cameroon. Would AFCON go ahead if it’s in a red list country?

[Caston]

Report saying AFCON could be cancelled

https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/societe/le-sport-face-au-coronavirus-en-direct-les-infos-et-rumeurs-du-14-decembre-2021_LN-202112140154.html

[Barneylfc∗]

Get rid of it

[Ray K]

I really hate to say it, but I think that with this new covid variant in southern Africa, there'll be no alternative but to cancel January's AFCON.   it's just too much of a risk.

Anton Chigurh would be proud at how early I called it.

[Caston]

As per @ismaeelmahmoudd, I understand that CAF are expected to announce an indefinite postponement of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations imminently. Discussions taking place over possible compensation for hosts Cameroon.

https://twitter.com/dmlynch/status/1471052037030879238?s=21

[red_Mark1980]

As per @ismaeelmahmoudd, I understand that CAF are expected to announce an indefinite postponement of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations imminently. Discussions taking place over possible compensation for hosts Cameroon.

https://twitter.com/dmlynch/status/1471052037030879238?s=21

If carlsberg did Wednesdays

[El Lobo]

As per @ismaeelmahmoudd, I understand that CAF are expected to announce an indefinite postponement of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations imminently. Discussions taking place over possible compensation for hosts Cameroon.

https://twitter.com/dmlynch/status/1471052037030879238?s=21

[red_Mark1980]

Hold on . Afcon are apparently dismissing it as "fake news"

[ScouserAtHeart]

Anton Chigurh would be proud at how early I called it.

Predict who's gonna win the league then!

[Ray K]

Predict who's gonna win the league then!

[newterp]

Hold on . Afcon are apparently dismissing it as "fake news"

AFCON probably said - look how much notoriety UEFA and F1 got for screwing something up this week - let's try too!

[dutchkop]

AFCON probably said - look how much notoriety UEFA and F1 got for screwing something up this week - let's try too!

still mixed messages about this one. .Meilissa Reddy says Fake News.
Letter from Europan clubs sent to Afcon saying unless the safety and health of players can be guaranteed then they will recommend that clubs do not have to release their players.
Klopp said it is for others to decide. He did confirm that Joel Matip will not rejoin Cameroon for  AFCON in Jan if it goes ahead.
Liverpool Echo says AFCON meeting to discuss


So we wait for the latest AFCON news update.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Hating the term AFCON now

[afc tukrish]

Hating the term AFCON now

Baller term...

[BoRed]

Playing devil's advocate, is the Covid situation in Cameroon at the moment really any worse than in the UK or in Europe? To be honest, I'd expect a player to be more likely to catch it playing in the Premier League. Also, they'll have smaller bubbles and less travel over there, and have fewer interactions with the wider world, starting with their own families.

Having said all that, I hope they cancel it.

[SamLad]

Playing devil's advocate, is the Covid situation in Cameroon at the moment really any worse than in the UK or in Europe? To be honest, I'd expect a player to be more likely to catch it playing in the Premier League. Also, they'll have smaller bubbles and less travel over there, and have fewer interactions with the wider world, starting with their own families.

Having said all that, I hope they cancel it.

all balanced out by poorer quality health care facilities that are already under enormous, growing pressure.

[Red Bird]

The main problem for the AFCON is the timing. They had seemed to address this by moving it to the summer but ballsed it up by awarding it to a country where the pitches are unplayable in the summer.

[SamLad]

seems to me the AFCON countries are all waiting to see who will blink first - just needs one team (yeah, looking at you Egypt!) to back out and it's done for.

[Barneylfc∗]

AFCON is going ahead then. Madness

[dutchkop]

https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2022/1/5/african-cup-of-nations-at-risk-as-covid-19-halts-departures 

More COVID disruptions for teams ahead of Africa Cup of Nations
Positive cases, travel plans postponed and cancellations of warm-up games just four days before tournament kicks off.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused more disruption ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, with Senegal delaying their departure for the tournament in Cameroon and Burkina Faso set to miss players in Sunday’s opening game.
Senegal, among the tournament favourites, postponed travel plans after suspected positive cases in their delegation. (3 players and a host of support and coaching staff)

Burkina Faso left three players isolating in Abu Dhabi before arriving in Yaounde to face Cameroon on Sunday.
Issoufou Dayo, Dramane Nikiema and Kylian Nikiema will be allowed to travel after they return negative tests and are almost certain to miss Sunday’s match, officials said

Cape Verde, who like Senegal have been home-based for their pre-tournament training, said coach Bubista tested positive for COVID-19 and had been placed in isolation ahead of their planned departure on Thursday.
Their preparations have been hit by 21 positive tests among players and staff although a football federation statement said five players were training again, three were in isolation and eight more were testing positive but without any symptoms.

Tunisia reported their captain Youssef Msakni and striker Seifeddine Jaziri had tested positive, and a friendly between the Ivorians and Mali in Jeddah is off because of positive cases in the Ivorian camp, according to media reports.

Malawi left for Cameroon on Wednesday but also left three players behind in isolation.
Defender Mark Fodya, midfielder Charles Petro and striker Richard Mbulu stayed in Saudi Arabia and will be retested on Thursday.
If they test negative, they are scheduled to travel on Friday, a football association statement said.

Ivory Coast were forced to cancel a second warm-up match at their training base in Saudi Arabia.

The 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will run from January 9 to February 6.

The tournament was originally scheduled to be played in 2021 but was postponed twice due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Most teams have serious Covid problems - even if they play games I imagine that teams will be depleted and players rushed back refardless of fitness or recovery from Covid.   

Update on Senegal which had 6 players positive - although 3 are now negative and free to travel - https://africanfootball.com/news/791093/Senegal-trio-cleared-after-Covid-19-quarantine

[Barneylfc∗]

Fabinho and Alisson have been called up by Brazil. Fabinho is suspended for their next game.

[kavah]

Last week of March
Egypt v Senegal 2 legs
Colombia x 2
Brazil x 2
Portugal x 1
England x 2
Scotland v Ukraine (off ??)
Greece x 2
Netherlands x 2
Japan x 2
Ireland x 1

(Thanks JLB) and Maybe Divock for Belgium?
Good grief, what a fucking drag

[jlb]

Netherlands x 2
Japan x 2
Ireland x 1

[RedG13]

Last week of March
Egypt v Senegal 2 legs
Colombia x 2
Brazil x 2
Portugal x 1
England x 2
Scotland v Ukraine (off ??)
Greece x 2
Maybe Divock for Belgium?
Good grief, what a fucking drag

Hopefully Brazil just calls up domestic league players. They already qualified.

[SamLad]

Last week of March
Egypt v Senegal 2 legs
Colombia x 2
Brazil x 2
Portugal x 1
England x 2
Scotland v Ukraine (off ??)
Greece x 2
Netherlands x 2
Japan x 2
Ireland x 1

(Thanks JLB) and Maybe Divock for Belgium?
Good grief, what a fucking drag

don't we have to squeeze in the MU game around that time?

[Barneylfc∗]

don't we have to squeeze in the MU game around that time?

No

[redgriffin73]

Last week of March
Egypt v Senegal 2 legs
Colombia x 2
Brazil x 2
Portugal x 1
England x 2
Scotland v Ukraine (off ??)
Greece x 2
Netherlands x 2
Japan x 2
Ireland x 1

(Thanks JLB) and Maybe Divock for Belgium?
Good grief, what a fucking drag

Fuck this shit, are they all competitive matches at least or any pointless friendlies in there?

[kavah]

Fuck this shit, are they all competitive matches at least or any pointless friendlies in there?

Apart from Egypt v Senegal a combination of dead rubbers and friendlies. Wouldn't it be lovely if the CBF or the FA gave our lads some time off.

[BoRed]

Apart from Egypt v Senegal a combination of dead rubbers and friendlies. Wouldn't it be lovely if the CBF or the FA gave our lads some time off.

Columbia could still qualify, Japan's games are massively important, Portugal x1 will become Portugal x2 if they win the first one (again, massive) and the same for Scotland if the game against Ukraine is not postponed. Brazil's are dead rubbers, the rest are friendlies, I think.

[Barneylfc∗]

Fuck this shit, are they all competitive matches at least or any pointless friendlies in there?

Egypt v Senegal - World Cup Play off. Winner goes to Qatar. Loser goes home.

Colombia - Both World Cup Qualifiers. They need to win both to stand any chance of a play off spot, but it's unlikely.
Uruguay are 5 points clear in the automatic spot, and Peru 4 points clear in the play off spot. Uruguay play Peru and Chile, who are 2 points clear of Colombia. Chile's other game is Brazil, Peru's is Paraguay

Brazil - Both World Cup Qualifiers. Both dead rubbers. They should beat Chile in the first game to confirm top spot, then the away game v Bolivia means literally nothing.

Portugal - World Cup play off v Turkey. Win that, and they'll likely face a winner take all tie v Italy.

England - Both friendlies

Scotland - Play off v Ukraine. Obviously may not go ahead. Potential winner take all v Wales/Austria

Greece - 1 friendly

Holland - Both friendlies

Japan - Both World Cup qualifiers. Game v Australia could be crucial between finishing in an automatic spot or a play off.

Ireland - Both Friendlies

[Yorkykopite]

There's talk of Scotland standing down and giving Ukraine a bye, which is a brilliant gesture.

[kavah]

Alisson and Fabinho [but not Bobby] are in the Brazil squad for the two WCQ matches vs Chile and Bolivia

The second game is played in the early hours of Wednesday March 30, at 12,000 feet in La Paz.
(we have the early kick off on the Saturday at home to Watford)

[redgriffin73]

We always seem to have that 12.30 KO after the Brazilians have played!

[MH41]

We always seem to have that 12.30 KO after the Brazilians have played!

And against Watford, lol.
Another 5-0 win will do!

[redgriffin73]

Trent and Hendo have been called up for the England friendlies.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60778876

[CanuckYNWA]

So who is actually going on international duty?

Important Games

Mane - 2 games
Salah - 2 games
Luis Diaz - 2 games
Minamino - 2 games
Jota - 1 game

Unimportant Games

Robbo - 2 games
Trent - 2 games
Hendo - 2 games
Alisson - 2 games
Fabinho - 2 games
Tsimikas  - 2 games
VVD - 2 games

Unsure if being called up

Keita? Guinea have 1 game scheduled
Thiago? Spain have 2 games scheduled

Hopefully most of them only play 1 game which is good for fitness. Mane, Salah and Diaz are guaranteed to play 2 high intensity games though