Should our players have to go to the African Cup of Nations?

[Factamondo]

before the usual trevor phillips brigade pipe up its not based on skin colour....african players are signed because they are cheap compared to european/south american players...however i do believe their ill discipline on the pitch and the fact they are off for weeks mid season to play in the worthless african nations cup (many then still failing to return on time) makes them a liabilty we can ill afford...mbia/diakitte will both be sent off again before they disappear in january of that im certain and i think hughes has made a big mistake signing them.....tarabbt,traore,mbia.diaktte....almost half a team lost at a crucial part of the season.

[Norths]

To us the tournament is worthless facto, but to them it is the equivalent of our Euros.

[West Acton]

Facto only agree with the African Nations cup element of your post of which you are spot on about

Can name many white players who like a red card just as much as those you state some of them have worn the blue and white hoops Gavin Maguire, Mark Dennis, Julian Dicks in more recent times Jory Barton, Cattermole, Kevin Muscat and Paul Scholes.

The cup does pee me off and I think its a liberty that FIFA allow it 1) to take place in Jan and 2) its every bleeding two years

[MattyRangers]

I may be wrong here, but I dont think Morocco, Cameroon or Senegal are in this years competition and so Tarbs, Traore & Mbia wont be missing any of our season for it - only Diakite.

[Factamondo]

agreed norths but why not have it in the summer ala world cups/euros!

[MattyRangers]

Facto only agree with the African Nations cup element of your post of which you are spot on about

Can name many white players who like a red card just as much as those you state some of them have worn the blue and white hoops Gavin Maguire, Mark Dennis, Julian Dicks in more recent times Jory Barton, Cattermole, Kevin Muscat and Paul Scholes.

The cup does pee me off and I think its a liberty that FIFA allow it 1) to take place in Jan and 2) its every bleeding two years

This.

[Factamondo]

Facto only agree with the African Nations cup element of your post of which you are spot on about

Can name many white players who like a red card just as much as those you state some of them have worn the blue and white hoops Gavin Maguire, Mark Dennis, Julian Dicks in more recent times Jory Barton, Cattermole, Kevin Muscat and Paul Scholes.

The cup does pee me off and I think its a liberty that FIFA allow it 1) to take place in Jan and 2) its every bleeding two years

wests as i said its not a skin colour basis my post....for me tarabbt has ill discipline just as much...i think its an african trait!

[West Acton]

Talking of race issues breaking news on Sky would appear to suggest Clattenburg is in the clear. Time to throw the book at Chelsea

[Factamondo]

yes its about time that club paid the price for its continual lying and covering for clearly racist players!

[Norths]

agreed norths but why not have it in the summer ala world cups/euros!

Well there you go mate, strange that, considering the aim of all african players is to play in a european league you would think they would move their tournament to fit in with the schedule.

[DeepcutHoop]

Well there you go mate, strange that, considering the aim of all african players is to play in a european league you would think they would move their tournament to fit in with the schedule.

I'm guessing it's climate related?

Very interesting news about Clattenburg. Chelsea need dealing with, their attitude towards refs has been deplorable for ages, they need to be taken to task for playing fast and loose with people's careers out of nothing more than petulance when they lose.

[Factamondo]

i mean its not as if the african public clamour to watch these games...i watched gabon/senegal last time and in the crowd of just over 700 a woman was cooking stew on the open terrace!

[West Acton]

yes its about time that club paid the price for its continual lying and covering for clearly racist players!

Twice before they have been caught out making false claims about refs (one ended up giving up reffing over it). Once is a mistake, twice is careless but if this third time is proven to be rubbish too action needs to be taken.

Back to the subject matter I got the feeling Diakite has perhaps now got to grips with staying on the pitch (Hope I have not jinxed him) on saturday. He got booked early but then stayed on his feet the rest of the game and I was not sitting on the edge of my seat wincing everytime he went in for a tackle.

Now Mbia I think he has an element of loose canon about him although a good player. At home against Reading in the cup he looked like a walking penalty waiting to happen, loves to cuddle the opposition from a corner and obviously imploded against the gunners

[lymehoop]

don't care where they come from as long as they are good enough, unfortunately a vast majority seem to be average, technically clumsy and basically just brute strength

[West Acton]

i watched gabon/senegal last time and in the crowd of just over 700 a woman was cooking stew on the open terrace!

mmmmmmm Bisto