The Confederation of African Football – CAF, says it would give due consideration to FIFA President, Sepp Blatter’s suggestion for a solution to be found over the divisive issue concerning the timing of the Cup of Nations.
CAF President Issa Hayatou speaking at the final day of the 30th General Assembly of the sport body in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, stated that he will consider the suggestion but would not change the timing of the event until the middle of the year.
"That would be the end of African football," said Hayatou, who said weather conditions across large parts of Africa in the middle of the year would not be right for a major tournament and describing it as akin to organizing the European Championships in January.
CAF has already set up its next three finals in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and late last year signed an eight-year extension to its marketing contract with French company Sport Five. The 2012 finals will be co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon and 2014 will be played in Libya.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said a solution to the issue must be found as he remains keen for the tournament to conform with the international calendar and with most of the other continental championships, which are held every four years and during the off-season of the major club competitions.
Blatter, looking into the future, argued that CAF, needs to be bothered about the condition of players from the continent ahead of the 2010 World Cup with the finals being played every other January.
"They have to consider the issue of having African players in the best shape for the World Cup and, to do so, it would be important to take away from them the stress of having to play in a Nations Cup the same year," he told reporters on Saturday.
"In 2010 the best African player will fight to be the African champions in the Nations Cup in Angola and so will have to climax their condition at this time.
"Then they have to return to their clubs in Europe to play in the Champions League, the UEFA Cup or even fight with their clubs to avoid relegation," added Blatter.
"Then they will again have to raise their conditioning for the World Cup."
"Maybe they will be a little tired. Maybe it is better to play the Nations Cup every odd years in the off-season."
Blatter said the issue would be discussed by FIFA.
"We should find a different solution," he said.