AFCON Calender Change Not Influenced By Europe – Pinnick

The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick has refuted claims that the recent alteration of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) calendar was as a result of external pressure from Europe.

The CAF executive committee member said the calender change was in the benefit of players from the continent.

Pinnick, a CAF executive member, said the players’ welfare and career prospects were taken into consideration before the changes were made.

“It was a full African idea and not any pressure from Europe,” the AFCON chairman told CNN.

“We took Africa into cognisance. We took the players, their welfares, their future and also the future of other African players that would be possibly going to Europe which you must agree has the biggest leagues in the world.”

The NFF Boss also dismissed talks of CAF taking the AFCON out of Africa.

“Taking the AFCON outside Africa is not debatable. I don’t know who brought up that idea,” he said.

“AFCON is a pride of Africa. It is the symbol of African unity. So there is no way we would take it out of Africa, not in the foreseeable future.

On the expansion of teams in the AFCON from 16 to 24, Pinnick said: “We want the issue of the more the merrier,”

The NFF Chairman said African players who are playing in different clubs in Europe will be valued more because they won’t have to miss any match for their club specially in critical periods between the beginning of the year.

“Our argument is based on sporting and commercial benefits. What are the sporting benefits?

“There will be more recognition for African players, their worth will now be well pronounced because if you look at when they are negotiating their contracts, they take into cognizance that critical period between January and February.

“So now African players know they can now play from the beginning of their different championships (league games) till the end.

“For the commercial value, there will be more visibility for brands and that money can now be used to develop and throw around the small African countries,” he said.