LAST WORD with Osasu Obayiuwana

Clubs try to win the country war

Coming back from behind to earn a 4-4 draw in a English Premiership game that West Ham were on the verge of winning, Charlton Athletic's Manager, Alan
Curbishley looked forward to having good banter with journalists at the post-match press conference last November 19th.

But I guess he hadn't reckoned that my presence would send his blood pressure rising on that chilly Monday night. When I asked Curbishley how he would cope
with the absence of his striker, Shaun Bartlett (who should have joined the South African team by the publication of this piece - he also captains the side) for the African Nations Cup, 'Curbs' saw red.

"You're aware that Shaun is going for the Nations Cup...", I began.

"No he ain't!" Curbishley shouted back, sending the amused press pack into fits of laughter.

"I expect Shaun to stay here and play seven games over Christmas... This is what I expect and this is what this football club expects" he said, firmly.

When I met Bartlett two days later, he confessed that the tug of war between club and country has taken its toll. "It has been very hard for me. When I go to play for my country, I have to fight to regain my club position when I return. It's frustrating", he says.

Nigeria's Jay-Jay Okocha understands Bartlett's travails. The Paris St Germain midfield supremo says that loyalty to his nation has also cost him dearly. "People at home don't know what we go through to serve our country" he complains.

"We are put under so much pressure not to play and when we insist on going, we are given a very hard time when we return. It's not easy at all" he tells me.

European based African players say that it is time that the African football calendar is altered to suit the demands of the European clubs, who pay their wages and spend millions of dollars on transfer fees.

"I think that CAF (Confederation of African Football) should amend our football calendar to suit the European club season, which will help us out of this problem", Cameroon and Arsenal midfielder, Lauren Etame Mayer opines.

CAF's media officer, Dr Viken Djizmedjian says that there's no shifting ground on this issue.

"The current dates we have set fall into the European winter break. I don't know what else we can do. This is Africa's premier football event and European clubs must respect it by letting players report to their national teams within the time stated in the FIFA regulations " he says.

It appears that respect for African football is a key issue. Many European club managers adopt a condescending - some say racist - attitude to the importance of the African Nations Cup, which they regard as an irritant that should be wiped off the footballing map.

A change of attitude by insular European club managers - rather than a shift in position by CAF - is what would do the global football fraternity a world of good.

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