African Champions, the Pharaohs of Egypt, have
pulled out of the newly inaugurated African Nations Championship (CHAN)
to concentrate on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup and African Nations
Cup qualifiers.
The African Nations Championship is a tournament designed strictly for
local based players, and Egypt's decision to pull out might not be unconnected
with the fact that a large part of their squad play their professional
football in Egypt, while many of the other more successful African countries
comprise Europe-based squads.
The Egyptian team were due to begin their CHAN qualifying campaign next
month, but this has now been cancelled.
A board member of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) Hazem El-Hawary
told BBC Sport of the rationale behind the country's decision to pull
out.
"The national team are preparing to take part in World Cup qualifying
- and this is Egypt's dream, to take part in the World Cup," he was
quoted as saying by the website.
"This is what we are thinking of at the moment, and all our efforts
are focused on this."
He also stated that the Association had contemplated replacing the Pharaohs
first team with the under-20 national squad, but the idea was rejected.
"They are busy preparing for the FIFA under-20 World Cup, which is
to take place in Egypt just four months after the CHAN finals," El-Hawary
said.
"We are so sorry to miss the inaugural tournament.
"Egypt has been present at the start of every CAF event, and Egypt
always supported the idea of having a championship for the local players."
He also stated that the EFA was prepared to accept any penalty that the
continental Soccer body, CAF, was going to mete out for their decision
to withdraw.
Awenlimobor Sylvester
,
4/19/2008
Russian ladies dream about happy marriage.
Click on a photo...
