An African exodus?

When looking at the nationalities of Rennes’ players, the perspective of an African Cup of Nations can make one fear a huge exodus in January. After the end of the qualification round, it appears that the damages are finally limited for Frédéric Antonetti, who will probably avoid losing more than three players. A minimal handicap for a Rennes’ team that will need all its strength at the beginning of 2012.

Hadji, Mangane and Pitroipa away in January

Except for injuries or unlikely decisions, three players are quite certain to leave Brittany next January. The three players are Kader Mangane (Senegal), Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso) and Youssouf Hadji (Morocco). These three men are considered as pillars of their respective national teams, which are all considered as serious contenders for the title in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
With Ivory Coast and Ghana, Senegal will probably be one of the favourites, especially looking back at its solid qualification campaign, where Senegal easily eliminated Cameroon. Led by an impressive attacking line, the “Lions” should count on the Rennes’ captain in central defence. The three other Senegalese players of Rennes shouldn’t be called-up for the competition. Still in the age to appear with the U21 national team, Pape Malick Kandji and Abdoulaye Sané will probably have to wait for regular appearances in Ligue 1 before hoping for a call-up with the senior national team. As for Cheick N’Diaye, now only the third goalkeeper of Stade Rennes, he hasn’t been called-up with his national team since a long time, and it would be a true surprise if he was to take part in the 2012 ACN.

With the absences of Jonathan Pitroipa and Youssouf Hadji, Rennes’ attacking line will probably face somme issues in January.
The Burkina Faso of Pitroipa should be one of the outsiders of this final phase. National coach Paulo Duarte can count on several good elements, such as Alain Traoré (Auxerre), Charles Kaboré (Marseille), Lossémy Karaboué (Nancy), or Bakary Koné (Lyon).
After meeting more difficulties during the qualifying phase, Morocco will enter in the competition will less pressure and the objective to do better than during their previous participations (The “Lions from the Atlas” have never managed to go through the first round since 2004). Youssouf Hadji should lead the Moroccan forward line with Youssef El Arabi and Marouane Chamakh. Also present in Rennes’ team, the young Yacine Qasmi and Yassine Jebbour have almost no chance at all to be called-up for the competition. Never called-up with “A” selection, both players still have to make their names with the U21 team, which is not at all the case for the moment: Qasmi is mainly a substitute, and Jebbour hasn’t been called-up for months.

Maybe Boye and Diarra?

Until January, when the African national coaches will reveal their 23-man squads, the Rennes’ supporters will be particularly interested in knowing whether John Boye will be called to join the Ghanaian national team. In the absence of Mangane, the presence of Boye could be crucial for Frédéric Antonetti. If Boye is called-up, the central defence of Stade Rennes would be considerably weakened.
At the moment, however, no one can tell if Boye will play the ACN or not. With his four selections, the Rennes’ defender is not at all the first choice of his national coach, who generally prefers John Mensah, Isaac Vorsah, Lee Addy or Jonathan Mensah. Everything will depend on possible injuries of the usual defenders.
As Qasmi and Jebbour, the other Ghanaian player of Stade Rennes, young midfielder Kamal Issah will probably not be called-up with the “Black Stars” until he makes his first steps in Ligue 1.

The second and last doubt concerns young Malian Cheick Fantamady Diarra, who has been called-up recently and could pretend to a place in the twenty three. Present in Liberia last Saturday without playing, his presence is of course not assured at all. However, his eventual absence would only harm the reserve team of Laurent Huard.

They will stay in Brittany...

Except for the five players listed above, no other Rennes’ player is likely to be called-up for the competition in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The qualifications were pitiless for many of the “big nations”, which are already eliminated, for the benefit to nations less used to final phases. In addition to Equatorial Guinea, Botswana and Niger will take part to the ACN for the first time, while Libya will be there for the third time only.

Among the main nations eliminated appear the titleholder Egypt and Nigeria. If Onyekachi Apam is able to recover by January, Frédéric Antonetti will be able to count on him. Same situation for the Togo of Razak Boukari, very quickly eliminated. The former Lens’ forward will be present in Rennes in January and February. At last, the elimination of Cameroon – victim of Senegal during the qualification phase – results on the presence in Brittany of Georges Mandjeck and Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, who is yet to make his choice between representing France, his birth country, and the “Untamable Lions”, for whom his father played.
Other players with dual nationality are also assured to stay in Brittany, since their countries of origin are eliminated. This is the case of Yacine Brahimi, courted by an Algerian team which was never able to hope for qualification in its group. This is also the case for Jirès Kembo, whose birth country is Democratic Republic of Congo.

Finally, in regards to the huge number of concerned players, Stade Rennes will be relatively spared on next January and February. The risk of a massive exodus during the winter remains however for 2012-2013 season, since the African confederation decided to play ACN on odd-numbered years in order to avoid duplication with World Cup. There will therefore be another African Nations Cup tournament in January and February 2013, this time hosted in South Africa..

- Countries qualified for the African Cup of Nations 2012 : Gabon (organizer country), Equatorial Guinea (organizer country), Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia and Zambia.

- Main countries eliminated: Egypt (titleholder), South Africa, Algeria, Cameroon and Nigeria

- Photo : srfc.frenchwill.fr