Augustine Eguavoen Berates Jamie Carragher After Unsavoury AFCON Comments
- Jamie Carragher incurred the wrath of Africans when he downplayed the Africa Cup of Nations
- He claimed AFCON is not a major tournament that could help Mohamed Salah win the Ballon d'Or
- Former Super Eagles head coach Augustine Eguavoen has joined former winners who reacted
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Former Super Eagles head coach Augustine Eguavoen has joined a host of African football dignitaries who have knocked Jamie Carragher for his unbridled remarks about the Africa Cup of Nations.
The former Liverpool defender got himself on the wrong side of Africans after claiming that the continent’s premier competition is not a major tournament.
Source: AFP
As noted by Football365, Carragher made this comment while rating Mohamed Salah's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or, claiming the AFCON doesn't carry enough weight to help Salah win.
Daniel Sturridge and Micah Richards immediately corrected him, but the former England international insisted on sticking with the point he had made.
Augustine Eguavoen slams Carragher
Former Super Eagles head coach Eguavoen has hit out at the English pundit over his controversial comments about the Africa Cup of Nations.
“The Africa Cup of Nations is one of the best football tournaments in the world. And if anyone feels otherwise, well, he's entitled to his opinion but rather unfair and disrespectful,” he told SportsBoom.
He added that Carragher spoke out of emotion as he lacked the understanding of what the tournament means to Africans, which is unfortunate.
Cerezo, as he is fondly referred to, won the AFCON as a player in 1994 and coached Nigeria to win a bronze medal at the 2006 edition. He also coached the Super Eagles in 2021.
“I played in three AFCON tournaments and have also coached in the competition, so it’s a source of immense pride for me. I'm proud of what it represents,” he said.
“The last tournament in Côte d'Ivoire, for example, was watched globally, and the quality of football was exceptional. Carragher's comments were emotional rather than thoughtful. I’m sure he’ll reflect on them and eventually apologise.”
Source: AFP
One of the major concerns about the tournament is that it is held in January, in the middle of the European football season, which makes some players not want to give their all to avoid injuries.
“Players also need to shift their mindset and take the tournament seriously. I understand their concerns—losing their spot in the club team or financial considerations—but AFCON deserves respect
“The timing of the competition is a challenge, and clubs invest heavily in these players, but that doesn’t diminish the tournament’s importance."
Eguavoen finally clapped back at Carragher's ignorance and urged the relevant bodies to consider all tournaments as criteria for awards.
"If AFCON winners are not being given the recognition they deserve, that’s unfortunate. This is a major tournament, and not every great player will win a World Cup. Winning the World Cup or Champions League shouldn’t be the sole criterion for individual awards.”
Diouf claps back at Carragher
Legit.ng reported that El-Hadji Diouf fired back at Jamie Carragher after the former England international defender discredited the Africa Cup of Nations.
Two-time African Footballer of the Year hit back at his former Liverpool teammate, describing him as a second zone player unworthy of talking down on AFCON.
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Source: Legit.ng
