The Comoros are close to a historic qualification for a final phase of the Africa Cup of Nations. The islanders will need only one point in the next two days of qualifying, against Togo on March 25, then in Egypt, four days later. Amir Abdou, the coach of Coleacantes, although deprived of several internationals retained by the French clubs, is however optimistic.

Amir Abdou , like other coaches, you will be deprived of several professional players playing in France. How do you react to this outcome which seemed predictable?

This is a real problem, of course. Because the Comoros have a very small pool of players. To have six, seven or eight professionals less is, indeed, enormous. As far as we are concerned, it is five players less: Matoir and Youssouf (AC Ajaccio, L2), M’Changama (Guingamp, L2), Bourhane (Niort, L2) and Zahary (Pau, L2). What I regret is the way FIFA handled the problem. It authorized the clubs not to release the internationals in the event that they must observe a period of isolation of more than five days, on their return to the country where they play.

It was therefore obvious that this was going to cause problems. And especially Africans. As, in France, the duration of isolation is seven days for travelers returning from countries outside the European Union, it should come as no surprise that the clubs of Ligue 1, Ligue 2 and National 1, have decided not to release the players, since there will be a championship day the first weekend in April. They immediately took advantage of it! I also blame the African Football Confederation (CAF) …

Why ?

She did not anticipate anything, although FIFA issued this directive on February 5! CAF had time to react, to organize. But we can’t hear her, she is silent. Why did it not do like the South American Confederation (CONMEBOL), which quite quickly made the decision to postpone the qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup until June. Asia, too, has almost postponed in June all the meetings which were to take place in March.

But CAF did nothing, and today, many teams will be deprived of important players. It makes no sense. Like other breeders, I am therefore helpless. The players concerned are thus sad and disappointed. Because we will play without them two matches that can allow the Comoros to qualify for the first CAN in its history. They have been working for years to achieve this goal, and we deprive them of that at the last moment. It is an injustice.

However, do you still have the hope of finally being able to count on your “French”?

I don’t quite see how. The clubs have adopted a common position. I do not have the impression that the French authorities want to reduce the duration of isolation. I remind you that the Covid-19 virus circulates more in Europe than in Africa. There, the players, the staffs will be tested several times… Africa, once again, is penalized.

          “Togo will want to spoil the party for us”

Amir Abdou

However, do you manage  to prepare normally for these two matches against Togo and Egypt?

Yes, even if this file takes time. We will start the course on Monday March 22. There is an extraordinary expectation in the Comoros. We need a point to qualify for the CAN. But it will be necessary to seek this qualification. I am optimistic, however, despite the difficulties encountered in recent days. We will first face Togo, who is admittedly eliminated, but who will be willing to finish qualifying. Togo have very good players, and this match should not be taken lightly. The Togolese will have less pressure. And this is probably what will make them even more dangerous. I know Claude Le Roy, their coach, and I know that he prepared for this match very seriously. He’s going to do everything to ruin the party, and that’s okay. He takes this game very seriously.

The fact of playing at home, where you have already beaten Kenya (2-1) and hooked Egypt (0-0) in these qualifications, is an advantage…

Of course. My team is very strong in Moroni. I believe there will be some public allowed to watch the game. We can feel this fervor of the Comorians. It is, indeed, an additional motivation. It is obvious that for us, the ideal would be to obtain our qualification as of the match against Togo, rather than in Egypt, where it is always very difficult to obtain a result, vis-a-vis one of the best African selections …

Qualifying for the CAN finals would not necessarily be seen as a surprise, at least for those who have been following the performance of the Comoros since your appointment in 2014 …

That is true. We have made a lot of progress in recent years. We obtained results against big teams, such as Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Egypt… The Comoros, as I often remind you, do not have a large pool of players. I have guys who play in amateur championships, in National 2 or 3, in France. Others in good clubs, in Ligue 2, in Serbia, like our captain, El Fardou Ben Mohamed (Red Star Belgrade). Or Fouad Bachirou (Nottingham Forest / England). So we don’t have stars, but a collective. With a great state of mind. This is what makes our strength. We also have a game plan. We want to play offensive football. We reach the goal, with this qualification very close.

  Alexis