A number of Championship sides are set to have their first team plans interrupted by the African Cup of Nations tournament in the New Year.
The competition kicks off in January in Gabon, starting on Saturday January 14 and running until Sunday February 5, and those who head out following selection will be missing for at least three weeks if not slightly longer depending on their nation’s progress throughout the tournament.
In alphabetical order, here are the clubs that could see first teamers away on international duty during the important January and potentially early February Championship encounters that can often shape the table.
Steve Bruce’s 13th place Aston Villa side could potentially be without:
Jordan Ayew and Albert Adomah (Ghana)
Jonathan Kodjia (Ivory Coast)
Chris Hughton’s Brighton side who sit in second place in the table could be without:
Gaeten Bong (Cameroon)
Elvis Manu (Ghana)
Slavisa Jokanovic’s Fulham, ninth, could lose:
Floyd Ayite (Cameroon)
Neeskens Kebano (DR Congo)
Garry Monk and Leeds, fifth in the table, could be without:
Souleymane Doukara (Senegal)
Rafa Benitez’s table toppers Newcastle United could be minus:
Mohamed Diame (Senegal)
Christian Atsu (Ghana)
Achraf Lazaar (Morocco)
Chancel Mbemba (DR Congo)
Alex Neil’s Norwich City, sitting in tenth could miss:
Sebastian Bassong (Cameroon)
Youssouf Mulumbu (DR Congo)
If selected by their nations – preliminary squads mostly selected with final 23 man squads to be confirmed next week I believe – players could miss up to five Championship encounters before they return to club contention.
List compiled by the Chronicle so apologies if anybody is missing.
Those in the mix and hoping for promotion this year though could get a boost if those sides are without those players for a month.
