Togo head coach Patrice Neveu does not regret his heated response in the press conference and defends the rebuilding of Togolese football ahead of the match against Algeria, with all the youth national teams having been eliminated.
Patrice Neveu does not regret his heated response. On Tuesday, in a press conference, the Togo head coach reacted to the announcement of his squad for the matches against Algeria on 14 and 17 November. According to Afrik-foot and GhanaSoccernet, the 72-year-old justified his outburst by the need to protect his group and to make the reality on the ground heard.
The context is difficult. Lilian Brassier, a centre-back now at Eintracht Frankfurt, has been called up for the two matches. Above all, Togo’s youth national teams have all been eliminated from their respective competitions, a fact Neveu was keen to highlight.
“I’m explaining the reality”
Patrice Neveu was keen to clarify his position. “I’m not looking for excuses. I’m explaining the reality so that Togolese football can move forward,” he said, according to GhanaSoccernet.
The head coach above all stressed the state of his youth national teams. “The U15s were eliminated, the U17s were eliminated, the U19s were eliminated and the U23s were eliminated,” he listed, quoted by Afrik-foot.
He also explained that his pool would normally consist of under-23 players plying their trade abroad, but that they failed at the first round of U23 qualifying against Libya, according to Afrik-foot.
Sharani out, Brassier called up
The preparations were disrupted by the injury of Zuberu Sharani, the Hapoel Jerusalem player. He suffered a muscle injury on Thursday and will miss the training camp in Tunisia. “I have a player, Zuberu Sharani (Hapoel Jerusalem), who tore a muscle this morning (Thursday, ed.) and who will miss this gathering,” Neveu said, quoted by NigeriaSoccernet. He is replaced by a 24-year-old local player at ASKO Kara, according to Afrik-foot and GhanaSoccernet.
Several dual nationals have joined Togo in recent months, including Lilian Brassier, called up for the matches against Algeria, according to Afrik-foot and NigeriaSoccernet.
Neveu also criticised the scheduling of the third and fourth matchdays, with two games only three days apart, according to GhanaSoccernet.
Algeria, a sizeable test
On the pitch, Algeria are the group favourites after their 3-1 win over Zambia and their 2-2 draw in Burundi, according to GhanaSoccernet. Neveu insists that acknowledging the opponent’s strength is not a surrender.
Togo have not taken part in the Africa Cup of Nations for nearly ten years, GhanaSoccernet recalls.
The training camp will be held in Tunisia before the trip to Tizi Ouzou to face Algeria on 14 November. The return match is scheduled for 17 November in Lomé.