Tunisia head coach, George Leekens, has assured that midfielder Jamel Saihi will stay on for the Afcon despite criticisms from the leadership of his French club, Montpellier.
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Leekens stressed that Saihi is a key player for the Carthage Eagles and will remain with the team for the duration of the Africa Cup of Nations if they progress to the last four.
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“I can assure that Saihi will not leave the camp and he will stay till the last match for us. He is a key player in our team and we will not let him leave. We will talk with Montpellier chairman that Saihi will be back at the end of Afcon,” Leekens said.
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Montpellier chairman, Louis Nicollin, had been critical of losing Saihi to the Tunisian team in the middle of the French league season.
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Nicollin stated that he has taken a decision not to sign on players who would take part in the Afcon in future.
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“I think that, ultimately, Saihi can stay with Tunisia if he likes. I don’t understand how you can leave a club for so long in the middle of the season. It could destabilise the group,” Nicollin was quoted as saying by French regional daily newspaper, Midi Libre.
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“In future, I won’t buy anymore players who would play in the Africa Cup of Nations, that is clear.”
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Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles face Equatorial Guinea in the quarterfinal of the Afcon, and a win will mean that the North Africans will stay on till the last day of the tournament.
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