Onana back in the Cameroon squad | Will likely be gone for AFCON

Liverpool had both Salah and Mane as mainstays, while both were the most important players for their African countries. It's really not the end of the world.
 
and what’s the problem? just means that turkish mackerel comes in for 4 games.
 
If Mo Salah was able to return from the AFCON final on a Sunday and played four days later for Liverpool’s Thursday fixture, can I ask how you’re estimating this two week recovery period for a goalkeeper?

A fair question, but it might be worth recalling that Mo Salah is not your average footballer. Most footballers need time off after a major international tournament. Most, but not all. Perhaps Onana is an exception.
 
Liverpool had both Salah and Mane as mainstays, while both were the most important players for their African countries. It's really not the end of the world.

And both went to the final when Liverpool was challenging for all competitions in 2022. Salah even played multiple extra times and was playing again 4 days after the final.
 
A fair question, but it might be worth recalling that Mo Salah is not your average footballer. Most footballers need time off after a major international tournament. Most, but not all. Perhaps Onana is an exception.
That's true that most players would need some time off to rest but he is also a goalkeeper, they'll never require the same recovery period as any outfield player.
 
You sure? It's a bit bland

images

hmm, i see what you mean they have gone downhill a bit since the one i was thinking of below, now that is an epic Adidas design

Burundi-1-1-680x400.jpg
 
That's true that most players would need some time off to rest but he is also a goalkeeper, they'll never require the same recovery period as any outfield player.

We shall see, but we should not get our hopes up too high that if Onana’s last game is the cup final on a Sunday that he’ll be available to start the following Saturday.
 
People always go OTT about AFCON, but the FA Cup starting in Jan ensures they usually miss just a couple of league games.
That's how I felt about the WC starting in the middle of a season and how I now feel about the AFCON. If football bodies can't come together to clear up the calendar, why the feck do teams have to suffer for it!
 
The way the clubs being run and the magnificent start to the season, he won't be missed even if Jonny Evans goes in goal.
 
Football fans are so fickle. So many disgusting comments on his tweet. Like he’s doing to this to cause damage to United. Ffs he wants to represent his country. Hope they do well with Cameroon.
 
I know it's still a bit new to United because Onana and Amrabat are only the 10th and 11th African players of the Red Devils -correct me if needed- but apparently l'Olympique de Marseille has 6-8 players that could be called potentially for AFCON (IIRC) and it's a thing every time the competition rolls by for them. 18 of 20 PL clubs have African players and most from high profile national teams.

Is Diallo already called in the senior selection for Ivory Coast ? Bailly I think no one would notice...

I know Bayindir had a couple of howler compilations but let's give him a chance before negging him.
 
Is Onana choosing to play for his country again another stick to beat ten Hag with? I really hope there will be more sense than that.
 
Aren't AFCON qualifiers usually during international breaks and the summer break? If Onana is to miss 3-4 league games every other season, that's a pretty minor issue.
Won’t even be that, it moves to the summer after this one.
 
And both went to the final when Liverpool was challenging for all competitions in 2022. Salah even played multiple extra times and was playing again 4 days after the final.

Salah is very very fit. He barely ever misses a game.
 
feck you Burundi.

But honestly, as others have said, it's not the end of the world. Time for the Turkish guy to earn his wages.
 
Football fans are so fickle. So many disgusting comments on his tweet. Like he’s doing to this to cause damage to United. Ffs he wants to represent his country. Hope they do well with Cameroon.

It really is crazy. You want players on your squad that are winning at all levels. PL, UCL, WC, Euros, Copa, AFCON etc. Winning begets winning.
Only reason I don’t want Cameroon to do well is because I’m Nigerian and the Super Eagles need to bring back the AFCON.
 
What games is he gonna miss?

It depends how far they go in the tournament, but he'll definitely miss the home game vs Spurs and the away with Wolves. Could potentially miss the home game vs West Ham and away game vs Villa if they go deep in the tournament.
 
Well ten hag will have no choice but to start playing the new back up goalkeeper leading up to this because you wouldn't want a keeper starting games with no game time in such an important part of the season.
 
If he said he won't be available and now he's changed his mind, it's on Onana and neither on EtH, nor the club.

Don't promise things you won't deliver or abide by is my motto. In any case, as others have said, it should be a one-off because AFCON is moving to summer and it really should be every 4 years.
 
Well ten hag will have no choice but to start playing the new back up goalkeeper leading up to this because you wouldn't want a keeper starting games with no game time in such an important part of the season.
But then we have to play the back up keeper in even more games and he’s going to have no game time whenever he plays that first game.
 
If he said he won't be available and now he's changed his mind, it's on Onana and neither on EtH, nor the club.

Don't promise things you won't deliver or abide by is my motto. In any case, as others have said, it should be a one-off because AFCON is moving to summer and it really should be every 4 years.

No it shouldn't
 


Including in the Cameroonian AFCON squad.

From the Athletic:
"Erik ten Hag said earlier this month that United were “in talks” to allow Onana to play for Cameroon in AFCON, adding that “he has to go” if they call him.

However, while he has been called up to the squad, it is currently unclear whether Onana will choose to represent his country. The Athletic reported in November that he is yet to make a definitive decision regarding his participation in the tournament taking place from January 13 to February 11 next year.

Sources close to Onana have previously suggested that his hesitation in representing his country is linked to a strained relationship with Eto’o. The 27-year-old, however, featured in Cameroon’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Mauritius last month."
 
Can Bayindir be any worse?

By all accounts, Bayindir is also not a good GK. God knows why we bought 2 dodgy GK in the same window. But he should be given a chance to prove himself because Onana had single handedly eliminated us out of CL and had many other howlers. He deserves to be dropped.
 
It would make little sense to return to the squad, participate in the qualifiers and then not playing in the main thing.
 
Win-win. He gets to represent his country in a major tournament and we get a break from his calamities.