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Man City want African Nations cup deal
Manchester City want African Nations Cup deal
Hughes wants a player deal for the African Nations Cup
Manchester City want an agreement with African countries over the release of players for the Nations Cup in January.
Togo's Emmanuel Adebayor and Ivorian Kolo Toure will join their countries for the three-week festival in Angola.
They must be released two weeks before the tournament starts but manager Mark Hughes wants to delay their departure.
"There is a suggestion that there may be a preparation period that has to be factored in, which we are obviously aware of," said Hughes.
"There will be a number of communications between the associations involved in terms of the release date for British-based players.
"A lot of other leagues have a break over the festive period that allows them to meet up earlier.
"I think there will be an understanding that we have a crucial period of the season coming up and that will be taken into account."
Hughes is looking to avoid a situation where Manchester City lose key players for up to 10 games because of the tournament which starts on 10 January.
That absence will be keenly felt as the respective nations will be calling their players into a training camp a fortnight before the tournament actually begins.
Such a move, if enforced, would rob City of the former Arsenal duo for the festive programme, which includes matches against Stoke and Wolves.
There will also be an FA Cup third round tie to play on 2 January and the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final - if City beat the Gunners in Wednesday's last eight encounter at Eastlands - which could take place 48 hours before the tournament starts.
Given there are another four league games, plus the potential for two more cup ties, discounting the possibility of replays, before the players return at the beginning of February, they could be missing for a total of 10 games.
Hughes wants a player deal for the African Nations CupManchester City want an agreement with African countries over the release of players for the Nations Cup in January.
Togo's Emmanuel Adebayor and Ivorian Kolo Toure will join their countries for the three-week festival in Angola.
They must be released two weeks before the tournament starts but manager Mark Hughes wants to delay their departure.
"There is a suggestion that there may be a preparation period that has to be factored in, which we are obviously aware of," said Hughes.
"There will be a number of communications between the associations involved in terms of the release date for British-based players.
"A lot of other leagues have a break over the festive period that allows them to meet up earlier.
"I think there will be an understanding that we have a crucial period of the season coming up and that will be taken into account."
Hughes is looking to avoid a situation where Manchester City lose key players for up to 10 games because of the tournament which starts on 10 January.
That absence will be keenly felt as the respective nations will be calling their players into a training camp a fortnight before the tournament actually begins.
Such a move, if enforced, would rob City of the former Arsenal duo for the festive programme, which includes matches against Stoke and Wolves.
There will also be an FA Cup third round tie to play on 2 January and the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final - if City beat the Gunners in Wednesday's last eight encounter at Eastlands - which could take place 48 hours before the tournament starts.
Given there are another four league games, plus the potential for two more cup ties, discounting the possibility of replays, before the players return at the beginning of February, they could be missing for a total of 10 games.
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