Diouf pleads with African bosses

Senegal captain El Hadji Diouf has urged African football chiefs to review the scheduling of the Nations Cup.

The Bolton winger returned to international football last week and looks set to go to Ghana for the 2008 finals in January.

But Diouf has spoken out on behalf of all the European-based players, who face missing a key period for their club sides during the month-long tournament. He said: "On the eve of the 2008 Nations Cup, I beg CAF to review its programming for the most important African competition.

"Even those African internationals who say nothing are bothered by the dates," the two-time African Footballer of the Year claimed.