Abdoulaye Meite set to miss six games for West Bromwich Albion

Nov 28 2009 by Christopher Lepkowski, Birmingham Mail

ALBION are bracing themselves to be without Abdoulaye Meite for up to six Championship games.

The defender is expected to be named in the Ivory Coast squad for the forthcoming African Cup of Nations.

The tournament, which is being held in Angola, runs from January 10-31 but could disrupt English clubs from as early as Boxing Day.

Under FIFA rules the 16 nations can insist on calling up their players a fortnight before the tournament starts.

Ivory Coast have yet to reveal whether they will exercise the rule, although it has previously been the norm for all nations to embark on training camps before the tournament starts.

Ghana have revealed they expect all their players to meet up on December 27.

If Ivory Coast follow suit, as expected, then Meite could feasibly miss the entire festive programme plus many of the games in January.

The leading African nation are one of the fancied sides for the tournament and if they were to reach the semi-finals on January 28 it would ensure a third-placed game two days later or a place in the final on January 31.

In the worst-case scenario, and assuming Ivory Coast invoke the 14-day rule, Meite could miss five Championship games and potentially the Boxing Day fixture against Peterborough United if there are no flights on December 27 due to the festive season.

He would also miss at least one FA Cup game, the third-round tie scheduled for the weekend of January 2.

January’s fixture list includes crucial league games against Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Sheffield United.