FIFA president Sepp Blatter dived in to the controversy surrounding the traditional January date for the African Nations Cup on Saturday and suggested it should move to June and July.

Twenty four hours before the 2008 edition gets underway here on Sunday, Blatter added his support to moving the biennial event to June/July to fall into step with other major competitions.

This would please Europe's top clubs who are loathe to lose their star players but it set him on a collision course with Issa Hayatou, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

"As long as I remain the president of CAF, the date scheduled for Africa's biggest soccer fiesta will remain unchanged," Hayatou insisted.
Outlining his reasons for a calendar switch Blatter told a press conference here Saturday: "Mr Hayatou wants the African players to be in their top psychological, technical and physical form at World Cups and above all at the 2010 World Cup (in South Africa).
"In 2010, the best African players based abroad are going to want to be at their best at the African Nations Cup.
"Then they're going to return to their clubs to fight for the Champions League, UEFA Cup, for a title or against relegation.
"Therefore they will perhaps be tired for the World Cup. To avoid that we should hold the African Nations Cup on alternate years to give Africa the best chance at the World Cup."
The row over the Cup's calendar has become ever more acute as the number of African players based abroad grows ever larger.
Commenting though on this exodus of talent from the continent Blatter warned that for many players the promise of 'making it' in Europe was often not all it seemed.
"We have to create professiional leagues in Africa so that African players can make a living here," he said.
"I'm not talking about the Drogbas or Eto'os, but about the hundreds and the thousands of players attracted by false promises and by money promised by agents.
"They turn up somewhere, and then disappear. At the end of 2010 we should have answers to this problem so as to develop further African football's national identity.
"The federations and clubs have to set up a type of early alarm system because this is a new form of slavery."
He added it was essential that the 2010 World Cup left a lasting legacy for the continent.
"This is the key question. The 2010 World Cup is not just for South Africa but also for all of Africa."