It is an African football truism, but the Nations Cup finals and club-versus-country rows are synonymous.
With 15 Nations Cup tournaments under his belt, two of which he attended as Ghana coach, Ben Koufie knows that and has called for a rethink on the timing of the continent's premier sports event.
"When there's a problem with the release of players, it takes something out of the competition," Koufie, one of the most respected figures in the African game, told BBC Sport.
The former Ghana, Zimbabwe and Botswana coach added: "I think it's time we looked at the timing of the competition so that it doesn't clash with the peak of the European season.
"I think the Nations Cup is facing a real problem now, and it looks as if one would have to look at the timing of it because your best players must be on parade."
Holding the tournament in January and February has indeed proved to be a source of intense irritation to Europe's elite clubs because it forces them to release players at a critical stage of the season.
Africa's most prestigious competition has turned into something of a stepchild among major tournaments, and some say its two-yearly frequency works against the interests of players based in Europe.
Koufie, who at 74 claims to leap out of bed with undiminished enthusiasm for the game, said that Africa and Europe must have mutual respect for each other's needs.
"If you were in the shoes of a club which is paying a lot of money for a player, would you like to lose his services and continue to pay him?
"When someone leaves his club in Europe to play for his country, the danger is that he'll lose his position by the time he gets back from international duty.
"Let's also not forget that these players are human beings, so they think twice [about playing for their countries] but that doesn't mean they're being unpatriotic.
"It means the player is being intelligent, he's thinking of his future because after all self-preservation is nature's first law," said Koufie, a man normally guarded in his pronouncements.