Arsenal midfielder Alex Song concedes the African Nations Cup can hamper a player's form.

Song will be in Angola with Cameroon for the high-profile tournament.

"It's very difficult because when you go to Africa for a month, you come back and it is difficult because maybe in January here it is too cold and in Africa it is too hot," Song told Arsenal TV Online.

"You need the time to adapt when you come back to England because everything changes. You need maybe one week or two weeks to come back normally. That is why I think some people say that the African Cup [can affect players when they return to their clubs].

"But it is very important win the African Cup because it makes your country happy," he added. "If you win it you go home and you don't see anything bad - everyone just smiles. It's for us too of course, but every player wants to do it for their country."