JOHN Coleman admits it's not ideal' that Accrington Stanley midfielder Rommy Boco will be away on African Cup of Nations duty with Benin early next year.

Benin booked their spot for the finals, to be held in Ghana from January 20 to February 10, following a 2-0 win in their final qualifying group match against Sierra Leone.

It means Boco is certain to miss at least two League Two matches while on international duty, with the possibility of more games depending on Benin's tournament success.

"It's not ideal, but that's part and parcel of having international players on your books," said Stanley boss Coleman.

"He could be away for three or four games, but we'll just have to deal with it at the time."

Each member of Benin's successful squad were rewarded with 5 million francs CFA, equating to about £5,300, from the country's president, Dr Thomas Yayi Boni.

Boco said: "We are happy to have qualified for the 2008 Cup. There was a lot of pressure on us but now it's total relaxation.

"It's not finished yet because we have to make a strong showing in the Cup."