Let's nourish the Indomitable Lions!.

When the Lions are victorious, the nation jumps into a feat of jubilation and some even use the victory for political propaganda.

But when the Lions perform like a cat as they did last week at the AFCON 2023, the nation is thrown into gloom, frenzy, frustration and even shame. But what's the way forward to regain the past glories when the Lions roared and went into competition with high hopes?

Coach Rigobert Song Bahanag, in his post-match interview after the humiliating defeat of two goals without a reply from Nigeria, which sent the Lions back to their cage, said: “I think Nigeria were not better than us tonight...but they just did what they were expected to do. The maturity their players had made them do what they were expected to do. And maybe we gave them opportunity to do more. I think individually, they are better and they know themselves more and have been together for some time".

After the reasons for being beaten in the match, computerised statistics indicated that Cameroon had no shot at goal in 90 minutes. Song was asked if he would throw in the towel as is traditionally the case with coaches with such a disastrous performance, but he was more concern about his job!

“As you know, I still have an existing contract with the team. After today, I will have enough time to rest, assess the situation of things, then I will know whatever decision comes after,” he said.

Usually, when Song performs poorly, his excuse has been that the team "is under construction", he is "still building a team". But the youngest Cameroonian player at the tournament was 17.

How does a coach start building a team with players who at that age are already experienced, yet he was praising the "experience" of Nigerian players?

This time, the focus was on his contract. What are the terms and conditions of the contract? How much are Cameroonian taxpayers using to pay him? When does it expire?

His predecessor, António Conceição da Silva Oliveira, also had a contract and one of the conditions was to qualify the Lions for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. With just two games left against Algeria, Conceicao's contract, which was yet to expire, was terminated.

Curiously, the Minister of Sports and Physical Education was ordered by the Presidency to replace him with Song in February 2022.

That controversial appointment has been coupled with Song's uninspiring performance and reported meddling in the coaching and selection of players by Eto'o Fils, President of the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT. 

When they drew in their opening match against Guinea Conakary, playing with ten men for 55 minutes, Eto'o was reportedly quoted as having warned: “Aren’t you ashamed of humiliating Cameroonians? I'm going to fire you! If you don't do the job, I'll fire you... you're incapable of making the team play!"

Against Senegal that pounced the Lions with 3 goals to one, Eto'o is reported by several media organs to be the one who coordinated training sessions in front of the technical staff of the Indomitable Lions

The technical staff of the Indomitable Lions are said to be privately denouncing his hyper interference. The choices of players and even the game plans and their activities during the last three matches of the Lions in the competition, would have been, according to several very consistent sources, dictated by Eto'o, "who coordinated training sessions in front of a stunned and amazed technical staff", one of the reports noted.

The Guardian Post appreciates Eto'o's commitment and determination to see the Lions recover its lost glory. But surely, it is not within his competence. 

Song has also proved that he has lost all idea, vision and tactics to "reconstruct" a winning or just well performing squad. After all, not every team must win.

The Lions in the first place just merely qualified for the tournament barely through the skin of their teeth and wobbled to get to the round of 16, where they were knocked out with a two zero spanking by Nigeria without a shot on target in 90 minutes.

That, however, is history to guide chart a better way for the future which begins the qualifying series of the 2026 FIFA World Cup where the Lions are joint top of Group D with Cape Verde, after two round of matches.

The next round of competitive games comes up in June and with Song as coach, the chances of Cameroon being among the nine teams to represent Africa are dim. 

Song should throw in the towel or be sacked as Eto'o allegedly threatened for the interest of nationalism, patriotism and a start of refurnishing the Lions.