Editorial: When football brings ignominy to Cameroon!.

It keeps the thoughts of Cameroonians public away from the tormenting cost of living as they get all worked up about their soccer teams, some even commenting in beer parlours and on social media as if they are acclaimed referees or coaches.

That frenzy has been attributed to the scintillating performance of the national soccer teams at the international level, where even when they don't win at times, their participation still brings honour as in any competitive sport.

When Samuel Eto'o Fils, whose soccer skills are charming, took over as president of the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT, he promised to ameliorate the game.

But his management has brought to the country's football only Pandora's box of shame, scandals and court cases, where FECAFOOT has been the loser and the reputation of Eto'o stained with a conviction at the CAF Disciplinary Committee for involvement in gambling with 1xBet.

His vision in less than three years has promptly dissolved with reality and sinking soccer performance at all levels with scandals which narrative defies easy categorisation.

First, the coach of the Indomitable Lions, Marc Brys, in a controversial interview with the Belgian newspaper, La Dernière Heure, ruffled Samuel Eto’o, who he has had a rocky relationship with for a chaotic management.

“...his only success is as a footballer. In other areas; coaching, business, and evidently, as a leader, he has failed. At 62, it’s time to speak the truth to help people to improve,” Brys said in the interview. 

One of Brys’ most startling claims is that Eto’o interfered directly with team management. 

“My predecessor, Rigobert Song, was just a puppet with no real power. Eto’o would enter the locker room before and during matches to completely alter the team lineup. The players felt bullied; it was a joke. Under such conditions, it was unrealistic to expect Cameroon to perform at its expected level,” the Belgian coach asserted.

He went on to describe the difficulties during a recent trip to Angola for a World Cup qualifier in June.

He added that: “Before our match in Angola, I was told there were no rooms available for coaches; only for players and officials. I refused to go elsewhere, and eventually, we secured a room. And then, another issue arose: my staff members weren’t accredited for the match. Manchester United’s goalkeeper, André Onana, had to warm up alone without a goalkeeper coach! Unheard of. This is what Samuel Eto’o, despite being a great footballer, has done as the president of his federation”.

The controversial interview, though sparked the pique of condemnation, especially among Eto'o fanatics, highlights the incompetence and failures of the management of FECAFOOT, under Eto'o and they were glaring at the weekend.

Yesterday, this daily reported on the calamitous and appalling performance of the country’s clubs in CAF interclub competitions for the 2024/2025 season.

Victoria United, the Cameroon MTN Elite One champions for the 2023/2024 season, faced Samartex of Ghana in Douala, on Sunday. Kick-off of the game was delayed by about 50 minutes, because the visiting team contested the eligibility of certain host players. 

Victoria United had only 13 of its players registered in the CAF Connect System and cleared for the game to the astonishment of even the club president, Valentine Nkwain, who said he was “shocked”. 

Changes had to be made in the squad of the Limbe-based team before kick-off. They ended up losing to the visitors by 1-0. Nkwain subtly indicted the country’s FECAFOOT for their woes, saying “someone somewhere didn’t do their job”

Another act of the drama of infinity was when Fovu Club of Baham players were even unable to travel on time for their game against Paynesville of Liberia. It is reported that only four of the first 10 players who boarded the flight to Monrovia were registered in the CAF Connect System.

Their match should have started at 4p.m. but was delayed for up to 30 plus minutes because Fovu, had just six players available for kick-off. 

About 30 minutes after official kick-off time, additional three players and two officials, including the coach, arrived. However, only two of the three players, including the goalkeeper, were registered in the CAF system with photos.

However, the match was played with the consent of the Liberian team. With such cacophony and under such conditions, Fovu Club could only field eight players and eventually lost the game by 4-0.

Another drama of shame was with Cameroon’s representative in the zonal qualifiers for the CAF Women’s Champions League, Lekie Filles. The players travelled by road 2,197km to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, for the match.

The team arrived in Kinshasa on the night of Sunday on the eve of their first match in the qualifiers against Atletico Malabo of Equatorial.

FECAFOOT is said to owe the club about 35 million FCFA for prize money from Guinness Super League winners for last season and the Cup of Cameroon for 2024.

Last season, the then women division one champions, Awa Filles FC, missed the same qualifying tournament due to financial constraints.

Even in the midst of such scandals that smear the image of the country, FECAFOOT and the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education have maintained an ostentatious display of nonchalance.

The clubs may be local but when they qualify for international competitions, they fly the country's flag.

 Isn’t it the responsibility of the government to assist them with money?

Why did FECAFOOT not register the players of Victoria United and Fovu of Baham?

Truth be told, Eto’o as FECAFOOT president has failed, failed and failed again. For the interest of the nation and whatever iota of respect is left for his personality, Eto’o should resign if he cannot humble himself and collaborate with the ministry of sports for the development of Cameroon football he promised on his election.

Eto’o’s campaign message that won him the FECAFOOT Presidency was predominantly that it was time the management of football in Cameroon be handed to footballers for better management.

Three years on as the country’s FA boss, can Eto'o present his balance sheet for public scrutiny?

Management, it is often said, is easier said than done. We rest our case!

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3205 of Wednesday August 21, 2024