The vacant Cameroon head coach’s job has been advertised by the Normalisation Committee running Cameroon’s football federation (Fecafoot).

The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations champions are seeking to fill the role made vacant when Hugo Broos departed at the end of his contract last month.

Fecafoot wants a top foreign or local coach who has a “good record and has won national or international titles as a player, club coach or national coach.”

They are also seeking a candidate “with good character and in good health” who also has a ‘good knowledge of African football.”

But in an apparent bid to give their hunt significant impetus, Fecafoot has made it clear that the incoming coach must live in the country.

Those who believe they fit the bill are invited to submit their applications at the Fecafoot secretariat in Yaounde or via email before the 24 March deadline.

A shortlist of three candidates will be finalised by an appointed commission, before a successful coach and assistants will be announced.

Five-time African champions Cameroon have already announced that Alexandre Belinga will take interim charge while the search continues for a long-term successor to Broos, who has since been appointed as sporting director at Belgian top side Oostende.

The 65-year-old former Belgian international led the Indomitable Lions to a surprise triumph in the tournament in Gabon at the start of last year.

However, a poor performance at the Confederation Cup in Russia in mid-year followed by failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup turned some elements of public opinion against the Belgian.

Whoever comes in will have only eight months to work with the team before the 2019 Nations Cup tournament starts on home soil.

Fecafoot say that candidates seeking to fill the vacant post must satisfy the following conditions (translated from French):

• Holds a national or foreign trainer diploma obtained as a result of coaching (Federal License A, CAF License, UEFA License, Professional License or any other equivalent recognised diploma);
• Must be of good character.
• Must be physically fit and in obvious good health.
• Must have a good experience at top professional clubs or national team.
• Must have a good record (national or international titles won as a player or club coach or national coach.)
• A good knowledge of African football.
• Be willing to reside permanently in Cameroon during the duration of the contract.
• Have a good knowledge of computer tools (Word, Powerpoint, Excel software etc.)
• Have a great capacity for adaptation and ability to work in a team.
• Have a perfect command of the French or English language.
• Have a good contact in the professional football community.

Culled from the BBC

Cameroon international Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting says he is enjoying life in English football despite the recent slump in form by his Stoke City side.

Choupo-Moting, 28, joined the Potters in the summer from German Bundesliga team Schalke, and was on the scoresheet in a morale-boosting 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday which ended a run of three straight defeats.

“I am doing good, I am feeling good. It’s a great championship, great competition but a tough league, every game is tough,” said Choupo-Moting.

He has so far been used as both a striker and winger in Mark Hughes’ side and admits English football can be demanding.

“Physically you have to be 100% to play in the Premier League,” Choupo-Moting told BBC Sport.

The former Hamburg, Mainz and Schalke player announced his arrival in the league with a brace against Manchester United in only his second game for Stoke.

He has scored four league goals but says that conversion rate does not truly reflect his contribution to his team.

“This game is not only about goals,” he said.

“I try my best, I like the league, I play a lot and that’s the most important thing because I came here to play.”

Choupo-Moting says some former team-mates from his time in Germany – such as Manchester City’s Leroy Sane and Joel Matip of Liverpool – have also helped him settle in England.

“The football world is very small. I contacted all the guys I played with in Germany and it’s nice to see each other here in England,” said the Cameroonian.

Strugglers Stoke are 14th in the Premier League – just three points above the relegation zone, having lost 10 of their 19 league matches this season.

They play Huddersfield away on Boxing Day before a home game against Chelsea on 30 December.

Choupo-Moting says the Stoke players need to remain united to produce positive results.

“We have to keep working as a team and I will also try and score more goals,” he added.

Source: BBC

The Francophone Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Bidoung Mpkatt has said that La Republique du Cameroun is on the same wavelength as FIFA and that the country is going ahead with preparations for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Minister made the statement during a press briefing today Friday in the conference room of the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaoundé, following the establishment of a new standardisation committee at FECAFOOT.

“Cameroon takes note and is ready to cooperate with FIFA and CAF for a return to serenity in Cameroonian football,” noted the Francophone Minister. He added that “Our country is ready to cooperate fully with FIFA and CAF for the harmonious implementation of this process.”

The controversial CPDM official however opined that FECAFOOT will continue to carry out its activities. “The Standardization Committee does not mean the suspension of activities within FECAFOOT. The decision concerns the election of the Executive Board. FECAFOOT continues to carry out its activities.”

By Fru James
Cameroon Concord News
MAY 15:58

The Italian Company, Piccini that won the contract for the construction of the sixty thousand-seat capacity Stadium in Olembe-Yaounde has reassured authorities that the football infrastructure will be ready by October 2018. The officials of the Italian Company, Piccini and the Italian Ambassador to Cameroon, made the declaration on Monday 17th July 2017 during a press briefing at the Italian Embassy in Yaoundé.

The Italian Ambassador to Cameroon, Samuela Isopi and the Architect of the structure, Eloy Suarez elaborately detailed how the company intends to proceed. In the three hour briefing, Her Excellency Samuela Isopi dispelled rumors and reports that the company charged with the construction of the football facility were not competent to do the job.

The Italian Ambassador undertook to organize a regular briefing to update the press on the progress of work. The Architect, Eloy Suarez stated emphatically that the structure will be delivered in eighteen months. Mr. Suarez said most of the work in the site will consist of assembling the pre-cast equipment; over 60 per cent of parts of the building will be produced in Italy and transported to Cameroon through the Kribi port in order to gain time.

He explained that the facility will be constructed using the latest technology and state of art equipment in conformity with FIFA standards. The Project Director, Marc Debandt for his part stated that work will accelerate in the days ahead with the complete arrival of material from Italy.

The Chargé de Mission, Gabriel Ngaha said the FCFA 160 billion allotted for the construction has been made available, there are consequently no issues relative to late payments as reported by some press organs and the social media. During the briefing, the press learnt more about the Italian company Piccini that has been entrusted with the Paul Biya Omnisport Staduim at Olembe.

It is a company with a thirty year experience that has realized outstanding projects including the construction of the Juventus Stadium in Italy, one of the best in the world, the construction of the Olympic Stadium in Anthens, the Olympic Stadium in Rome that was used for the 1990 World Cup and many more.

Source: CRTV

Jean Armel Kana-Biyik has said that in Africa, footballers need to give bribes to play for their respective national teams. He was reacting to his non-participation with the Lions of Cameroon in the FIFA 2014 World Cup that was held in Brazil.

Guest on a television show Le Vestiaire on Tuesday on the SFR chain, the Cameroonian defender made disturbing revelations about the process of selection of players deep within the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

“I have always said, I will never be afraid to say it: we charge footballers for places within the national selection, not only in my country, but in Africa. And when I talk about bribes, I know that at the last moment my place was sold to another footballer … two weeks before the world …, “said the Kayserispor player in Turkey.

Source: Cameroon Info.Net

The Cameroon National Football Academy, ANAFOOT will soon take off in earnest following the installation of the pioneer executive management board. Issa Hayatou, Carl Enow Ngatchu and Jules Mejime were installed into as the Board chair, Director General and Deputy Director General respectively.

The installation ritual was performed by the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Bidoung Mpkatt at the Yaoundé Multi-purpose Sports Complex. Extending warm handshakes to the three man team, the Minister advised them to immediately get to work.

They are expected to put begin the management of an academy that was created by the Head of State in 2010 to promote and professionalize football.

Source: CRTV

The general manager of Afrik 2 Radio, Polycarpe Essomba has announced that he will sue the Biya regime following a violent act perpetrated against one of his collaborators, Bertrand Mvondo. According to the management of the Yaounde based radio station, Bertrand Mvondo, a sports columnist “was the object of a wild aggression on the afternoon of May 26, 2017.

The journalist was attacked by dozen of soldiers as he was covering a Division 2 football encounter at the Yaoundé Military Stadium. Cameroon Concord News learnt that he took pictures when an altercation involving a civilian, a club president and a soldier broke out and was spotted by another soldier who summoned and ordered him to destroy the said images.

The reporter objected to these injunctions which eventually prompted the soldier to call on his colleagues in reinforcement. Bertrand Mvondo was seriously beaten and forcefully dragged to the ground and taken to a nearby army camp with life threatening injuries. We of this publication aggressively condemn the aggression and we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Afrik 2 Radio and its collaborator.

By Rita Akana

Cameroon Concord News

The appointment of Issa Hayayou and Carl Enow Ngachu recently by the 84 year old dictator Paul Biya has generated a lot of under-the-table talk in Yaoundé To be sure. Cameroon Intelligence Report can reveal that the National Football Academy (ANAFOOT) is a ghost school.

Issa Hayatou, aged 71, is a former accomplished athlete who moonlighted during his career in at least three disciplines. Reconverted in his leadership, the Prince of Garoua in the North region for more than 35 years headed the Cameroon Football Federation, Fécafoot, the African Football Confederation, Caf, the World Football governing body, FIFA and the International Olympic Committee. He has done a remarkable job for the development of football in Africa recognized and hailed all over the world. Paul Biya has indeed appointed a worthy Cameroonian Ambassador who will be chairing the ANAFOOT (National Football Academy) Board of Directors. News of the appointment came out on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. Issa Hayatou was resurrected after a humiliating defeat in the last presidential election at CAF.

Correspondingly, Carl Enow Ngachu was also appointed by the President of the Republic as Director General of ANAFOOT. Carl Enow, 42, is also a former footballer and a former champion of Cameroon football, now given the onerous task of training young footballers. At the head of the technical crew of the indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon, he led the girls and wrote the best pages of Cameron’s female football history.

Given the profiles of the chosen one and the special one, we of CIR are tempted to say that for once, Paul Biya made the right decision. But the correctness of the presidential acts can not overshadow the fact that these new officials have been appointed to head an empty shell. Biya and his gang thrive on lies and deceit.  The National Football Academy does not have a physical existence anywhere in Cameroon. The site for the construction of ANAFOOT has not even been identified yet by the Yaoundé urban council mindful of the fact that it is exactly seven years today that Paul Biya, in a speech on the eve of the so-called Youth Day celebrated every 11^th of February that he promised his young compatriots, a college specializing in training in the football profession.

The history of ANAFOOT dates back to the aftermath of a final phase of the Africa Cup of Nations, Angola 2010 where after a mediocre performance by the indomitable Lions, made up of an aging workforce, Paul Biya, in his traditional speech to the youth on February 10, 2010, announced the creation of a football academy in order to prepare the next generation and perpetuate the hegemony of the indomitable Lions. This high school of football training, in liaison with the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, the Ministry of Youth, and Fécafoot, is responsible for supervising and perfecting young people wanting to develop a career in football.

After having signed a first decree establishing ANAFOOT on 25 June 2014, and then on 28 April 2016 another decree on the organization and functioning of ANAFOOT, the two other decrees published yesterday, can be considered as a major step forward In the construction of this higher school. But, everything suggests that we could still wait for a long time to see this Academy actually functioning. Yet the reasons for its creation are still valid, and the situation has gone from bad to worse.

Source: Cameroon Intelligence Report

The Head Coach of the Indomitable Lions,Hugo Broos has made public the names of 30 players in preparation for the Confederation Cup and 2019 AFCON qualifiers. The Belgian technician once again left out the most popular Southern Cameroons footballer, Agile Clinton Njie who plays for Olympique Marseille in France on-loan from Tottenham.

Hugo Broos published his list late on Wednesday 17th May 2017 and indicated that the players were expected to begin training on the 27th May 2017 in Yaoundé. Agile Clinton Njie, who made a historic entry into the national team on 6th September 2014 during a match pitting Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Lubumbashi, is again conspicuously absent.

The reasons why Clinton Njie was left out is not known but many argue that Clinton’s rise to stardom and his attack on Minister Roger Milla has clouded his professionalism.

The 30-man squad is composed of four goal keepers, ten attackers, ten defenders and six mid fielders .

GOAL KEEPERS:

ONDOA FABRICE

ONANA ANDRE

BOKWE GEORGES

GODA JULES

DEFENDERS:

MABOUKA ERNEST

FAI COLLINS

NGADEU MICHAEL

TEIKEU ADOLPHE

DJETTEI MOHAMMED

OYONGO AMBROISE

NGWEM JONATHAN

GUIHOATA JEROME

CASTELLETTO JEAN LOUIS

OWONA LUCIEN

MID FIELDERS:

SIANI SEBASTIEN

DJOUM ARNAUD

MANDJECK GEORGES

ANGUISSA ZAMBO

BOYA FRANK

BOUMAL PETRUS

ATTACKERS:

BASSOGOG CHRISTIAN

TOKO KARL

BOUMAL OLIVIER

ZOUA JACQUES

ABOUBAKAR VINCENT

MOUKANDJO BENJAMIN

NDIP TAMBE ROBERT

NGAMALEU NICOLAS

NSAME JEAN PIERRE

SALLI EDGARD

Culled from CRTV

The Head Coach of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun, Hugo Broos has under pressure from authorities in the Cameroun Football Federation change the position he upheld in Brussels last week after the defeat against Guinea Conakry.  After the friendly match between Guinea and Cameroon, Hugo Broos made some revelations about the management of Cameroonian football and said “The Lions did not eat at noon because the hotel was not paid.”

During the post match news conference, Broos exposed the shortcomings and bad governance that undermine the cohesion within the national team, since his arrival and the evolution of Cameroonian football. Summoned to Yaounde and sermonized on the policy of the ruling CPDM crime syndicate, the Belgian has now declined and apologized to the Cameroonian people.

 “In Brussels, I wanted to set the record straight. I may have exaggerated and humiliated the Cameroonian people. I apologize, “said the Belgian coach who plans to negotiate an extension at the head of the indomitable Lions. We gathered he was threatened with a sack when news break out that Ghana had appointed a new manager. Another source at the Ministry of Sports, said on condition of anonymity, that Hugo Broos’s apology was obtained after blackmail. Hugo Broos has asked the Cameroonian authorities to extend his contract until the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

By Sama Ernest