Sports

18, February 2022

Francophones and their FECAFOOT: The unending war ⁰

The President of the Francophone dominated Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), Samuel Eto’o travelled recently to Limbe in Southern Cameroons and staged the beautiful game’s support for the one and indivisible Cameroon policy. The Limbe meeting ended its deliberations with the appointment of new members in the executive committee of FECAFOOT. Not even a single English-speaking Cameroonian was appointed to the executive committee.

Federalists such as Barrister Agbor Balla and Dr Joachim Arrey of the Global Think Tank for Africa have already registered their utter disagreement and disappointment with the Eto’o decision. But the French Cameroun football legend is now focused on important Francophone FECAFOOT issues-the most urgent being who to replace the Portuguese António Conceição as head coach of the Indomitable Lions.

We gathered that the new FECAFOOT boss has already made public his intention of appointing Rigobert Song and the decision could be officially announced on Wednesday 23 February 2022. Will Rigobert Song Bahanag be the new coach of the Indomitable Lions?

There is one small thing. Small but great and it is the involvement of Sports Minister Hon. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi. Minister Narcisse extended the Portuguese António Conceição’s contract last September and on February 13, 2022 a week after the end of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Minister announced his intention to keep the Portuguese technician for the qualification to the FIFA World Cup, which will take place in Qatar in November and December.

Stupid Francophones

On February 14, Samuel Eto’o addressed a letter to the Minister of Sports. In the letter, the FECAFOOT President raised a finger against Minister Narcisse Kombi’s involvement in the affairs of the Cameroon Football Federation. Samuel Eto’o reminded the minister that according to the texts in force, the administrative, sporting and technical management of all national soccer teams is the responsibility of the Cameroon Football Federation. Eto’o cautioned the Biya acolyte to desist from commenting publicly on maintenance or termination of the contract of the Indomitable Lions head coach.

Interestingly, there was a president at the head of the Cameroon Football Federation before Samuel Eto’o took office! So, how come that it was Minister Narcisse who awarded the Portuguese technician a contract in 2019 at the Yaoundé Hilton Hotel?

Supported in his approach by the executive committee of the federation, which met on February 16 in Limbe, in Southern Cameroons, Eto’o is now planning to appoint Rigobert Song as head coach with the immediate objective of qualifying the Indomitable Lions for the 2022 World Cup.

Eto’o and Song: strange bed fellows?

Rigobert Song Bahanag, now 45 years old, has written some of the most memorable pages in the history of Cameroonian soccer. To be sure, Rigobert Song is the record holder of 137 caps for the national team and has played in four World Cups and eight Africa Cup of Nations. Twice, he was part of the team that brought the cup back to Yaoundé (2000 and 2002).

Song also played for Salernitana (Italy), Liverpool, West Ham (England), Cologne (Germany), Galatasaray and Trabzonspor (Turkey). He ended his career in 2010.

He then became a coach and a member of the executive body within FECAFOOT. A stroke in 2016 forced him to take a break off football matters, but he was able to resume his activities two years later.

During the time when both men wore the colors of Cameroon, Rigobert Song and Samuel Eto’o sometimes had a tense relationship. The former lost his captaincy to the latter in 2009.

Since then, the two former internationals have buried the hatchet. Last August, Rigobert Song publicly supported Samuel Eto’o in his campaign to win the presidency of the Cameroon Football Federation.

Minister Narcisse is reportedly holding meetings in Yaoundé and CPDM commentators are already painting Eto’o as a destructive element.

For his part, Eto’o is fighting the leadership of CAF, FIFA and now- a baron of the CPDM crime syndicate.

By Isong Asu

17, February 2022

Letter to the FECAFOOT President, Samuel Eto’o ⁰

Dear Mr. President,

Congratulations to you and your team for the just-ended meeting in Limbe, the Southwest region’s beautiful and friendly port city!

It was also a pleasure to know that the deliberations ended in the appointment of new members of your institution’s executive committee.

However, like many people of the English-speaking minority, I was very disappointed to know that not even a single English-speaking Cameroonian was appointed to your executive committee.

Other English-speaking Cameroonians have already registered their utter disagreement and disappointment with this decision, but I would still like to add my voice to theirs to ensure that the language issue which is part of the many issues which have caused the conflict in the country is taken care of anytime a major decision is taken in your institution.

Many towns and villages in the two English-speaking regions remain inaccessible to many patriotic and hardworking Cameroonians because of the war that is playing out there, and like many Cameroonians, I thought as a younger person, you would always make decisions taking into consideration such a serious matter.

I know it is not too late for this decision to be corrected, but if it does not get corrected, know the enormous support you enjoy in those two regions will take a nosedive. If we want peace, then we must always practice justice!

Also, another issue is that even before your election, your communication team did not incorporate English-speaking Cameroonians into whatever communication plan it had. This has caused many English-speaking Cameroonians around the world not to receive important communication products in time in the language they understand better.

I know language services cost a fortune anywhere in the world, but if we, as a nation, have opted to run a bilingual system in Cameroon, we must accept it with all its inconveniences. I would like to underscore that Cameroon has a huge pool of experienced and effective English-speaking translators in Yaounde who will be very willing to join your team if called upon.

In this regard, I am offering to help your communication team with any translation and writing services it may need. I would, however, be prompt to add that my services will entirely honorary. It is a personal decision not to receive any payment from any Cameroon government department.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Joachim Arrey

arreyjoachim@hotmail.com

17, February 2022

Football: Africa may finally be trusting its own coaches ⁰

This year’s Africa Cup of Nations featured 15 African-born coaches, leading some to conclude that local coaches had broken through racial and ethnic barriers to a level long reserved for Europeans.

But do the success stories in a few nations mean that the coaching pathway has truly opened up for local coaches in Africa?

While impossible to say definitively, the success of Aliou Cisse, coach of Senegal’s Lions of Teranga in this year’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON), appeared to erase all doubts in the minds of thousands of Senegalese fans celebrating jubilantly across the country’s capital.

“He allowed us to get the cup we had been waiting for for years. We’ve none better than him,” said one of Cisse’s ecstatic fans.

Until recently, European coaches were preferred by African teams despite their spotty achievements on the continent. In the book “Feet of the Chameleon: The Story of African Soccer,” author Ian Hawkey confirmed what many knew to be true.

“It’s tough for an African coach or manager to get a good job in soccer and even tougher for him to keep it,” he wrote. “But it can appear very easy to get a good coaching job in African soccer if you are from Europe or South America.”

One such European coach was Claude Le Roy, nicknamed “the White Wizard,” who arrived in Cameroon and took charge of the Indomitable Lions in 1986. After a narrow defeat in that year, they trounced Nigeria 1-0 with a lone goal in

the 55th minute.

The 73-year-old Le Roy took over Togo’s team in 2016. He managed to lead them to the 2017 finals in Gabon but he was sacked after they failed to reach the 2021 AFCON finals in Cameroon.

“To say Togo’s journey in the AFCON qualifiers was underwhelming would be an understatement,” wrote Ali Ismail, sports analyst. The team would now miss on their second consecutive Africa Cup of Nations, with their last appearance coming in 2017 one year after Le Roy’s appointment.

Despite several defeats, Le Roy managed to win the Cameroonian Order of Merit, the second highest honorary decoration in 2021. He returned the honor with a signed copy of his book “Claude Le Roy, Blond Magician,” which he gifted to President Biya.

Winfried Schäfer of Germany also coached the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon from 2001 to 2004. Schafer claimed credit for getting Samuel Eto’o Fils, arguably the best African player of all time, to “train full throttle.” Herve Renard, another Frenchman, was recently recruited from Saudi Arabia at a salary of $100,000 monthly to coach Ghana’s Black Stars.

Meanwhile, African coaches were forced to settle for interim positions, often being replaced before the major competitions came around.

“We felt powerless and hurt by these choices,” Mali’s national coach Mohamed Magassouba told DW, the German news service. “To those above, we were not good enough to manage our national teams. No matter what we did, we were not supported.”

“Native coaches in general are not respected,” he told DW, “even when we have the required skills and the same qualifications as Europeans.”

Sadly, Africans recruited to play in European teams have found themselves locked into contracts that deny their right to play at home for major games.

Just before the recent African Cup games, European clubs initially refused to release their African players to their national teams for the tournament last month. The association body of European clubs, ECA, linked the decision to the pandemic.

European clubs and nations use their powerful economic position to dictate the contract terms for soccer players from African nations.

The loss of Africa’s most talented soccer players to European leagues has been viewed as ongoing post-colonial exploitation. Ydnekatchew Tessema, former president of the Confederation of African Football, a vociferous critic of the export of African players, once argued: “When the rich countries take away from us our best elements, we should not expect any chivalrous behavior on their part to help African soccer.”

Analysis of the 2018 World Cup in Russia revealed a high presence of African (Black and Arabic) players in top European teams. Of the four semi-finalist teams, only Croatia was 100% white, while France (63% white), Belgium (31% white) and England (37% white) had a high number of children of immigrants.

This increasing prominence of African players has both positive and negative consequences. In the words of Inter Milan star, born to Congolese parents, Romelu Lukaku: “When things were going well…they were calling me Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian striker. When things weren’t going well, they were calling me Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian striker of Congolese descent.”

After their historic victory in last month’s competition, the Senegalese national team was rewarded with a cash prize of $87,100 and a plot of land in the capital Dakar. The team was crowned champions of Africa for the first time in their history.

Source: Amsterdam News

16, February 2022

Champions League: Late Mbappé stunner gives PSG 1-0 home win over Real Madrid ⁰

Kylian Mbappé scored a stunning individual goal in stoppage time to give Paris St Germain a 1-0 home victory over Real Madrid and spare Lionel Messi’s blushes after he had missed a penalty in their Champions League last-16, first leg on Tuesday.

It took PSG 94 minutes to find the winner with a brilliant run by Mbappé, who danced in between two defenders and calmly slid the ball into the far corner to earn PSG a deserved victory after they had dominated the encounter.

PSG missed several chances and were thwarted by Real keeper Thibaut Courtois, who denied Mbappé on several occasions before superbly pushing away Messi’s spot kick in the second half.

“It was a great game for us and I’m always ready to help my team, there are no distractions,” said Mbappé, who has now scored 13 goals in his last 13 Champions League matches.

“We have to be humble and the second leg is still open. It will be a hard game but we will have the advantage and are very confident.”

Real Madrid finished the game with zero shots on target while PSG had eight, with almost 60% of possession.

Real will be without Casemiro and Ferland Mendy for the second leg at home on March 9. The pair were both shown yellow cards and will be suspended for collecting three yellows in the competition.

“Our counter-attack didn’t work today,” Courtois told reporters. “It’s hard to lose but the second leg is wide open. We have to win and we will try to do it in front of our fans, what is a great advantage.”

Courtois repeatedly frustrated Messi and Mbappé. His best save came early in the second half when Messi stepped up for the penalty after Mbappé had been fouled inside the area by Dani Carvajal. The Belgian stretched low to his left to stop the Argentinian’s shot with his hand.

But 30 minutes later Mbappé found the winner and Courtois could only watch as the ball went through his legs and into the corner of the net.

“Mbappé is the best player in European football,” Real manager Carlo Ancelotti said. “We didn’t play well but we are not dead yet.”

Source: REUTERS

15, February 2022

Indomitable Lions coach to stay despite Africa Cup of Nations fiasco ⁰

Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi said on Monday that national football team head coach Antonio Conceicao will not be sacked despite failing to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy.

“Every time we have won a trophy, it has been with a foreign coach. What is more important now is the [World Cup] playoffs in March. The priority is not to destabilize the team by decapitating it,” Kombi told reporters amid widespread calls to sack the coach.

After Cameroon finished third at the AFCON a week ago, some Cameroonians have demanded the sacking of Conceicao whom they blame for “very poor coaching” during the tournament.

“We are in a phase of rebuilding. When we look at the record under the Conceicao era, we have two defeats out of 23 matches, and 14 matches without conceding a goal,” said Kombi, adding that authorities were confident in his skills but will watch out for any managerial fault.

Source: Xinhuanet

14, February 2022

Football: Brazil and Argentina ordered to play World Cup abandoned qualifier ⁰

FIFA on Monday ordered Brazil and Argentina to replay a World Cup qualifying match halted in Sao Paulo in September over alleged Covid-19 quarantine breaches by the visitors.

Brazilian health officials stormed the pitch seven minutes into the clash on September 5 between the South American giants at Sao Paulo’s Neo Quimica Arena, stopping the match and triggering a melee involving team officials and players.

“After a thorough investigation of the various factual elements and in light of the applicable regulations, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided that the match should be replayed on a date and at a location to be decided by FIFA,” said a statement from world soccer’s governing body on Monday.

The two nations are undefeated in South American qualifying and are sure to finish in the top two places in the 10-team group, although both have three games to play, including the rematch. The top four teams qualify automatically for the World Cup in Qatar.

Hours before the on-pitch drama in September, Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) said four Argentine players based at English clubs at the time should be placed in “immediate quarantine” for breaching Covid-19 protocols.

According to ANVISA, the Premier League players — Cristian Romero and then club-mate Giovani Lo Celso of Tottenham, and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia — provided “false information” upon entering Brazil.

On Monday, FIFA said that “the abandonment of the match stemmed from several deficiencies of the parties involved towards their respective responsibilities”.

FIFA banned the four Argentine players for two matches each for “not complying with the FIFA Return to Football International Match Protocol.”

It also handed a series of fines to the two national football federations.

The Brazilian Football Association must pay 500,000 Swiss Francs (540,000 dollars, 477,000 euros) for “infringements related to order and security”.

The Argentinian Football Association was fined 200,000 Swiss Francs for “its failure to comply with its obligations in relation to order and security, the preparation of and its participation in the match.”

Both federations were also fined 50,000 Swiss Francs for the abandonment of the match.

Source: AFP

12, February 2022

Africa Cup of Nations hero Sadio Mané to have stadium named after him in Senegal ⁰

Mayor of the Senegalese region of Sedhiou, Abdoulaye Diop, has confirmed plans to name the city’s new stadium after Liverpool star Sadio Mané as a reward for his performances at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 29-year-old scored the winning spot-kick that helped Senegal beat Egypt 4-2 in the penalty shoot-out after a goalless draw at the end of extra-time, and it sealed the country’s first Afcon title.

Mane played in all of the Teranga Lions’ games in Cameroon and he contributed three goals with two assists.

The Afcon success capped Mané’s achievements as an indigene of Sedhiou, a region in the South-West part of Senegal, having also won major titles at Liverpool which include the Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, Uefa Champions League and the Premier League.

“Sadio Mané has honoured all of Senegal, the Sedhiou region and the entire Casamance area,” Diop said, per Sports News Africa. “I have decided to name the Sedhiou stadium after him.

“In doing so I wish to convey the gratitude of all the sons and daughters of the region towards him.

“He has made all of mankind aware of Bambali and Sedhiou, the region’s main town. This is a gift that Sadio Mané truly deserves.”

Following their triumphant arrival from Cameroon, Aliou Cisse’s men were hosted in a classy reception by Senegal President Macky Sall in the Presidential Palace on Tuesday.

President Sall conferred the country’s highest order upon each player which makes them Grand Officers of the National Order of the Lion.

In addition to the honour, each of the players and members of the coaching crew received a bonus of 50 million franc CFA (AUD$121,860) and a 200 square metre plot of land in the nation’s capital, Dakar.

Source: Sporting News

11, February 2022

Champions League tie will not decide Mbappe’s future, says Pochettino ⁰

Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino does not believe Kylian Mbappe’s future will be influenced by their Champions League last 16 tie with Real Madrid.

Mbappe’s contract with PSG expires in the summer and while the 23-year-old French international is widely expected to join Real Madrid, he suggested in December he could yet stay in France.

Real play the first leg of the last 16 tie at Parc de Princes on Tuesday.

“I don’t think that such an important decision depends on a game, or a tie,” Pochettino told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser on Thursday night.

“He is an intelligent, mature boy, with a tremendous ability to analyse and know perfectly well what he wants for his future.

“He has many people around him who I’m sure will advise him in the best way. So I don’t think that’s the case. I see him calm, focused on doing the best possible for PSG. You have to respect him. He will make a decision after the tie.”

The match is the blockbuster tie of the round, with Lionel Messi up against Madrid for the first time since leaving Barcelona while Sergio Ramos could be up against his former club, although the veteran defender is struggling with a calf injury.

“Leo is a genius, one of those players that emerges once in a hundred years,” said Pochettino.

“I think he comes into this decisive part of the season in his best moment. I have no doubt that he is going to show the best version of himself.”

Pochettino said Ramos has “suffered some relapses”.

“We will see if he is available, and if not for the second leg,” Pochettino added.

Neymar is also a doubt, after missing the last 11 games with an ankle injury.

“His recovery has been fantastic, I think he’s close to coming back,” said Pochettino. “The next few days will be key.”

Source: AFP

10, February 2022

Frustrated Biya commends “honourable” AFCON performance of Indomitable Lions ⁰

Cameroonian President Paul Biya commended the national football team, Indomitable Lions, for an “honorable” performance during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) that was hosted by the Central African nation.

Biya said, despite the fact that the team won what he described as a “small final”, they needed to prepare hard for future competitions.

“The performance of Cameroonian players probably did not meet all the expectations of our fellow citizens. This is why I urge our Indomitable Lions to continue to be always more motivated and united, in order to prepare well for the important future sporting championships,” Biya said in a statement released on Tuesday.

The Indomitable Lions won bronze in the competition after beating Burkina Faso through a penalty shootout.

The four-week championship ended on Sunday with Senegal emerging champions.

Source: Xinhuanet

9, February 2022

Open Letter to Samuel Eto’o, FECAFOOT President ⁰

Dear Mr. Eto’o,

After two months following your election as the president of FECAFOOT, I feel I should write to you, especially after the successful organization of the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON). A few unfortunate situations almost marred the event, but the population’s response and the government’s determination to deliver went a long way in mitigating the impact of those incidents.

Over the last two months, you have demonstrated that you have a sound understanding of football and people management evidenced by your approach to dealing with football players and the unfortunate in our society.

During the competition, I watched you giving pep talks to the indomitable lions. Instead of donning a suit and sitting at the grandstands, you preferred to ride the buses with the players. Such an attitude only breeds confidence and unites the players who look up to you for inspiration.

Even when the players lost a match, you knew how to raise their spirits. You clearly demonstrated to them that failure is not the opposite of success, but a stepping-stone to higher heights and I am sure that you have bred faith in them.

With the AfCON now history, I believe it is time for us to draw the lessons which will help the national team and the country, going forward. The country’s national team emerged third in a competition that took place in Cameroon. This is not the best result, and it falls short of the population’s expectation. But the spectacular manner wherein the boys pulled victory out of the jaws of defeat made Cameroonians to forget the disappointment resulting from the defeat Egypt handed to the country’s national team. Your pep talks had clearly taught the boys that the difference between the impossible and possible resides in man’s determination and their determination brought home a bronze medal.

While the country basks in its consolation, we must understand that as a nation, we must prepare well ahead of time if we have to continue winning trophies. There are many competitions ahead of us. We still have to lock horns with Algeria and if we do not leave Algeria with a bloodshot eye, Cameroon may not be represented in Qatar.

To ensure the county’s national team stays on the winning side, FECAFOOT must establish a talent scouting mechanism which should help the national team coach identify talent across the country. This is all the more urgent as the current crop of players is aging and clearly showing signs of fatigue.

There is a huge talent pool in Cameroon. Identifying talent is nothing new in Cameroon. Claude Le Roy, a former coach of the Indomitable Lions, did this when he arrived in Cameroon in the 1980s and this initiative resulted in the discovery of talented players like Victor Ndip Akem and Tataw Eta Stephen who were little known in Cameroon before his arrival and that initiative brought immeasurable glory and recognition to Cameroon.

Based on your own story, it was the same Claude Le Roy who gave you a chance for you to play in the national team. He had identified you as a young talented boy whose skills needed to be developed and honed, and his decision turned out to be right as you have brought fame and joy to millions of Cameroonians as a global football icon.

I understand you are determined to rebuild the country’s shattered football championship which has faced neglect for years. This will be a great move as it will enable many young men to ply their trade and hone their skills. A good national championship will serve as a solid foundation for the country’s national team.

Local talent can also deliver beyond expectation. All the players need is someone who can breathe faith in them. Egypt has proven that a team made mostly of local players can be a threat to many national teams on the continent. If Egyptians can do it, Cameroonians can also do it! Cameroon has the resources and I strongly hold that you can convince the political leaders to change the way they see football and footballers.

The fact is that achieving much in this sector will require much financial resources, but if the country continues to see football as a tool for entertainment, then Cameroonians should not be disappointed when the national team loses matches. Any endeavor that is under-resourced will surely not deliver the results expected of it.

While financial resources are hard to come by, I know you will take the right steps to entice and attract the private sector to participate in the development of the country’s football sector. I have been seeing you signing partnership agreements with some companies and international organizations, and this gives hope to millions of Cameroonians. I would urge you to continue in this path and you should know that millions of Cameroonians stand with you in your dream to give the country’s youths a fighting chance in life.

While the private sector and other organizations are likely sources of sponsorship, I would suggest that we also look inward. During the just ended AfCON, Cameroonians were proud to wear the country’s colors. All types of memorabilia were sold. More than ten million Cameroonians happily bought the national team’s jersey, flag, and other memorabilia to demonstrate their support for their national team.

Unfortunately, this money went to private pockets. A good national team jersey sold for CFAF 10,000 and if 10,000,000 proud Cameroonians bought these jerseys from a FECAFOOT designated store, FECAFOOT would have netted about CFAF 100,000,000,000 in a month. Such money could go a long way in financing football development in the country. Remember! The jersey is just one item. There were also other items purchased by the happy people of Cameroon.

The challenge you now face is for you to work with the political leaders for the establishment of a “Lions Boutique” where all jerseys would be sold. The politicians should come up with a law banning the production of national team jerseys and other memorabilia by individuals who do not even pay taxes.

There are other ways FECAFOOT can raise money to develop football in Cameroon. I will be happy to discuss that with you or your representative in private.

Have a good day and May the Lord grant you more energy as you seek to raise football standards in Cameroon.

Sincerely,

Joachim Arrey

arreyjoachim@hotmail.com