Cameroon in Turmoil as Afcon Nears
Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) preparations have descended into chaos after star goalkeeper Andre Onana was excluded from the squad and head coach Marc Brys was dismissed amid explosive allegations from the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot).
Just days after securing re-election, Fecafoot president Samuel Eto’o released a dramatic statement announcing Brys’ removal. The federation accused the Belgian coach of “professional failure,” including claims that he incited players to challenge Fecafoot authority, withheld training details, refused meetings, and used “subterfuge” to avoid press obligations.
“The level of misconduct is unacceptable,” Fecafoot stated in the announcement, emphasizing a breakdown in trust.
Brys, appointed by the sports ministry in April 2024—a move Eto’o opposed from day one—is also accused of collaborating with unnamed individuals within Fecafoot. He has now been replaced by his assistant, David Pagou, a respected local coach.
But Pagou’s first squad list for Afcon, kicking off in Morocco on 21 December, is missing several major names, including captain Vincent Aboubakar, Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and defender Michael Ngadeu. Anguissa is recovering from injury, but no explanation has been given for the other omissions.
Eto’o’s Turbulent Reign Continues
The rift between Fecafoot and the sports ministry stretches back months, with both sides arguing over who had authority to appoint and control the national coach. Brys isn’t the first casualty under Eto’o.
Since taking office in 2021, Eto’o has overseen the dismissals of Toni Conceicao and Rigobert Song—even after Cameroon achieved respectable tournament results. Song’s stint included Onana’s suspension and early World Cup exit, marking the beginning of a strained relationship between the goalkeeper and the federation.
Brys’ recent World Cup play-off failure against DR Congo likely strengthened Eto’o’s push to remove him. Whether the sports ministry accepts the decision remains uncertain.
Football analyst Njie Enow expressed concern over the instability, saying:
“It’s hard to imagine a new coach building a functional system weeks before a major tournament.”
The situation adds to a long list of controversies under Eto’o’s leadership, which has included ethics investigations, internal disputes, and calls for his resignation.
Onana’s International Future in Doubt
Onana’s omission—despite his 59 caps and renewed form at Trabzonspor—adds another twist to his turbulent international journey. His history includes a World Cup suspension in 2022 and delayed arrival at the 2023 Afcon, where he lost his starting place after a shaky performance against Senegal.
Although Brys reinstated Onana during recent World Cup qualifiers, his sacking appears to have reopened old wounds. Cameroon’s new squad includes four goalkeepers, but none of them are the 29-year-old Manchester United loanee.
Meanwhile, Cameroon do retain talents like Bryan Mbeumo and Carlos Baleba, but will sorely miss Anguissa’s experience after his hamstring injury.
Drawn into a challenging Afcon group with Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Mozambique, the Indomitable Lions face a difficult campaign amid their ongoing off-field turmoil.
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