Cameroonian Football Federation (CFF) president Samuel Eto’o has been accused by the country’s press of interfering in the selection of the Indomitable Lions’ World Cup sqaud.
Cameroon announced the final squad for the 22nd edition of the global extravaganza in Qatar, at a press conference yesterday.
Indomitable Lions coach Rigobert Song announced the list of 26 players to do duty in Qatar and bizarrely failed to pronounce some names correctly, fuelling speculation that he did not select some players in the sqaud.
TyC News, a renowned sports publication, reports that there was a time during the press conference, when journalists had to stop Song because the last name of a certain player was not understood.
Song, according to the report, took several seconds to get the pronunciation right after the intervention of a collaborator.
The publication claims the list might have been put together by Eto’o, with some newspapers in Cameroon labelling Song, a ‘puppet of the former Barcelona star.
Issues of higher authorities meddling in the affairs of the Indomitable Lions are not new, as Song was once fired by the country’s President Paul Biya before the World Cup play-off against Algeria, which they went on to win on away goals rule to book a place at the finals.
Cameroon are in Group G, and will kick start their campaign against Switzerland on November 24.
They will then meet Serbia on November 24 before a date with Brazil on December 2.
RELATED: Cameroon final squad for 2022 FIFA World Cup
Accusations without any proof is baseless. The press should go and insert what ever name they feel appropriate. They are news reporters and not news makers. Even if there was any interference, Eto’o is not just fecafoot president but a football technician himself. That is why he is always with the team.Therefore the Cameroon press should stop spreading wrong information ahead of a historic World Cup.
Hardly do you have a square peg in a square hole when it comes to political appointments and elections. Eto’o is a square peg in a square hole and whatever intervention he does is for the good of the country. If we can rally behind him and give him and his team support it will do us more good.
When Eto’o was elected as the President of Fecafoot,it was one of the best things to happen to Cameroonian soccer as he is marching his words with actions.He has played soccer alongside Rigoberto Song and I hope they can proof doubters wrong.From my take,he is doing a great job and should be left to finish what he started.
We Cameroonians will always look for a negative criticism…
When Eto’o wasn’t yet the president of FECAFOOT, so many things were going wrong in the country’s sport domain which was earlier control by political entities mainly for their own egoistic interest…
Once they saw that Samuel Eto’o is taken the sport domain to a higher height, they have started looking for falsy means to blackmail and blaspheme him…
You being jealous of another person just because he aimed at a higher height which you cannot attain is classified as hepocracy of first other….
Samuel Eto’o Fils is one of the best youthful leader Cameroon has and will ever have in the Sport domain of this Country..
Let his fathers learn to appreciate the best….
I rest case…One way to QATAR…We move…
Eto’o being President og FECAFOOT and a football icon definitely has a say in the selection of the squad, be it at the level. Of players sourcing or technical advise to the to head coach. It is not common for Cameroonians to find faults when the see someone positively doing things differently. It is shameful the press is sowing seeds of disunity
Bavoooooo Eto’o Fils and Song. Robert.
Rarely do we see a combination of intense patriotism and love of the discipline put together as in Samuel and Rigoberto. From where I stand we should leave these two to talk between themselves especially NOW! Guys can we just for once not oppose such blessing of Shere defence and strike force manifesting at this level of footfall. These are lions and always dream to eat large! As Samuel says…why not now!