After a few weeks of calm, the issue of the Cameroon national team’s coaching staff has been brought back to the forefront by the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot).
The lull lasted only a few weeks since the national team’s draw in Angola (1-1) on June 11, in the fourth round of qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Strongly opposed in a power struggle to impose their respective choices in the technical staff, Fecafoot and its president Samuel Eto’o on one side, and the Ministry of Sports (Minsep) on the other, had not been in the spotlight… until the former striker reignited hostilities.
In a letter sent to his supervising minister, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, on June 28, which leaked this Tuesday, the star demands to “proceed with the contracting of the coaching staff” for the A selection. This specifically includes Martin Ndtoungou Mpile and David Pagou as assistant 1 and 2 to coach Marc Brys, former goalkeeper Carlos Kameni as goalkeeping coach, Christophe Manouvrier as fitness coach, and Nicolas Alnoudji as Team Manager.
Eto’o is not giving up
The proposed contract is for 25 months, covering slightly over two years. It will span the 2025 AFCON as well as the 2026 World Cup. The quintet was appointed by Eto’o amid a power struggle with Minsep, before the third round of qualifiers, which saw a resounding 4-1 victory over Cape Verde in Yaoundé on June 8. However, it still lacks legitimacy in the eyes of the government, which had dismantled it by transferring Pagou and subjecting Ndtoungou Mpile to intense pressure.
This request underscores Samuel Eto’o’s tenacity in this matter. It’s worth noting that two coaching staffs currently coexist: one from Minsep, not recognized by FIFA, and one from Fecafoot, disavowed by the Executive. During the June gathering, Coach Brys relied on the Minsep version of the staff during training and on a mixed, minimal staff during matches.
🔴 Samuel Eto’o, président de la FECAFOOT, demande au Ministère des Sports de procéder à la contractualisation de l'encadrement de la Sélection Nationale Masculine A. 🇨🇲
— AllezLesLions (@AllezLesLions) July 9, 2024
Il s’agit entre autres de :
▪️Ndtoungou Mpile Martin: Entraîneur adjoint 1
▪️David Pagou : Entraîneur Adjoint… pic.twitter.com/7N0n5p9zkO
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