The Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot) and its president, Samuel Eto'o, have engaged in open conflict with the state. The former FC Barcelona footballer thanked Rigobert Song, the former coach of the Indomitable Lions, after the CAN. The State chose Marc Brys to succeed him this Tuesday, a decision that Samuel Eto'o refused to recognize this Thursday. The Minister of Sports responded to him on Friday evening.
In a letter addressed to Fecafoot, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi recalled the conditions of appointment of the coach: “The members of the selection management structures are recruited, either on the basis of a contract signed with the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation. football, after compulsory advice from the Minister responsible for Sports, or on the basis of provision by the State. »
NEW TECHNICAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND MEDICAL SUPERVISION STAFF FOR THE “SENIOR” INDOMPTABLE LIONS pic.twitter.com/A9Fi4LJQaw
— Pr Narcisse MOUELLE KOMBI (@KombiPr) April 2, 2024
In Cameroon, Fecafoot has the habit of proposing several names to the Ministry of Sports, which then appoints the new coach from among these. But Marc Brys was not part of Samuel Eto'o's proposals.
“The three applications submitted by you each presented exorbitant salary expectations,” explained Narcisse Mouelle Kombi. In view of the imminence of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers: we inform you that the Ministry of Sports has already taken all the useful and necessary, adequate and appropriate measures (...) for the entry into office of the new coach-selector. »
Among the names proposed by Samuel Eto'o to the Ministry of Sports were those of Hervé Renard, José Peseiro and Fabio Cannavaro. In response to the State's choice to enlist Marc Brys, the former Inter striker invoked Decree No. 2014/384. According to it, “the administrative, sporting and technical management of national football teams falls within the competence of the Cameroonian Football Federation”.
Little room for maneuver for Eto'o
The Minister of Sports, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, mentioned in his letter to Fecafoot the existence of an agreement according to which the State, since it remunerates the coach, would have the right to make its choice prevail. He adds that, since the appointment of Marc Brys was validated by the President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya, it could not suffer from any dispute.
Also read: Brawler, authoritarian, lesson-giver: Samuel Eto'o, a president king of controversy
Samuel Eto'o now finds himself in a delicate position where he has little room to respond. Since his election as head of Fecafoot in December 2021, his record has been highly contested. His governance is considered too solitary by many observers. He is also the target of an investigation for refereeing corruption during second division matches. In 2022, the top scorer in the history of the Indomitable Lions (56 goals) was convicted of tax fraud.