Governing Bodies

Cameroon football crisis lingers as Eto’o appoints Ndtoungou as interim coach after Brys is sidelined

Published

1 month ago

May 29, 2024

The Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) have sidelined newly-appointed Belgian coach Marc Brys and replaced him with Martin Ndtoungou on an interim basis ahead of 2026 World Cup qualifiers next month, the organisation said in a statement.

The decision follows a heated exchange between Brys and federation president Samuel Eto’o on Tuesday, the culmination of a stand-off between the pair after the Belgian was appointed by the country’s sports ministry in April, against the wishes of Eto’o.

Brys had been invited for a working session on Tuesday but several of his support staff, also appointed by the sports ministry, were refused entry to the building in Yaounde.

FECAFOOT later called a meeting of its Emergency Committee, who decided to make the change.

The move could put Eto’o on a collision course with the sports ministry, who have so far stood their ground on the appointment of Brys despite opposition from the federation.

Normally, football federations appoint and pay their coaches but in some African countries this is done by the government, especially when federations are short of funds.

Cameroon have four points from their first two qualifiers and next host Cape Verde on June 8 and travel to Angola three days later.

Only the winners of each of the nine six-team groups qualify automatically for the finals in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Governing Bodies

CAF looking for hosts for CAF Awards, Women Champions League and youth tournaments

Published

2 weeks ago

June 21, 2024

Kunle Solaja

After eventually fixing dates for Africa Cup of Nations 2025 and the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the Confederation of African Football still have major hurdles to scale.

The confederation is looking for hosts for the CAF Women’s Champions League, the U-17 and U-20 AFCON as well as the CAF Awards 2024. Morocco were the hosts for the last editions of the CAF Awards and Women’s Champions League. The confederation which opened the bids hopes to get possible responses by the time of the 46^th CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Kinshasa, DR Congo on Thursday 10 October 2024.

Governing Bodies

CAF Executive Committee to meet on Friday

Published

2 weeks ago

June 20, 2024

Kunle Solaja

CAF President Motsepe Fails To Confirm Dates For 2025 AFCON -

Plunged with myriad of issues especially concerning regular fixtures of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 as well as the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2024 both of which are to be held in Morocco, the Confédération Africaine de Football CAF Executive Committee will hold a virtual meeting on Friday.

It is expected that the congested fixtures occasioned by the women’s football event of the Paris 2024 Olympics as well as the enlarged FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be discussed.

Till now,neither hosts nor period has been allocated for the Women’s Club Champions League which is supposed to be an annual event.

Governing Bodies

Samuel Eto’o apologises and reinstates Cameroon coach Brys

Published

1 month ago

May 31, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Former Cameroonian star forward and now football federation president Samuel Eto’o apologised Thursday to national team coach Marc Brys, with whom he had been involved in a heated exchange this week.

The ex-Barcelona striker also confirmed Brys would remain in his position after it was announced the Belgian was to be replaced as head coach of Cameroon on Wednesday.

“I apologise because during our first unfortunate meeting, there was a lot of emotion… but the Cameroonian people are more important than us, and it is for them that we must work,” said Eto’o at a press conference.

Eto’o was referring to an incident captured on video during his first meeting with Brys, which was widely shared on social media Tuesday.

The pair were seen to engage in a heated argument, before Brys left abruptly.

“Your mission is not an easy one, despite your qualities and experience, but you should know that you will have our support,” added the two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner.

Brys was appointed to the role in April by Cameroon’s sport ministry, much to the astonishment of the country’s football federation (Fecafoot) and its president Eto’o wrote to the ministry to denounce its “illegal” appointment of the 62-year-old.

Fecafoot said it regretted not being involved “closely, nor remotely” in the selection process for the new coach and his staff.

Belgian Brys will now oversee Cameroon’s next two crucial matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, against Cape Verde on June 8 and Angola three days later.

-AFP