Cameroon's Football Fracas: Ministry vs. FECAFOOT

The saga unfolded on March 12th when FECAFOOT submitted a shortlist of esteemed coaches, including Hervé Renard, Fabio Cannavaro, and José Peseiro, along with assistant coaches David Pagou and Thomas Nkono, for consideration by the Ministry.

However, the Ministry of Sports deviated from FECAFOOT's recommendations, opting for an alternative candidate. This decision caught FECAFOOT off guard and triggered a wave of inquiries within the football community.

The Ministry attributed its unilateral decision to the exorbitant salary demands put forward by the coaches proposed by FECAFOOT. Samuel Eto'o reportedly presented annual remunerations ranging from approximately 1 billion to 1.6 billion FCFA (equivalent to 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 euros), excluding bonuses as coaching allowances. Such figures, unprecedented in Cameroon's coaching history, prompted the Ministry to seek an alternative route.

One might question why the Ministry did not simply inform FECAFOOT and Eto'o that the proposed coaches exceeded their budgetary constraints. Collaboratively, they could have pursued options within their financial means. Instead, the Ministry chose to utilize backchannels, surprising FECAFOOT with its decision regarding the new coach.

FECAFOOT contends that it was blindsided by the Ministry's move, emphasizing the lack of consultation or involvement in the decision-making process. Additionally, there are concerns surrounding the Ministry's selection of Belgian national Marc Brys, a coach with relatively limited football experience, unknown to FECAFOOT.

This decision hints at a deeper-rooted issue, suggesting that the Ministry may have been conducting its own search for a successor to Rigobert Song, sidelining FECAFOOT in the process. The discord between FECAFOOT's objectives and the Ministry's chosen coach casts doubt on the future cohesion of the national football team.

The ensuing breakdown in communication and apparent lack of collaboration between the Ministry and FECAFOOT have left numerous questions unanswered. Social media platforms have become arenas for conflicting perspectives and objections regarding the Ministry's actions.

As stakeholders in Cameroonian football grapple with these developments, the importance of transparency, communication, and collaboration between the Ministry of Sports and FECAFOOT cannot be overstated. The ongoing discord underscores the challenges facing football governance in Cameroon and emphasizes the urgent need to find common ground for the betterment of the sport.

This story continues to unfold. Stay tuned for further updates.

Reporting from Cameroon, this is Rita Akana for Cameroon Concord.