Trouble is brewing in Cameroon after FECAFOOT boss Samuel Eto’o refused to sign the contract of Belgian coach Marc Brys who was imposed of the federation by the country’s President.
The standoff between Cameroon FA president Samuel Eto’o and the government over the appointment of Indomitable Lions coach Marc Brys continues to escalate.
Belgian coach Marc Brys was appointed by Cameroon President Paul Biya following recommendation by the country’s Sports Ministry with FECAFOOT, the country’s football association which is led by legendary striker Eto’o, not involved.
Biya made it clear that he will be the one to decide who will coach Cameroon following the departure of Rigobert Song but that did not go down well with Eto’o and his team who feel they should be the ones making that decision.
The Sports Ministry went ahead and headhunted Brys, alongside two assistants Joachim Mununga and Giannis Xilouris, who were allocated a monthly budget of €40,000 for their salaries, on a two-year contract.
However, Eto’o and his team rejected the move and even failed to attend the coach’s unveiling. FECAFOOT have also refused to complete the formalities required to allow the tactician to begin his work, leading to a standoff.
“I have read somewhere that I have not signed a contract,” Brys told the media as per Kick442 regarding reports that FECAFOOT have not signed his deal.
“But I do have one! I am open to discussion, attentive, positive, but the locker room is the place of the coach, his technical staff and the players, and into which neither the Sports Ministry nor FECAFOOT enters.”
Brys still hopes to meet Eto’o and his team and thrash out the contentious issues.
“I am ready to work with the federation and its president, in the interest of the national team and the country. I hope to meet him [Eto’o], like I said before. But I’m not the type to chase people, because I have to focus on the team and players for the next games,” he added.
Even with the standoff, Brys has continued to meet players whom he intends to integrate in the squad with Cameroon set to face Cape Verde and Angola in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June.
The Indomitable Lions lead Group D with four points same as Cape Verde and Libya while Angola have two, Mauritius one and Eswatini are pointless.
