ACTUALITE |
29.12.2001
Cameroon`s Nations Cup focus
Cameroon are determined to rid themselves of a poor habit which always sees them flop at the African Nations Cup in the run-up to a World Cup.
The Lions were beaten at the group stage in 1982 on their way to Spain for their first World Cup appearance and, in 1990, before Roger Milla and co took Italy by the storm in the World Cup of that year, Cameroon crashed in the first round at the Nations Cup in Algeria.
They could also only progress to the quarter-final in Burkina Faso in 1998 on their way to France for the World Cup, having not even qualified for the Nations Cup finals in 1994 and fears are being freely expressed in Yaounde that The Indomitable Lions may easily surrender their trophy in Mali.
However German coach Winfried Schaefer put it all down to anxiety, saying: "I think what has happened in the past could be put down to anxiety about the World Cup, so much so that the Nations Cup was given little attention. This time around, I have told my boys that African things must come first. The priority has to be to retain the title in the Nations Cup. We are not thinking of the World Cup.
"We have to retain our African title first , after which we will concentrate on the World Cup. There is no question about about giving the World Cup more attention than the Nations Cup at the moment."
The German coach admitted he knew little about the Nations Cup, and Cameroon’s first round opponents, Ivory Coast, Togo and Congo Democratic Republic, but insisted his team will get to the final again.
He said: "I can`t wait to discover the Nations Cup. We will take easy, win our first game and take a good look at the other opponents after the first games, but I have a good team and believe we can retain the trophy - something I understand Cameroon have never done."
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