Lauren blames Cameroon chiefs for exit (12.06.2002)
Arsenal midfielder Lauren has slammed the Cameroon FA after Winfried Schafer`s side were eliminated from the World Cup by losing 2-0 to Germany in their final Group E game.
"I would change nothing within the team. What we have to do is change those around the team," he told onefootball.com.
Expectations were high for Cameroon this summer, after taking Gold in the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and winning the African Nations Cup in February.
However, the Indomitable Lions were disappointing, drawing 1-1 with the Republic of Ireland in their opening game, only beating Saudi Arabia 1-0, before losing 2-0 to Germany.
"I am very disappointed with the turn of events," continued Lauren, who did not blame Schafer for the disappointment of
catchingan early flight home.
"You must prepare very well for a big event like the World Cup. You can`t play the World Cup with too many problems hanging round your neck."
Cameroon arrived in the Far East five days later than scheduled, after a row of bonuses kept their chartered flight grounded in Paris.
Lauren insists that players are bound to be used as scapegoats by the Cameroonian football authorities, and hinted that there had been more disruption behind the scenes.
"They always blame us when there are defeats," he said. "But we won two Nations Cups and a gold medal in the Olympics. We have to prepare well for big competitions.
"We were late and there were other problems. I don`t want to talk about them today," he added.
