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Where Are We Heading To? (20.09.2006)
The dismal performance of the U-17 Lions last Sunday in Yaounde has once again unmasked the inconsistencies typical of Cameroon’s football of late.
There is no doubt that Cameroon is a football powerhouse in Africa. The numerous conquests of the national teams and the personal reputation of some players justify this assertion. Yet, over the last couple of years, the performance of Cameroonian teams is putting to question this whole notion of Cameroon’s supremacy in football. The dismal performance of Cameroon’s national teams, clubs and even teams in the national scene are eloquent proof of the dwindling fortunes of Cameroon. Today, the name "Indomitable Lions" no longer frightens adversaries. The "small" countries that some years back used to be humiliated by Cameroon are taking their revenge. The present situation can either be interpreted as a reawakening of teams hitherto considered as underdogs or a refusal of Cameroon to stand up to the challenge of being the best.
Many Cameroonians believe in the second hypothesis wherefore the disillusionment on the part of fans and a waning interest in football as can be seen in the abandonment of stadiums by spectators. The 1 — 0 defeat which the Central African U-17 squad inflicted on the cadet Lions last Sunday is but the last drop of water that overflowed the glass. The first victims of Sunday’s poor showing are the two coaches, Abe Anatole and Mbella Fritz. They were sacked by the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Philippe Mbarga Mboa, for failing to deliver the goods. Normal, for coaches, as the main technicians should carry the blame in case of poor results.
However looking beyond the results, one might as well question a way of functioning and might be talk of collective responsibility. Such responsibility spans across areas such as the manner of selecting players, the means put at the disposal of the trainers, the duration and condition of training, etc. For example, the lack of cohesion in Cameroon’s play style last Sunday was a direct consequence of the short period which the players spent in camp at Akono. How do you expect players who train for barely a week to be as performant as those who have been toiling for months? In his post
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match reaction, the coaches said the short time they had to prepare the squad was their main obstacle. "One week wasn’t sufficient to prepare such a match", Mbella Fritz said. Who is expected to draw a training programme for the team and call players to camp?
In the same light, many people are also questioning if the players who defended the national colours last Sunday were the best U-17 selection which Cameroon, a country endowed with talents, could have. How were such players, most of whom lacked initiative, tact and stamina selected? Roving ambassador Roger Milla harmers on this point and blame the defeat of the cadet lions on the quality of players. "The team of last Sunday could be considered a selection of the Centre Province. This has to stop. We can win in Bangui if we select the right players", he noted. In effect, the detection of talents for the cadet team is expected to be done by the National technical department of football. According to the National Technical director, Dominique Wansi, the move paid off in 2003. Talents were detected from all over the country. The results were immediate — Cameroon won the U-17 African Cup of Nations in Swaziland. Today, the national technical department has been relegated to oblivion and the selection done subjective by a handful of individuals. Information is rife on how selection is more on who knows who basis, rather than their quality of the players. Most of those selected are therefore not worthy ambassadors of Cameroon. And what image do we give of the country when nine pre-selected players are disqualified on the eve of the match for falsifying their ages. Are such verifications on the ages of players expected to be done before inviting the players or at the end of a training camp? One starts wondering what the future holds in stock if the foundation is already faulty.
Everyday, we have the same problems, with the same results. This time, rather than wait to cry over spilt milk after the return match in Bangui next month, now is the time to act - make sure the team trains well for the return match. Else, Cameroon’s dream of qualifying for the 2007 African Cup of Nations in Togo will be shattered, just like other dreams which have been broken in recent times.
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