Before the World Cup draw was made, Cameroon`s German coach Winfried Schaefer shared a joke with Germany`s coach Rudi Voller about a possible meeting between their two sides in the group stage of the tournament.
The joke turned into reality, and now a planned friendly between the two sides has been cancelled.
Germany`s Rudi Voller
"Rudi and I were joking about a possible meeting in the group stage, but of course it is a big surprise and a difficult situation now", said Schaefer.
"But I think it`s possible that both sides can make their way through into the second round."
However the draw has meant a change of plan for Cameroon`s preparation.
"We scheduled a friendly game against Germany but now it will be cancelled, of course" Schaefer said.
Luck of the Irish
Meanwhile Ireland`s coach Mick McCarthy seems content with the outcome of the draw.
"I was not worried about who we got. You get who you get and I am just delighted to be here", McCarthy said.
Ireland`s coach and England`s
Sven-Goran Eriksson shared a joke after the draw.
Ireland`s Mick McCarthy
Eriksson, whose team must play Nigeria, Argentina and Sweden asked McCarthy "Do you want to swap?"
McCarthy replied "No chance".
His impression of Cameroon is that they are unpredictable.
"On any given day you are going to get absolute brilliance, and on another while not the complete opposite, a different performance from them", he said.
McCarthy believes the Indomitable Lions will bring plenty of colour and "trickery" to the tournament.
Saudi Arabia
Prince Sultan bin Fahd, head of the Saudi Football Federation, said they thought their draw was "generally balanced".
"The important thing is that the Saudi team, God willing, appears at the finals in a way that will reaffirm its worthiness of representing the Gulf, Arab and Asian football in an honourable way."
Meanwhile officials of Cameroon`s Football Association Fecafoot are confident that qualification to the second round is there for the taking.
