Samuel Eto’o to be sidelined in appointment of Indomitable Lions coach with Cameroon President having final say

FOOTBALL Samuel Eto’o to be sidelined in appointment of Indomitable Lions coach with Cameroon President having final say

Joel Omotto 06:42 - 28.02.2024

Cameroon President Paul Biya has decided to be the one to decide who will be the next coach of Indomitable Lions and not FECAFOOT boss Samuel Eto’o who is facing a revolt.

Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o, the president of the country’s football association FECAFOOT, will not have a hand in the selection of the next Indomitable Lions head coach following the expiry of Rigobert Song’s contract.

Song, who took over the reins in February 2022, will likely not get a new deal following the end of his current contract, which expires on Wednesday, after an underwhelming spell but his immediate boss Eto’o will not be making a decision on his successor with the country’s President Paul Biya set to take that responsibility.

According to Juene Afrique, President Biya will have the last word on who becomes Cameroon’s national team coach after accusations leveled towards Eto’o over alleged meddling into the affairs of the national team such as tactics and selection.

Eto’o has been under fire since the Indomitable Lions' poor performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast where they sneaked into the Round of 16 before they were eliminated by Nigeria.

The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker even offered to resign but his executive turned down the request but even after staying, it seems his powers have dwindled a mid a revolt within the country’s football fraternity.

Biya is said not to be happy with Song’s spell after the former captain oversaw a group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup before struggling in the qualifying phase of AFCON 2023 and then their poor showing at the tournament.

Eto’o, Song and some members of the FECAFOOT executive had a closed-door meeting with the Cameroon Prime Minister on Tuesday over how to turn around the fortunes of the national team where a decision on who will be in charge of the side is believed to have discussed.

The four-time African Player of the Year was elected FECAFOOT president in December 2021 but his tenure has been riddled with controversies and clashes in opinion with various football stakeholders in Cameroon.

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