Problems, problems, problems. Since he won the election for the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, former football star Samuel Eto’o has been in the press quite a lot, and almost all the time, for the wrong reasons. This time, it was his public spat with the new coach which quickly went around the world, causing shock to all football fans. Football’s world governing body FIFA has strict rules against government interference in national federations and has frequently banned countries when governments get involved in federation affairs. However, the Cameroonian minister of sport still decided to appoint the new coach of the national team after Rigobert Song was dismissed in February 2024. What is worse, he appointed the Belgium coach Marc Brys, who was not even on the Samuel Eto’o shortlist! 🚨 L’altercation entre Samuel Eto’o et Marc Brys, le sélectionneur du Cameroun. 🇨🇲🤬C’est le désordre à la FECAFOOT.🎥 @ActuFootAfrique pic.twitter.com/4oVLerfLx7— BeFootball (@_BeFootball) May 28, 2024 As the president of the Federation, he is in charge of appointing the staff and was furious when he was completely omitted from the decision. He tried to impose the support staff to Brys but that didn’t work either. The Indomitable Lions coach appeared at the meeting and things turned ugly as Eto’o verbally attacked him in front of the media. The video of the clash between the two men is probably from the first meeting, even thou there is no date on it. After arguing with a representative of the Ministry of Sports, Eto’o returns to Brys asking him to stay to take part in a meeting. The Belgian then puts his hand on his arm. “Don’t touch me like that, Mr. Coach. I am president, sir” says Eto’o, to which Brys responds: “I’m a coach here”.“No, you coach because I appointed you, You are not a coach because someone else appointed you. You have made many mistakes and I ask you to stay in this meeting. Because if you do not stay, I am obliged to question my executive committee, as the law requires me to do. So I ask you once again to stay here, please” said Eto’o, raising his voice. Brys’ appointment far from a breezeThen Brys says: “I’ve been here for two months, where have you been? Ultimately I decide what I do” but gets a fiery response from former Barcelona striker: “No, you don’t decide, because what you do, Mr. Coach, it’s me who takes responsibility for it. I’m the president of the federation. What you do, it’s me who takes responsibility for it, It’s not you. In your country, I don’t do it and you don’t talk to me like that, Mr. Coach. Remember, as a footballer, you can never talk to me. So now I’m the president. You don’t talk to me like that. Okay? You sit down and we work. Stop this shit. It’s time to stop this shit. But which country do you think you are in, sir? I can do that in Belgium? Do you think I can do that in Belgium?” The Belgian technician then shakes his hand and says: “Congratulations”, before leaving. “And if you cross (the door), you won’t come back,” warns Eto’o, before asking to assemble his executive committee. Cameroon is due to play two games in their World Cup qualifiers, against Cape Verde on June 3rd and in Angola on June 7th. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8130310##
