Like a pilgrimage for the Indomitable Lions. This Thursday, Cameroon is playing against Egypt in its semi-final of the African Cup of Nations at the Olembé stadium in Yaoundé. There, where, on January 24, eight people were killed after a stampede near the stadium. On Tuesday, Samuel Eto’o, the new president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot), went to the bedside of the victims in hospitals in Yaoundé to express his “compassion” as well as that of the Cameroonian football family together.
Since taking office on December 11, the former Barça player has been on all fronts. He was thus in the locker room of the Indomitable Lions after the victory against Gambia in the quarter-finals of the CAN to urge his compatriots, like the captain that he was, to go to the end. He also spoke to defend his country, accused of mismanagement of anti-Covid-19 screening tests: “I really, humbly wish that my country be respected. I have never accepted cheating and I never will. I hope that is clear to everyone. »
“Samuel wants to win the stars”
Speaking on just about every subject made us think of this sentence from former Cameroonian coach Denis Lavagne in 2012: “Samuel Eto’o is a very great footballer, but he wants to be both a player and a scorer , captain, coach and president, even minister. Who doubted that? “Samuel remains Samuel, he is someone who always wants to get the stars, but I also know that he is first and foremost at heart to develop Cameroonian football, says former international Paul Alo’o Efoulou . I think he won’t skip the stages if he wants to get to CAF or Fifa one day. »
How Infantino and FIFA put CAF under guardianship. Sleight of hand, parachuted loved ones… “He has a series of low blows against African football, even if he gives the impression of wanting to help him”. https://t.co/or8RcCiGr4
— Antoine Huot (@AntoineHuot) January 28, 2022
Because it is of these institutions that we speak for the future of Eto’o. A continental or even international destiny to change the dimension of African football, now under the supervision of the international federation. “He too has his acquaintances with Fifa and Infantino, explains Babacar Ndaw Sall, editor-in-chief of the emedia.sn site which deals with news from all over Africa. But the continent places a lot of hope in him, because he is a very ambitious person, who knows how to be rebellious at times, who has a huge ego, who can stand up to Infantino. »
Infantino dismissed in his 22
He already did it in January, just before the African Cup of Nations. While Gianni Infantino, under pressure from European clubs who did not really want to release their best players in the middle of the season, campaigned for a postponement of the competition for health reasons, Eto’o had thundered the cannons: “The Euro is played while we were in the middle of a pandemic, and with full stadiums. There were no incidents, and we played in several cities in Europe. [
La Fecafoot] will defend with the utmost energy the holding of this African Cup of Nations. »
More than responding to Fifa, he will also have to take the lead, lead the fight and unify voices against an institution which has placed its small seeds all over the continent, based on arrangements with the Federations, programs and associates installed everywhere.
The fact that it is Samuel Eto’o, with his name, could make the difference if he does things as he should, announces Abdouraman Hamadou Babba, president of the Cameroonian club L’Etoile filante de Garoua, who nevertheless disputes the election at the head of Fecafoot. If Samuel manages to fit into these sports manager clothes, then yes, he has an advantage with his international fame. He could open many doors, almost any. »
“A revolutionary speech, unifying for the African continent”
“He needs today to have a fairly clear approach in terms of position, because in all the African countries that I have visited recently, the discourse is the same vis-à-vis Fifa: there is a feeling of invasion that does not say its name and people are fed up, continues Babacar Ndaw Sall. He is intelligent enough to know that what would give credit to his approach is his speech as a revolutionary, a unifier for the African continent. »
His election at the head of the Cameroonian Federation could also be the starting point for major changes within other African institutions. With, as a watchword, the management of football for footballers. We thus observe the candidacy of Didier Drogba for the Ivorian Federation, the seizure of power by the former Rennais Shabani Nonda at the head of the Congolese Federation or the possible candidacy of Emmanuel Adebayor for the Togolese Federation. “These are people with egos who will not leave without leaving something positive behind them,” concludes Paul Alo’o Efoulou. So, inevitably, they will have their say. It may take time, but it’s a good start. » Gianni, prepare the suitcases, Samuel arrives.