The removal of Marc Brys and his team from the helm of the Cameroonian dugout by the Fecafoot executive fuels debates along the streets of Yaoundé on May 29, 2024. Some Cameroonians believe that the overseeing Minister lacks the competence to appoint a technical staff for the Cameroon Indomitable Lions, while others think Marc Brys should respect Fecafoot.
The streets of Yaoundé resonate with the pulse of sports news. Only one topic dominates the agenda: the Marc Brys affair, coach of the Indomitable Lions, replacing Rigobert Song, former manager of Cameroon's men's national team. Marc Brys was appointed on April 2, 2024, by the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Narcisse Mouellé Kombi. According to Fecafoot's statement in response to this appointment, the body led by Samuel Eto'o expresses outrage at its non-participation in the process that led to Marc Brys' appointment as the new national team coach. Subsequently, the federation notes that this appointment violates the presidential decree of September 26, 2014, which grants Fecafoot the power of administrative, technical, and medical management of the men's national team. From that moment on, two technical staffs were appointed to lead the Cameroon Indomitable Lions. The first by Minister Mouellé Kombi and the second by President Samuel Eto'o. Marc Brys heads both technical teams.
The man on the street's point of view.
The first confrontation between the President of the Cameroonian Football Federation, Samuel Eto'o, and Marc Brys, coach of the A Lions appointed by Minsep, sparked fireworks at the headquarters of the Cameroonian Football Federation on May 28, 2024. Marc Brys was summoned for a working meeting. He engaged in heated exchanges with President Eto'o. In a gesture of disdain, Marc Brys made it clear to the President of Fecafoot that he had never been a coach. Subsequently, he boycotted the proceedings for which he had been invited. Cameroonians encountered on the streets of Yaoundé this morning describe Marc Brys as a puppet.
Gilbert Djilo: "Marc Brys despises the whole of Cameroon. He was summoned to Fecafoot for the first time and didn't show up. That same evening, he held a press conference at the conference hall of the Yaoundé Omnisports Stadium. For the first time he meets President Eto'o, he shows contempt. It's regrettable; Fecafoot did well to sack him," says Gilbert Djilo, a university lecturer.
On Kennedy Avenue, a well-known shopping center for its popularity in Yaoundé, the topic of the day revolves around Marc Brys. Jean Baptiste Fonkam, an electronic device maintainer, believes that colonialism should be put to an end: "I am very shocked by the attitude of this Belgian coach that they wanted to impose on Cameroonians. The bench of the Indomitable Lions must be nationalized. Thank you to President Eto'o for sidelining him. Ndtoungou Mpile will take care of the rest. We must understand that white isn't always superior to black; we need to stop this. We've had whites here who've never achieved anything," declares Fonkam in an angry tone.
Other Cameroonians feel that President Eto'o let his emotions get the better of him: "President Eto'o should have kept his composure. Because his adversaries know his temperament and can do anything to push him to the edge and commit an act of vandalism that could be detrimental to him. He shouldn't fall into that trap. As for Marc Brys, bye bye," notes Mama Agathe, a watermelon vendor.
As a reminder, this confusion at the helm of the Cameroonian men's A football team arose last April following the appointment of a technical, administrative, and medical staff for the Cameroon Indomitable Lions by the overseeing minister. Two months on, it is evident that no appeasement is in sight. However, the Indomitable Lions are expected to appear at the omnistadium on June 8th, where they will play a qualifying match for the 2026 Wor
J. Patrick DJON
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