ACTUALITE |
11.10.2001
Lions back new coach
Leading Cameroon players have voiced approval for new coach Winfried Schafer in the build-up to their defence of the Nations Cup, and then World Cup.
However, the team`s preparations for the CAN tournament in Mali early next year have been hit by news that their scheduled friendly against Colombia in New York on November 2 has been cancelled.
The Indomitable Lions were meeting for the first time since the German coach was named the surprise choice of the African champions, almost 90 days after Robert Corfou had completed the World Cup qualifying mission in June.
Lions skipper Rigobert Song said during the side`s first meeting with the new coach at a training camp in Leverkusen that they welcome the new choice of coach.
Song said: "We support Mr Schafer in his new post and the players are prepared to work with him.
Solidarity
"It is imperative that we show him solidarity so that we succeed in all our missions next year.
Schafer has at last met his new team
"The Fecafoot (Cameroon FA) has done the right thing - it is not the players who should decide the right man for the job."
Lucien Mettomo, who has just joined Manchester City from St Etienne in a £1.5m move, added that he knew Schafer very well and called him "a good coach who knows his job".
Influential Spanish-based defender Raymond Kalla said: "The team is in good spirit and want to retain the African title and possibly become the first African side to lift the World Cup under the new coach."
Schafer`s appointment follows a bizarre merry-go-round of coaches dating from the end of last year, when Olympic gold medal-winning coach Jean-Paul Akono took over from Nations Cup winner Pierre Lechantre.
Akono kept on winning but without style, and Lechantre was briefly put back in charge before being removed in favour of Corfou.
The Lions hope to end their inaction with a match against European opposition next month, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
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Hits: 1 | Source:BBC | |
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