ACTUALITE |
25.02.2004
Time Bidoung Mpkatt gave the Lions a break
By Nforngwa Ndiboti Eugene
Youth and sports minister, Bidoung Mpkatt nearly missed presiding at the national youth day commemorations last 11 February in Yaounde. Reason, he was in Tunisia where he once more played nuisance to the Lions with his series of conferences, and arrived only a few hours to the event.
In the past years as minister, Bidoung Mpkatt has left no one wondering that his heart is where the Lions are. He is present at every outing of the team and shamelessly sometimes even at friendlies. And as clear as daylight, senior men’s football by all means offers the most important games to the sport minister. He has entered an almost inseparable marriage with the lions.
His permanent presence on the scene has brought the administration too close to the team and technical decisions including finance, the selection of players and technical staff, and even with matters related to training programmes and friendlies are influenced by the minister. Personality and interests conflicts between the administration and the football association have also spilt the team.
In the face of all these, the Lions have been the price payers. And performance has been on a steady decline. Unfortunately, they have been unable to form a common platform to address the issue. Instead the opposing camps emerged and have caused damage in the cohesion of the team.
It was only after Cameroon’s disappointing performance at the Korea-Japan World Cup in 2002, that the frustration of players came to the lime light. Goalgetter Mboma Ndem decided to stay away from the team until all managerial flaws were sorted out while midfielder Etame Mayer is still to join the squad after leaving on the same count.
Cameroon remains one of Africa’s best football nations but the poor performance at this year’s African Cup of Nations shows that there is fire on the mountain. And many will argue that the major fuel for the fire is Bidoung Mpkatt and his ever too present administration.
The administration has proven in a few isolated instances that it is afterall relevant to the team ( the Milla case of 1990 and Mboma of 2004). Afterall it is a question of national image and pride, which falls under its jurisdiction.
But evidence is proving that it is causing the squad more harm than any good. The trend around the world is to give technocrats the upper hand in deciding on issues as technical as football. We cannot be an exception unless we want to kill our sole pride-football. For a start Bidoung Mpkatt should stay away from the team.
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Hits: 1 | Source:The Herald | |
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