By Angu Lesley
Football writer,kick442.com-Cameroon
Rumors of former Indomitable Lions of Cameroon skipper, Rigobert Song Bahanag becoming the next trainer of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon has been on in the past week and seems unwilling to stop trending any time soon.
The 45-year old appears to be the favourite option for the job per the views of many but the decision can only be made by Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT, in accordance with the ministry of Sports.
The Song-waves is obviously sweeping Cameroonians off their feet, it is the talk of many social media platforms. Never before has the possible arrival of a local as coach of Cameroon senior team made more news.
To many, the fact that Song is a national gives Eto’o the rights to give him the job without blinking.
In the heart of all these, the rumours from the media and the difference football spaces, the silence of FECAFOOT on Song’s, the enthusiasm of Cameroonians culminate to the fact that Song is so close to the job but yet so far from it.
Reasons Song is almost Cameroon’s next coach
On Wednesday, February 23rd at midnight, Samuel Eto’o’s self-imposed deadline on the future of the coach of the National selection will expire. But before then, the 40-year old FA boss is expected to act per the task handed to him by the FECAFOOT executive vis-a-vis the situation of the technical bench.
Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, Cameroon’s minister of Sports and Physical Education (ministry in charge of payment of the coach’s salary) already expressed it’s willingness to allow Portuguese trainer continue at the helm of the national team during a recent outing on State Television. “The emergency now is to prepare for the FIFA World Cup play-offs by building serenity and unity around the team;” he stated. Unfortunately his comments didn’t go down well with Samuel Eto’o team as they believe seeking their opinion before the comment represent the right procedure.
This has created some animosity between the camps of both institutions with some sort of cold war happening on social media.
On getting close to becoming the head coach of the Lions, Song is nearly there. Nearly there because he is qualified; as a graduate of the Clair Fontaine Football Academy, Song obtained his coaching badges in 2012 as a mate of Zenedine Zidane who won three UEFA Champions League titles in a row at Real Madrid. In addition to the experience garnered during a 26-year old career for club and country together, Song has been around national team jobs since 2014. First as team manager of the senior Lions in an over two-year spell, to becoming head coach of the Intermediate Lions in 2016, through to becoming the coach of the Olympic Lions from 2018 to date.
So, as a qualified personnel with knowledge of the operations of the different national teams, a friend of Samuel Eto’o who accompanied him during his campaign in the race to the FECAFOOT presidency, this looks like a done deal awaiting announcement. The fact that Song previously expressed interest in getting the job, the public wants him plus he has good ties with the presidency of Cameroon (happening place for who becomes national team coach) makes it really close for the man who walked into the Unity palace on two occasions viz; 2000 and 2000 to hand the AFCON trophies won in Lagos and Bamako respectively to president Paul Biya.
However, the fact that many aspects are to the advantage of ‘Manyang’ the ex-Liverpool and RC Lens defender is popularly called, Song also looks so far from becoming the Lions coach… This is why;
Song is so far from the Indomitable Lions coaching job but can get in the next 24 hours
Yes, the same record-man who has already been given the job by some section of the media face a long wait.
Yes, long wait because, basic logic forbids the change of the head coach of a national team as serious as that of Cameroon barely 31 days to the first-leg of a crucial FIFA World cup tie against 2019 African champions Algeria. In addition to that, Song doesn’t have history of delivering (as a coach) during big occasions in any of his previous jobs and this is what awaits the Lions’ coach in the final week of March. Two matches, at the Japoma Stadium in Cameroon on March 28 and the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida-Algeria four days later will certainly cause the head coach job in one of the two nations especially given Algeria’s poor showing at the just-ended AFCON in Cameroon.
Conceiçao’s record’s are also enticing; he has lost just twice in 23 games, winning 14 in a 29-month period dating back to September 2019 when replaced flopped Dutchman Clarence Seedorf.
Conceiçao’s 61% win rate in 23 games compared to Song’s 40% in 10 games with inferior national teams puts the latter who was made coach of Chad some years ago, but never took office further away from the job.
The fact that Song hasn’t displayed any signs of preparing for the Lions games in March and kick442.com understands Conceiçao has been doing just that, can be analyzed as Song can only get the job in future after March and it’s two matches.He is close but far away from it.
As it stands, he has to wait till the end of March or even further if Antonio Conceicao who helped Cameroon to a third-place finish at the 2021 AFCON and got praises from Eto’o, President Paul Biya and Minister Kombi achieves the target of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World cup as enshrined in his contract extended in late 2021.
But hang on! this is Cameroon, and the Lions coaching job, a job which some previous employees have gotten without being shortlisted in the final list and others done well; including winning the AFCON and get sacked few weeks later.
Most likely scenario
Conceiçao will stay as the lead trainer till at least the month of March, but Eto’o could name a number of local coaches.
Song, Guy Feutchine (Current Olympic Lions fitness coach), Michel Kaham who was part of the technical staff of the Cameroon team of the Italy 1990 FIFA World cup, Agbor Ernest (Former deputy and right hand man to Song in his days as Intermediate Lions coach), Martin N.Mpile (current Intermediate Lions coach and Eto’o’s former coach in the national team) are some of the names our team have heard stand a chance of appointment as reinforcement to the current Lions technical staff which already have Francois Oman-Biyik and Jacques Songoo.
However, during Eto’o’s four years mandate as president of FECAFOOT, kick442.com believes will certainly appoint a Cameroonian head coach for the Indomitable Lions, even if it means the Federation takes the responsibility of paying the trainer.
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