Drama as two different Cameroon squads are named for 2025 AFCON as manager ‘refuses to be sacked’

The Cameroonian Football Federation has been thrown into confusion just days before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations. Cameroon FA President, Samuel Eto’o  is reportedly locked in a bitter feud with national team manager, Marc Brys, who is reportedly refusing to be sacked. Belgian coach Marc Brys has not been formally dismissed and is still contracted to the Ministry of Sport until September 2026, but has reportedly been informed by Samuel Etoo that his tenure as Cameroons manager is effectively finished. The feud has thrown Cameroon into confusion just days before the tournament begins, with the country naming two separate AFCON squads. The Cameroonian FA, led by Eto’o, released their 28-man squad after an emergency committee meeting on December 1, naming David Pagou not Brys, as the national team coach for the tournament.Pagou, who is now officially listed on FIFA’s website and even held a press conference to explain the squad and Cameroon’s ambitions for AFCON last week, was also joined by a brand new coaching team, appointed by Eto’o. The squad also featured several surprise omissions, with former Manchester United goalkeeper Andr Onana, ex-Bayern Munich forward Eric Choupo-Moting, and veteran goal-scorer Vincent Aboubakar all left out. According to sources at The Sun, Eto’o deliberately called for Aboubakar to be dropped from the team to prevent his all-time goal-scoring record from being broken. Aboubakar, 33, is currently 12 goals away from becoming the country’s outright top scorer and could feasibly surpass Eto’o at AFCON over the next few weeks. On Wednesday, Brys, who has refused to accept his dismissal, issued a second Cameroon squad that reinstated the previously omitted trio. Speaking about his feud with the former Chelsea and Everton star, Brys told Flemish outlet VTM NIEUWS: ‘It’s always been Eto’o’s goal to get me out as quickly as possible. ‘From the very first minute, he insulted me, and I reacted. I was too much of a competitor for him.’Referencing the initial squad that excluded Onana, Choupo-Moting, and Aboubakar, he added: ‘Eto’o had left key players and leaders out of the squad. Because, of course, he had made that selection.  ‘How can you go to the Africa Cup of Nations without a world-class goalkeeper? Or without Aboubakar? ‘It’s unbelievable, but actually, it doesn’t surprise me. It’s coming from someone who is narcissistic and thinks he’s the best.’ He also told TV5 Monde on Tuesday: ‘As long as there is no signed note from the Presidency of the Republic appointing David Pagou as the coach of the Indomitable Lions, in the eyes of the State of Cameroon, Mr. Marc Brys remains. This is not up for discussion, and it has been this way in Cameroon for at least 30 years.’  The post Drama as two different Cameroon squads are named for 2025 AFCON as manager ‘refusestobesacked’ appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.