Cameroon FA appoints interim coach amidst crisis

Yaounde, May 29 (IANS) Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) announced on Tuesday that it has appointed Martin Mpile Ndtoungou as interim head coach of the national men’s football team during an emergency meeting following weeks of tension and crisis.
In a statement released Tuesday night, FECAFOOT said it was sacking Belgian Marc Brys who was appointed in April to lead the team, for “unacceptable behavior” and refusal to collaborate with FECAFOOT, reported Xinhua.
The emergency meeting was held after FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o and Brys were seen on video exchanging harsh words before the start of a crisis meeting early Tuesday at FECAFOOT headquarters in Yaounde, capital of Cameroon.
Cameroonian FA has been embroiled in a crisis since April after the country’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi appointed Brys as head coach of the national men’s football team.
FECAFOOT initially rejected the appointment complaining that it was not involved in the appointment procedure “in disregard of texts” but in early May, the association confirmed Brys as new head coach but dismissed some members of the technical staff appointed by the minister and appointed new ones to replace them.
Cameroon has two crucial World Cup qualifiers scheduled in June against Cape Verde and Angola but the deepening crisis could affect the games negatively, according to local football analysts.
–IANS