Qatar 2022: great battle between Eto’o and Song around the selection of Ngadeu
Qatar 2022: great battle between Eto’o and Song around the selection of Ngadeu
National coach Rigobert Song announced yesterday during a press conference the list of 26 selected as part of the preparations for the World Cup. The coach was expected on the non-convocation of Zambo Anguissa and Michael Ngandeu. Rigobert Song emphasizes to this effect: “They don’t need to be there. We already know that they are leaders of this team. We need them to get enough rest. Zambo and Ngadeu need rest and it will be good for us to have them fit in November. We already know that they are in this team, even if they are not summoned.
An explanation that struggles to convince insofar as it is difficult to imagine that Didier Deschamps does not select Mbappe or Grizman on the pretext that they have to rest. However, it is during the preparations that a team is set up. Let the game systems get organized. Let the tactics and strategies take place. This is to avoid misunderstandings between the players who must get to know each other. Therefore Rigobert Song’s explanations do not hold water. To know the real reasons for the non-selection of Michael Ngadeu, we must go back to the Cameroon-Burundi match as part of the 2023 African Cup qualifiers in Côte d’Ivoire.
Indeed, Rigobert Song makes his classification as usual and sends the copy to Samuel Eto’o. You should know that the choice of Rigobert Song was based on the fact that Samuel Eto’o thought he had a man he can control. Who would collect his salary and accept small arrangements. Therefore, in this deal, it is quite normal for Rigobert Song to send his copy to Samuel Eto’o.
Receiving the list of players for the Cameroon-Burundi match, Samuel Eto’o calls Rigobert Song and asks him to replace Michael Ngadeu on the list so that he can be replaced by another defender. Rigobert Song told the president of FECAFOOT that he understood. Rigobert Song goes to see Michael Ngadeu and says to him: “The president said that you must not play. But you are going to play. However, do not disappoint me”. For the first time, Rigobert Song upsets Samuel Eto’o and aligns Michael Ngadeu.
However, Michael Ngadeu’s performance is not exceptional. It is on this day that Samuel Eto’o will deliver the famous speech in the locker room where he says: “I am not at all happy. You represent the national team of Cameroon. I don’t care who is in front of you, you have to do the job. I cried for years, because we missed World Cups, but I know what problem I had. That’s not going to happen as long as I’m president. I took this presidency to change things.
No one has a guaranteed place on this team. If you want to wear the shirt of this team, you do the job. Otherwise, don’t come and I’ll be happy. I will play with children. I have been in your place for a very long time. You think I’m a bastard, but I was the best sitting there and I know why I failed. I will give you everything even my life for your best condition. But when you come, it’s Cameroon. There is nothing more beautiful. I would give my life for this country. I will get there with you or without you. If you want to be part of the trip, you will have to move. No one is guaranteed to be at the World Cup. And if that’s what I saw today, no one will be there.
After this episode, Michael Ngadeu will complain about the interference of the president of FECAFOOT in the tactical choices of the coach. Samuel Eto’o will know. This will help to strengthen the enmity between the two.
Thus, when Rigobert Song prepares his list for the world, he again sends the list to Samuel Eto’o. The name of Michael Ngadeu appears there. Eto’o said to him: “You will not have me anymore”. Ngadeu’s name must be removed before the list is made public. This time Rigobert Song has no choice. He runs. This is how Michael Ngadeu will be removed from the list. Yet we find names such as Nicolas Nkoulou or Madjeck who are almost no longer active.
This episode left traces between Samuel Eto’o and Rigobert Song who told his relatives that he now walks with his resignation letter in his pocket.
