Former Cameroonian international Alex Song (with 49 caps) spoke out about the selection of the new coach for the Indomitable Lions during his appearance on the Fou Fou Foot show on CRTV.
And it’s fair to say that the ex-Gunner has a very strong opinion on the matter. “If we give the national team job to a Cameroonian, we’re screwed! We need a foreigner (as coach of the Indomitable Lions, editor’s note) who has personality, capable of standing by his choices,” he asserted.
Some may interpret this as a dig at his uncle Rigobert Song, the former coach whose tenure with the Indomitable Lions was marked by failure with 7 wins, 8 draws, and 9 defeats, notably culminating in elimination from the 2023 AFCON in the round of 16 (2-0 loss to Nigeria). Alex Song seems to imply that his uncle lacked the personality to resist interference, notably from Samuel Eto’o, who is suspected of having had a hand in selecting the lineup against Nigeria in the round of 16 (0-2 loss).
The Hervé Renard Dream
The name of Rigobert Song’s successor as head coach of the Indomitable Lions remains unknown for now. The Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot) will compile a shortlist of three candidates to present to President Paul Biya (not to Samuel Eto’o, the President of Fecafoot), who will be the ultimate decision-maker in this delicate matter.
Among the candidates considered by the Cameroonian Federation is the famous French coach Hervé Renard, who will likely be available after the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he will be coaching the French women’s team this summer. The 55-year-old coach seemingly ticks all the boxes outlined by Alex Song, who would likely be satisfied with his appointment. It remains to be seen what the intentions of the two-time AFCON winner will be.
