CAMEROON v DENMARK:RAYMOND DOMENECH is not the only French manager to suffer failure, vilification and revolt this week. His compatriot in charge of Cameroon, Paul Le Guen, has also been the focus of fury, and lobbying by players and politicians has forced him to change his formation and line-up for tonight's Group E game against Denmark.
It did not take long for Le Guen to lose his popularity and influence. He was initially hailed as a hero in Cameroon after salvaging the country’s stuttering qualification campaign following his appointment last July. But doubts about his methods emerged during January’s Africa Cup of Nations, when the team, who were among the tournament favourites, lost to Gabon in the group stages before being eliminated by Egypt in the quarter-finals.
The public decried the perceived negativity of his approach and senior players he left out, including Rigobert Song and Geremi, privately condemned his selections. That was aggravated by some player infighting that predates his arrival.
His strategy in Monday’s defeat by Japan both reflected and reinforced those problems.
Omitting Arsenal’s Alex Song from the starting line-up and refusing to bring him on even when Cameroon were trailing has been interpreted as a counterproductive rebuke to an erstwhile stalwart who has let it be known he believes his uncle, Rigobert, should play more regularly.
Le Guen also left out another of the team’s established players, the Real Betis midfielder Achille Emana, officially because he has been in poor form but also, most likely, because he is the leader of a dressingroom faction competing for influence with one marshalled by Samuel Eto’o.
Le Guen gave Song’s and Emana’s places to relative newcomers, controversially the 18-year-old Joel Matip. After Japan’s win Emana expressed his displeasure. “The young players cannot withstand the sort of pressure that comes with playing in big tournaments,” Emana said. “That is why we are appealing on the manager to rethink before the next game.”
Eto’o is expected to revert to his preferred central position tonight, and Alex Song and Emana should also return. Rigobert Song may even make a comeback, at the expense of the Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Sebastien Bassong, as may the midfielder Stephane Mbia, who played in the unfamiliar role of right-back against Japan.
Mbia suggested Geremi will also return. “All the big players will be back . . . there is no doubt we lacked experience against Japan. I will return to midfield,” he said.
Guardian Service
