Cameroon coach can't read player's name
During the press conference announcing the 26 Cameroonian players, broadcast live on television last week, Song hesitated and confused many times when he probably did not know how to pronounce the names of the players. Assistant Augustine Simo was forced to intervene and help Song read the names of the players correctly.
Souaibou Marou - one of the two players playing in the Cameroon national league called up to Qatar - is the name that Song has the most difficulty with. Initially, he read the player's name as "Souaidabou", causing the press conference to become a stir for a few seconds.
Then, Song tried to pronounce Souaibou's name correctly, and thanked the reporters. During the press conference, the 46-year-old coach was annoyed and repeatedly looked to the right.
"It is strange to see a coach struggling to read the names of the players on his own list," commented Sport News Africa.
Also according to Sport News Africa, Song was not the one to choose 26 players for the 2022 World Cup. President of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) Samuel Eto'o was accused of abuse of power and "putting great pressure" on making the list of the national team. attend the World Cup.
Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui - a central defender who has joined the Cameroon national team since 2016, scoring four goals in 51 matches - is a significant absence. In the opposite direction, Souaibou Marou and Jerome Ngom were on the list to go to Qatar, despite having just made their debut in a friendly match against Jamaica 0-0 on 9/11.
The stars in the Cameroon squad for the 2022 World Cup include Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana, Napoli midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Bayern striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and captain Vincent Aboubakar.
Qatar 2022 is Cameroon's 8th World Cup, a record of African football. Historically, African football's best performance at the World Cup was in the quarterfinals, going to Cameroon 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
Rigobert Song used to be a famous midfielder of Cameroon football, completely playing in Europe. He played for Metz, Salernitana, Liverpool, West Ham, Cologne, Lens, Galatasaray and Trabzonspor, respectively. At the national team level, Song scored 5 goals in 137 matches and participated in 4 World Cups - 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010.
Song worked as coach of Cameroon U23s from 2018 to 2022, and was promoted to lead the team after Portugal coach Antonio Conceicao was sacked in February. He helped Cameroon win tickets to Qatar when he overcame Algeria thanks to the goal score rule. away, drawing 2-2 through two legs, in the 2022 World Cup qualifier - Africa region.
- They: Simon Ngapandouetnbu, Devis Epassy, Andre Onana.
- Players: Nicolas Nkoulou, Christopher Wooh, Nouhou Tolo, Oliver Mbaizo, Collins Fai, Jean-Charles Castelletto, Enzo Ebosse.
- Players: Oliver Ntcham, Pierre Kunde, Martin Hongla, Samuel Gouet, Gael Ondoua, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Jerome Ngom.
- Players: Moumi Ngamaleu, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, Vincent Aboubakar, Karl Toko Ekambi, Jean-Pierre Nsame, Bryan Mbeumo, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Christian Bassogog, Marou Souaibou.
