Cameroon reinstate Brys as head coach as Eto’o apologises
Marc Brys has been reinstated as coach of Cameroon after Samuel Eto’o, the president of the country’s football federation (Fecafoot), apologised for a row which led to the Belgian being replaced just two days ago.
Fecafoot put Martin Ndtoungou in interim charge of the Indomitable Lions on Tuesday night after Eto’o and Brys were involved in a heated exchange earlier that day when they met for the first time.
Brys had been appointed by Cameroon’s sports ministry in April but Fecafoot expressed its “great astonishment” at the move and said the decision had been “taken unilaterally”.
Eto’o confirmed the 62-year-old would remain in his position during a news conference on Thursday, with 2026 World Cup qualifiers on the horizon in early June.
“I apologise because during our first unfortunate meeting, there was a lot of emotion,” former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker Eto’o said.
“The Cameroonian people are more important than us, and it is for them that we must work.”
Eto’o and Brys met at Fecafoot’s offices in Yaounde on Tuesday but videos on social media showed a fiery conversation between the pair before the Belgian swiftly left.
Eto’o, 43, has been president of Fecafoot since December 2021 and was also shown having a row with an official from the sports ministry.
A statement by the governing body cited “disrespectful comments” by Brys and “an outright refusal to collaborate” among several reasons for replacing the Belgian.
It said that Ndtoungou would name a squad for World Cup qualifiers against Cape Verde and Angola on 8 and 11 June respectively – but it now appears that Brys will issue the call-ups instead.
“Your mission is not an easy one despite your qualities and experience, but you should know that you will have our support,” Eto’o added.
Brys now looks set to take charge of his first international games after the latest development in the power struggle between Cameroon’s sports ministry and Fecafoot.
The Central Africans are top of qualifying Group D with four points from two games, with the group winners assured of a place at the finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
