The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe arrived in Cameroon on Thursday, September 16, 2021. The visit of the South African comes almost a month to the day after his last trip in Cameroon during which he was instead taken to the village of the president of Fecafoot.

There is so much under-the-table talk about the unannounced visit at a time when things are falling apart deep within the ruling CPDM crime syndicate as regards to the hosting of the African Nations Cup.

CAF has not given any reasons for this surprised meeting between the Cameroonian authorities and Dr. Patrice Motsepe. However, what we do know now is that the 88-year-old Biya shied away from today’s meeting with the CAF boss, Dr. Patrice Motsepe and the Secretary General Mr. Veron Mosengo-Omba.

CAF President met Prime Minister Dion Ngute and the Minister of Sports and Physical Education accused of many financial crimes in the organization of the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Cameroon Concord News gathered that the Minister of Sports and the so-called Dion Ngute government were not aware of this visit.

Dr. Patrice Motsepe reportedly complaint to the prime minister the delays in the organization, especially on the construction of the Olembe stadium, which is struggling to meet the deadline and will probably not be ready in November as announced by Professor Mouelle Kombi, Minister of Sports and Physical Education.

An informed source hinted this reporter that CAF may announce the relocation of the group from the 60 000 seats Olembe arena to another stadium. The construction of the Olembe stadium, the flagship of sports infrastructure in Cameroon is still on-going but it has been a source of glory and shame.

CAF has openly accused the Cameroonian authorities of having truncated the truth about the construction of the sports complex after the stadium hosted the Cameroon-Malawi match on September 3.

By Rita Akana

Manchester United Eric Djemba-Djemba has officially announced his retirement from football at the age of 40.

Djemba-Djemba rose to prominence at French club Nantes with impressive performances which resulted in his dream move to United in 2003.

Sir Alex Ferguson sanctioned a £3.5million move for the Cameroonian with the view of him potentially being Roy Keane’s long-term successor at the club.

It is safe to say things didn’t work out as planned for Djemba-Djemba at Old Trafford and he would only spend two years at the club before leaving for Aston Villa in 2005.

The highlight of his United career came when he scored the winner away against Leeds United in extra-time of a League Cup tie back in 2003.

Djemba-Djemba would go on to play for Burnley and St. Mirren in his later career but has been without a club since last signing for Swiss side Vallorbe-Ballaigues back in 2016.

“I can say to you today, that I’m officially retiring from playing football,” he confirmed to BritishGambler.co.uk. “I have an academy in Cameroon and I am going to focus on trying to help educate the young players there on how to become a footballer, and how to build a successful career as a footballer. “Today, I’m stopping playing football.”

Source: Manchester Evening News

Cameroon will carry out a series of anti-terrorism simulation exercises on September 28 to prepare against any terrorist attacks during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the country’s defense minister Joseph Beti Assomo said.

“This African football festival will be held in a context marked by tension. Because of this atmosphere, Cameroon must be able to ensure the safety of all,” Assomo said on Monday in the capital, Yaoundé during a high level meeting to plan for the simulation exercises which will be open to the public.

As part of the mock exercises, the army will simulate a terrorist attack in a stadium while a football match is in progress and stage a rescue operation, officials said during the meeting.

The army said, the exercises will not be held in response to a specific threat but noted that an armed separatist movement in the country’s Anglophone regions, Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North region and some security challenges in other parts of the Central African nation were reasons enough for the army to prepare for any eventuality.

AFCON, a biennial competition involving 24 African countries is scheduled to take place in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6 next year.

Source: Xinhaunet

Liverpool’s defender Joel Matip has turned down an invitation to resume his international career with Cameroon, Indomitable Lions coach Toni Conceicao has said.

Conceicao revealed that he had extended an invitation to all active Cameroon players who had previously declared themselves unavailable for selection when he took over as the new team boss.

Speaking at a press conference naming his 28-man squad for the 2022 World Cup qualifier against Malawi, Conceicao said he told all the players “the doors were open” – including Matip, who last played for Cameroon in 2015.

“The situation of Matip is not new,” he said.

“There are players who wanted to come back to the national team. For me there is no need to enlist a player who is not ready to return.

“Matip does not want to return to the national team, that is the issue”.

Matip decided to stay away from the team in 2016, citing mismanagement issues and bad experiences with the coaching staff.

Although named in the team’s squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, he did not travel and it was only at this point in time that his retirement from international football was revealed.

Another player whose return is controversial is goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa who last played for FC Ostende in the 2018/2020 season.

“Ondoa is a good player but for the past two years has been without a good club, and does not have enough play time” the coach insisted.

The option of using Ondoa had to be explored as Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana is unavailable until November, when a nine-month ban for use of an illegal substance expires.

Source: BBC

Host Cameroon has issued COVID-19 guidelines for Africa Cup of Nations final draw next week.

“Only invited persons with a COVID-19 negative test will be allowed to take part in the event,” Minister of sports and Physical education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi said in a statement released Friday, adding that the negative test must have a 72-hour validity as of Aug.

17, the day scheduled for the draw ceremony, and that special measures will be taken to test all guests.

Wearing of face masks will be mandatory and social distancing will be strictly applied, officials said.

At least 1,500 people will take part in the draw ceremony, which will take place in the country’s capital city of Yaoundé.

The Confederation of African Football initially scheduled the ceremony for June but postponed it due to “logistical reasons” caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Urdupointnews

The 24 qualified countries for next year’s continental showpiece will learn their fates in Cameroon next month

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has announced the draw for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations will take place on August 17 in Cameroon.

The event which was initially postponed in June due to logistics related to the coronavirus has the draw scheduled for the Yaounde Conference Centre at 18h00 GMT with the 24 qualified countries to be drawn into six groups of four.

The 2022 Afcon is expected to start on January 9 until February 6 with five host cities confirmed for the biennial tournament.

“Caf together with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of Cameroon announce that the draw for the final phase of the 33rd edition of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021, will take place on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at the Yaounde Conference Centre, Cameroon at 19h00 local time (18h00 GMT),” read a statement on the Caf website.

“The draw will see the 24 countries that will participate in next year’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations descend in the country ahead of the 9 January 2022 kick-off.

“Caf will release more information in due course including the draw procedure and special guests.”

The qualification series ended on June 15 after Sierra Leone pipped Benin 1-0 in Guinea to secure the last ticket to Cameroon and the second spot in Group L, behind Nigeria.

Host nation Cameroon are in Pot 1 alongside Algeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Nigeria and Morocco while Egypt, Ghana, Mali, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Burkina Faso are in Pot 2. In Pot 3, there is Cape Verde, Gabon, Mauritania, Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. Sudan, Malawi, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Gambia make Pot 4.

The tournament was first planned to take place between June and July 2021, but it was brought back to the January/February window in 2021 due to unfavourable climatic conditions in Cameroon. Caf was forced to move the tournament after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted economic activities and football’s calendar last year.

Source: Goal.com

Initially led by the Italian Gruppo Piccini, the construction of the Paul Biya Stadium is now being handled by Magil construction.

The Canadian company Magil has been drawing on its own funds to carry out work on the Paul Biya Stadium, which is due to welcome the Africa Cup of Nations in January and February 2022. Now, it desperately wants to be paid.

The Biya criminal gang in Yaoundé recently pleaded for a suspension of interest payments on its sovereign debt with the right hand and with the left hand the regime called on the banks to loan it more money to enable it to complete construction of the Paul Biya Stadium.

All what the so-called CPDM barons claimed to have done with the money received for the Africa Cup of Nations project ranges from plain fiction to the absurd.

Correspondingly, Franck Mathière, the vice-president of the group building stadiums for the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime returned to the country in April after obtaining a suspension of the Interpol Red Notice against him. The Frenchman was detained in Ukraine after Nigeria issued the warrant.

The appearance in Yaoundé on 15 April of the vice-president of Canadian group Magil Construction, Franck Mathière, alongside sports minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi raised eyebrows both in Yaoundé and Abuja.

How could the Frenchman have returned when only a few weeks earlier, he was banned from leaving Ukraine due to an Interpol Red Notice issued against him? His case has set tongues wagging in Nigeria – which issued the international arrest warrant in 2018, accusing him of corruption – but in Cameroon, where Magil is leading the construction of the Olembe stadium he is seen as a messiah.

While his country is struggling to pay contractors who are laboring to build a football stadium in his honour, Mr Paul Biya returned to his Swiss Intercontinental Hotel last week and reportedly had a brain surgery in Geneva.

Herbert Schott, the former general manager of the Intercontinental Hotel wrote in his book L’Hôtelier published in 2007 that the 88-year-old President Biya’s loyalty to the 5-star Intercontinental hotel borders on obsession. Since his accession to the presidency until 2017, the estimated cost of his stays amounted to $ 65 million (FCFA 36 116 697 500).

To be sure, the man who has engineered the worst corruption machinery in Cameroon’s history spends $ 40 000 (FCFA 22 168 161) per night for the entire Biya delegation.

By Rita Akana with files from Africa Intelligence

Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) needs to be restructured as part of the efforts to rebuild it and restore public confidence, the federation’s president Seidou Mbombo Njoya said on Tuesday.

“It’s important we adopt worthy statutes that will permit good functioning and organisation of FECAFOOT. We need an objective and neutral electoral code, a transparent disciplinary code, and a transparent financial mechanism,” Njoya said in the capital Yaounde at the start of an extraordinary general assembly of the federation.

“At the end of this general assembly, resolutions need to reflect a modern and dynamic FECAFOOT that will guarantee the development of our football far away from incessant conflict. We should write a new page of our federation,” he added.

FECAFOOT has been plagued by managerial, corrupt, and financial crises for several years and this needs to stop, sports officials said.

Njoya said the restructuring of the football governing body was fundamental as the Central African country prepares to host the Africa Cup of Nations next year.

Source: Xinhaunet

There has been intense speculation surrounding the future of Anguissa in the last period.

The reports in England suggested that Everton are linked with surprise move for Fulham midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

The 25-year-old has been subject to interest from various European clubs.

The Cameroon international joined Fulham from Marseille for a fee in the region of 24.85 million euros in August 2018. His contract expires in the summer of 2023.

The midfielder has provided three assists in 34 matches this term on all fronts.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa has also left his mark at the international stage after netting three goals in 26 senior appearances for the Cameroon national team.

His performances have seen him become the target of many European clubs including Everton.

The report details that Carlo Ancelotti feels his midfield currently lacks some bite and that he could strengthen this summer.

Ancelotti is a firm fan of Fulham midfielder and Everton could make a move for the player if the financial aspect makes sense.

The Toffees are desperate to make an impact in the summer transfer window.

The Cameroon international will offer the Everton boss the freedom to be more flexible with his formations, tactics and team selections.

According to the report, “Everton are chasing Fulham midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa for the summer market. Calciomercato reports Everton are lining up move for Zambo Anguissa. The Cameroon international has been ever-present for Scott Parker’s side this season, playing in 30 of their 34 Premier League games.”

If Everton can agree on a fee with Fulham, the deal should be easy to complete. Fulham are preparing to sell their midfielder should they receive right offer for him.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa ideal fit for Everton? If Anguissa is available for the right price, then he could be a clever acquisition for Everton.

The Premier League side need to add more depth to their midfield and the 25-year-old would be a good signing.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa has all the skillset required to be a success story at Everton. Therefore, it makes sense for Ancelotti to step up his attempts to bring the Cameroon midfielder to Everton.

It will be interesting to see if the Toffees can beat their rivals to the midfielder’s signature.

Source: eurofootballrumours.com

Former Cameroon international Alex Song has turned to the construction business to make extra money, according to reports on Wednesday.

Song is in the process of building a block of flats in his home country, having created and funded a construction company.

According to UK publication The Sun, Song already built a Canadian International School and College in Douala, in 2020.

Song confirmed the reports on his instagram page, saying “Nokay 17 Residence, number two.”

The 33-year-old defensive midfielder made 49 appearances for Cameroon from 2005 to 2014. In that time he played in the 2010 and 2014 Fifa World Cups. Song announced his retirement from international football in January 2015 at the age of 27, in a move to extend his club career.

His retirement may have been precipitated by his omission from the Cameroon squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations which was announced, in December 2014, a month before his retirement.

Song spent the majority of his career at English Premier League side Arsenal, making 133 appearances for The Gunners from 2006 to 2012. In that time he scored seven goals, and did not win any trophies.

Song signed for Spanish giants Barcelona in August 2012, on a five-year contract for a 15 million pound transfer fee. He would go on to make 39 appearances for Barcelona, and scoring one goal. With Barcelona, Song was part of the squad which won the 2012/2013 La Liga title.

Source: African News Agency (ANA)