Cameroon on Monday
named a 23-man squad for this month’s international friendly against Kuwait in
Kuwait City.
Interim head coach Alexandre Belinga made the squad public
on Monday during a press conference at the headquarters of the Cameroon
Football Federation in Yaounde.
Three goalkeepers, seven defenders, seven midfielders and
six forwards were called up for the game scheduled for March 25 in Kuwait.
The game marks the start of Cameroon’s on field preparations
for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations which they will host in June next year.
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| Alexandre Belinga named his squad for the Kuwait friendly |
As expected, Alexandre Belinga has handed calls to Idriss carlos kameni, Choupo Moting, Kana
Biyick, Andre Onana and Allan Nyom who had shut the door behind them due to off
field issues.
Their return
was widely expected last week following a « reconciliation meeting »
held last week in the French capital Paris with the President of the Normalisation
Committee Dieudonné Happi.
« The
national team belongs to Cameroonians and we will work hard to see that those
who are eligible (to play for the team) are called up, » interim coach
Alexandre Beling said as he justified their return.
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| The players met with the Normalisation Committee in Paris |
Some of these
players had either turned their backs on the team or been ignored by the
various coaches who have have recently led the national team.
It is the case
with goalkeeper Idris Carlos Kameni who returns to the fold after almost two
years in the cold following a misunderstanding first with Volker Finke and
later with Hugo Broos. His last appearance was coincidentally handed by
Alexandre Belinga back in November 2015 for a World Cup qualifiier against
Niger.
The 34-year old
will battle for a spot between the sticks alongside Andre Onana who is equally
returning after a self-imposed exile from the team. The Ajax Amsterdam shot stopper
(27games played this season) turned his back on the Indomitable Lions after
being frustrated with his back up role to Fabrice Ondoua.
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| Kameni has been out of the national team fold since 2015 |
Onana’s case
was one too many for former coach Hugo Broos to handle. The Belgian was unable
to properly deal with Eric Maxim Choupo Moting’s tantrums as he most often
resorted to a public hairdryer treatment of the player. . The decision to strip
the Stoke City forward of the vice captaincy as well as drop him altogether
from the team did not sit down well with the player. Choupo’s place in the team
was even questioned after feigning an injury just moments coming on to the
pitch in their heavy World Cup qualifier drubbing against Nigeria in Oyo. Images
of the striker banging a brace for Stoke City compounded his miseries as
question marks were raised on his commitments for the national cause further
straining his relationship with the technical bench.
Like Choupo,
Kana Biyik has never really settled into the national fold since switching
allegiance from his country of birth(France) to play for his parents’
country(Cameroun). Back up to Nicolas Nkoulou and Aurelien Chedjou, his
frustration was compounded by his omission from the 2014 World Cup squad. Kana
Biyik could not hold back as he lashed at the management of the team as well
as officials of the football federation before shutting the door behind him.
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| Kana Biyik has made 23 appearances this season |
The exit cue
will later be followed by fellow defender Allan Nyom who turned his back on the
team before the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations following several run ins with
management and authorities. The West Bromwich Albion defender maintained his
stance even after post Afcon advances from the federation.
The new comers
The return of these
« forgotten men » has overshadowed maiden calls handed to Stephane
Bahoken (Strasbourg-France), Leandre Tawamba(Partizan Belgrade-Serbia) and Ngah
Fabrice (Difaâ El Jadida –Morocco).
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| Ngah Fabrice's has been rewarded with a call to the national team |
Ngah Fabrice
would be hoping for a taste of international football after bidding his time
with Moroccan side Difaâ El Jadida. The 20-year old left-footed defender has
chipped in with 12 matches at the back this season for the Moroccan side and
would be bidding his time in the learning curve when he joins up with his new team
mates in two weeks.
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| Tawamba has scored nine league goals this season |
On his part, Leandre Tawamba rounded off a brilliant weekend
with a goal in Partizan Belgrade’s two nil victory over against Čukarica taking
his tally to nine league goals for the season. His red hot form in front of
goal both in the league and Europa League this season has earned him a maiden
call to the national setup. In addition to the regular strikers, Tawamba would
have to compete with another new comer Stephane Bahoken in order to lead the
line for Cameroon against Kuwait on March 25.
Full squad
Goalkeepers :ONDOA Fabrice, (Sevilla-Spain), ONANA Andre,(Ajax-Holland ),
KAMENI Carlos, (Fenerbahçe-Turkey)
Defenders
FAI Colins, (Standard de Liège- Belgium), EBOA EBOA Félix, (FC Guingamp-France) NGAH Fabrice, (Jadidi DifaHassani-Morocco), NGADEU Ngadjui, (Slavia Prague Czech) TEIKEU adolphe, (FC Sochaux-France), YAYA Banana, (Panionios-Greece), KANA BIYICK Jean Armel, (Kayserispor-Turkey)
Midfielders
ZAMBO Anguissa, (Olympique Marseille France) SIANI sebastien, (FC Anwerp-Belgium) NYOM Allan, (West Bromwich Albion FC England), MANDJECK Georges, (FC Metz-France), BASSOGOG Christian, (Henan-China), NJIE Clinton, (Olympique Marseille-France) MOUKANDJO Benjamin,( FC Jiangsu Suning-Chine)
Strikers
OLINGA Fabrice, (FC Moucron-Belgium), ABOUBAKAR Vincent, FC Porto (Portugal), BAHOKEN
