Football Diary Cameroon

Look At Day 19 Matches In Cameroon’s Premier League

2011-05-23T20:00:00.000+01:00

Cameroon - By Macdonald Ayang Okumb - Matches counting for the 19 day of play in the national elite one football championship of Cameroon were played over the weekend with a lot of action-packed moments.

The lone South West outfit in the struggle, Tiko United alias the Samba boys had a dramatic 1-1 draw with one of Cameroon’s oldest club sides, Canon sportif from the nation’s capital Yaounde.

The former took the lead earlier on in the match but the visitors soon equalized with football pundits blaming the goal on a poor decision taken by the central referee to the disfavor of the host side.

Trouble-hit caiman formerly managed by star musician Petit Pays, struggled to escape the claws of relegation, at least for now, with a 2-0 stunning of the visiting Renaissance club of Ngoumou.

Current league leaders and champions Coton sport of Garoua owned by Cameroon’s Football Federation president Iya Mohammed bashed the Football club of the Ngoundere university by 4 goals to 0 at the Roumde Ajia stadium where Cameroon’s national team lastly played its international home fixture. The following are the rest of the results.

Lausanne- Scorpion of Mbe

0-1

Les Astres of Douala – Sable of Batie

2-1

Unisport of Bafang – YOSA of Bamenda

1-0

Panthère of Bangante - Union of Douala

1-2

A Look At Day 15 Action In Cameroon’s Premier football league

2011-04-16T12:50:00.001+01:00

Cameroon - by Macdonald Ayang Okumb - Cameroon’s flag ship football championship, the MTN elite one football championship had its day 15 action last Sunday 9 April 2011 in various stadiums across the country.

The matches produced thrilling action, but there were however great surprises for some big names in the league, as they were held to draws. The lone outfit in the championship from south west Cameroon, Tiko United hosted their most feared rival Coton Sport of Garoua whose owner Iya Mohammed is president of the Cameroon football federation, FECAFOOT.

The hotly contested match ended in a 1-1 draw. Another Anglophone club Yong Sport Academy from the North West held their visitors Canon Sportif of Yaoundé to a goalless draw. What a tough match it was for both sides. The match took place at the old Mankon municipal stadium. The Douala derby between Union and Caiman that took place at the Douala reunification stadium ended in a goalless draw. Below are the other results of the day

Lausanne- Ngaoundéré University Football club (1-1)

Scorpion – Sable of Batie (1-0)

Astres of Douala – Panthère of Nde (2-3)

Unisport of Bafang – Renaissance of Ngoumou (3-0)

A look at the national division two football championship

The MTN elite two league was in its sixteen day of play over the weekend of April 9 and 10 2011 and the matches were disputed in various play grounds across the country with following results obtained.

Roumdé Adjia Garoua-Tonnerre of Yaoundé (1-3)

CNIV/UIC-Matelots (4-1)

Douala Athletic Club - Mayo Rey (2-1)

APEJES Mfou - Achille (0-0)

Avenir - Aigle of the Menoua (2-0)

Sahel of Maroua- Santos Koza (0-1)

Fovu club of Baham - Njalla Quan sports academy of Bimbia, Limbe (0-0)

Fovu of Baham are the current champions of the football cup of Cameroon. They played in the senior championship last season but were sanctioned with relegation by the national football governing body, FECAFOOT after they were charge with unacceptable conducts.

What's killing regional football?

2011-04-01T09:05:00.000+01:00

Cameroon - by Ivo Ngong Mua - What’s killing Cameroon’s Regional second tier football championships?Cameroon’s regional division two football championships in general and in the South West Region in particular seem to have begun losing their hitherto pump and pageantry, a thing many have blamed on the continual organizational lapses masterminded by officials of the country’s football governing body, FECAFOOT.

It has also been noticed with a lot of dismay that many fans no longer go to stadiums in the regions to watch Division 2 league games. Rather many have preferred to watch inter-quarter football competitions or regional school games where they claim they enjoy a lot of fireworks.

Jammed to full capacity

In the early 80s and the late 90s for instance when clubs like Tiko United played against Elect sport of Limbe (which is now defunct), Avenir of Douala versus Leopard of Douala, PWD of Bamenda and Bafut United, all of the North West Region and Sahel of Maroua versus their Far North sister club Kolie, the stadiums were always jammed to full capacity.

Hardly no income

At the time, the clubs benefited from huge financial support from institutions like the Cameroon development corporation CDC, the national oil refinery SONARA, the public works department, Cameroon railway company CAMRAIL, Cameroon cement company CIMENCAM, the electricity supply company known then as SONEL just to mention a few, but today the story is quite different. Owners of regional football clubs have been left to their fate. Even the little money that comes in as sponsorship is either siphoned by individuals for self aggrandizement or is simply mismanaged.

Lack of motivation

Some bookmakers believe that the lack of sponsors for these clubs is at the back bone of their dwindling fortunes, because most of the regional championship players are not well motivated so they want to look elsewhere for greener pasture. And so because the quality of play is poor, compounded by the lack of animation at stadiums during matches, fans simply prefer to stay at home and watch their European championship matches or films.

EU vs grassroots

“Imagine that Chelsea FC and say Arsenal have an English premier league clash at a weekend, and you expect me to go and waste my time watching Victoria Shooting stars and Saint Peters Warriors?”, all clubs in Cameroon’s southwest regional second tier championship, a fan in Buea once questioned this reporter.

No stands so no sold seats

For others, the poor state of Cameroon’s football infrastructure is what’s discouraging fans from watching regional league matches. “How can fans go to a stadium and then don’t have a place to sit, or sit in constant fear that the walls could crack and collapse?”, a football devotee in Douala remarked. The state of the pitches is also a cause for concern.

Support local competition

In all of this, the cries of many fans are that Cameroon’s football governing body should once more revisit its position on the regional championship and not only invest all resources in the first and second tier national championships.

Reporters turned to puppets

2011-04-01T09:00:00.000+01:00

Cameroon - Buea - Most sport reporters in the South West Region of Cameroon who were before now well treated have been reduced to mere baggers. A clear example is during the close of the 2009-2010 season where Fecafoot officials gave journalists who had meticulously covered the championship deaf ears and it was even alleged that some journalists of the private press from the city of Limbe were each given FCFA 2,500 (circa 5 USD).

Press for free but far from cheap

Meanwhile some reporters were said to have spent immense sums of money from their pockets rushing to the regional Fecafoot office in Buea, South West capital city, through out the season to collect match information.

No press, no publicity hence no sponsors

The worst scenario happened during the launch of this current regional division 2 season in Kumba. Reporters that had gone to cover the event were left to languish under the burning sun, and not even a bottle of water was made available to them by the Fecafoot officials. We gathered reliably that most private press organs in Limbe and Buea have refrained from reporting any information on the league matches.

Promise to get better

Whatever the case, with the giving of some money to all ten regional bureaux that make up the Fecafoot body, it is strongly believed that things are going to change for the better.

The First Step Of Many

2011-03-29T08:18:00.001+01:00

Cameroon - Buea - Hello there, all you enthusiasts of the beautiful game of football. We of Football Cameroon wish you an exciting and prosperous new year 2011. Football Cameroon is a new football site that seeks to join in the celebration of the power of football, the world’s most prestigious sports.

There’s no gainsaying that football which many people prefer to refer to as soccer in parts of the world, is one of the most widely talked about issues in Cameroon today, far more talked about than politics. The game has often been referred to as a unifying factor, for it has even reached a point where each time the indomitable lions, (the country’s national football team) win, Cameroonians feel like all their worries are over.

Publish the hidden facts

Therefore for a keen sports- loving public like that of Cameroon which adores the game of football, and which has developed an unprecedented inclination to web-based knowledge search operations, the football Cameroon website team thought it wise to come up with such a web-based publication that could bring to them all the hidden facts they need to know about Cameroonian football.

Keep in touch worldwide

Our genuine belief is that by publishing in-depth facts about Cameroonian football on the web, we would be building a unique platform for projecting local talents in the beautiful game; keep Cameroonians in the Diaspora and other lovers of Cameroonian football abreast of the up-to-date information on their favorite players both nationally and internationally. We also seek to present our fans and readers with credible football facts and statistics that would render their local football debates and discussions more interesting and meaningful.

Focus on human development

Also given the fact that sports especially football can be said to be one of those vital and practical tools used in the achievement process of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, we intend to use our outlet to partner with institutions and organizations that focus on human development activities so that the desired goals can be achieved.

Support by ad-ing

Since football is now considered as the vehicle that can drive advertisement messages quickly to potential consumers of products, we therefore urge readers to advertise on our site at very affordable rates.

The first step of many

Former Chinese leader Mao Tse Tung once said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. So too this initiative of promoting and celebrating football, a unifying factor, embarked on by a team of dexterous young men who want to trail a thousand miles, is also beginning with this first step. After all, it is said that what ever is big today didn’t begin so.

Fair play

True it is that for this move to succeed, we expect to operate in a supportive and collaborative atmosphere in which feedback, in the form of comments and critiques from you fans and lovers of our work, would play a great role in enabling us maintain an ever-improving attitude, in order to always give you the best. We wish you all a happy reading. And please do leave a comment. See you in the field or on the side lines.

The team of www.FootballCameroon.com - The Football Diaries

Limbe Government Delegate Wins Limbe Best Sports Man Award

2011-03-21T17:47:00.000+01:00

Cameroon - Limbe - By Clextus Abong - Sports fans in the city of Limbe in south west Cameroon have voted the Government Delegate to the city council Mutanga Andrew Monjimba as their best sports personality of the year 2010 in an exercise that was organised by sports journalists in Limbe. Mr. Mutanga was crowned winner after results from some three radio stations in the city were compiled following two weeks of voting.

Five personalities were nominated for this award which was in its maiden edition, with Messrs Tchio Thomas, Henry Njalla Quan, Chaiman of the Cameroon Development Corporation, Andrew Mutanga Monjimba, Chief Dr Kemajo Brisco and Madam Helen Sakwe as nominees. After one week of voting, the list of five was reduced to three in a very stiff competitive atmosphere, between Messrs Tchio Thomas, Henri Njalla Quan and Andrew Mutanga Monjimba.

The last week of voting saw Mr. Mutanga emerge as winner ahead of Njalla Quan and Tchio Thomas.

Speaking to sports journalists after being voted as Limbe sports man of the year, Mr. Mutanga pledged his unflinching support and concern to see that sports infrastructure are developed and maintained in the city of Limbe. The Limbe city council boss confided that he will remain open to any sports proposals that would be positive to the community and promised that this award would go a long way to stir him up to more work in the municipality and beyond.

He also said he was very impressed that fans were taking note of every bit of work he did to develop sports in the city, and Cameroon at large.

He made it clear that he will continue to work hard to see the enhancement of sports development. To that effect, the construction of a befitting fence around the Limbe community field has gone underway. The volley ball, handball and basket ball courts have also been renovated thanks to Mr. Mutanga. He also promised that the famous Limbe city council inter-quarter football competition baptised ' Limbe New Look' would take a different dimension this coming summer holidays, in order to lucratively occupy the youth of the city.

The age-old Limbe centenary stadium has witnessed some changes as the dressing rooms and tribune A of the stadium have been given a new look.

Mr. Mutanga actually received his award from the Limbe city chapter of the Association of sports journalists in Cameroon.

Mount Cameroon Race 2011

2011-03-15T09:08:00.000+01:00

Cameroon - Buea - By Macdonald Ayang Okumb - Organisers Repeat Old Mistakes, Winning Records Change. The 16th edition of the mount Cameroon race of hope that took place on Saturday 26 February 2011 in Buea, south west Cameroon, has come and gone with its organizers failing to avoid some of the shortcomings they recorded in the previous edition of the race, while some stunning records were however set by winners of this year’s event.

Despite the many complaints from inhabitants of Buea, the town in which the race is run, on the need to change the trend of events this year, the race was apparently still run from the nation’s capital Yaounde.

Irregularities such as the non-availability of the list of athletes to press men on time, late start of publicity, delays in disbursement of funds to the local organisng committee, absence of athletes’ names on the final list of runners, late handing over of jerseys to athletes, poor lodging amongst other things, characterised this year’s edition of the annual mountaineering event.

“All apparently went well but we would have loved to see a much better organised race. Most of the athletes were still up at 1 am on the eve of the event to collect their T-shirts. There were even delays in taking some of the athletes to where they were supposed to lodge”, the chief of Muea HRH Dr. David Molinge lamented to footballcameroon.com

Earlier on the eve of the event, where athletes went through the medical fitness test, some of them footballcameroon.com spoke to, expressed a lot of frustration that their names were not on the list. Also according to the head of the medical team that carried out the screening exercise Mr. Lawrence Tabi, the exercise got stalled at one point in time, as all the list of the athletes by region, could not be made available to them readily.

The huge euphoria that hitherto characterised the race in the days of Guinness sponsorship could not be felt in this year’s edition. Spectators expressed disgust that the Molyko omnisport stadium was not jammed to full capacity as it used to be in the years past.

New winning records

This year’s winner in all categories of the mount Cameroon race of hope created special records in different ways. The winner in the men’s senior category Eric Mbacham won in 4 hours 29 seconds, after emerging 3rd in the previous edition. Eric Mbacham won gold for the first time in that category; something he said was motivated by his wife. He crossed the finish line still looking strong as though he could run many more kilometers. Godlove Gabsibuin repeated the same feat he recorded in 2010 by emerging 2nd while Lawan Ibrahim from FAP-Yaounde finished 3rd.

For the female category, Yvonne Ngwaya created a new record by becoming only the 2nd lady to win the race three times back to back after the queen of the mountain Sarah Liengu Etonge, after she (Yvonne) won in 2009 and 2010. She won it in 5hours 33minutes. Sarah Etonge won the race 4 times in a row, 7 times overall and Yvonne is set to reach that feat too. In the relay category, the Roger Giyah-led team of the elegance pressing athletics club, won gold. All winners were from the North West region.

It should be noted that due to the appalling manner in which the 2011 mount Cameroon race was organised, including the shabby way in which most of the athletes were treated, the North West Athletics Federation which usually produces most of the winners of the event has said it is backing out of it. Its president Edward Ngalla announced recently in a press conference in Bameda, capital of the North West region that the federation was fed up with the recurrent mess and was ready to organise its own regional annual mountaineering event. The question now is whether government will approve of such a move.

Tit bits of the 2011 race

After the athletes kicked off the race at 7 am Saturday, the spectators at the Molyko omnisport stadium who didn’t leave stayed around catching fun. The famous “Ngando Piqué” and his band, thrilled the public meanwhile many officials and fans scrambled in what could be described as a once in a life time opportunity to get photographs with Cameroon’s legendary footballer Albert Roger Milla. Many also wondered why the military helicopter that usually flew around the mountain for aerial photographs and for security surveillance during the race was not present this time. The burning sun pushed many to either go for cold sachet water or yoghurt.

A torrential rain in Buea on the eve of the race delayed the launching ceremony to about 5: 30 pm Friday, instead of the scheduled 3pm and the ceremony was presided over by sports minister Michel Zoah. Fresh rains at the launching caused the traditional rulers who poured libations to run helter skelter. Athletes told footballcameroon the mountain was quite slippery because of the heavy rains the previous day.

Footballcameroon.com also met the youngest athlete of the race, 12 year old Cornelius Mentang, a class six pupil of Government school Oku in the North West region who emerged 20th in the junior category, and the young lad looked brave and strong.

It’s worth noting that over 600 athletes, 33 of which were foreigners took part in this year’s mount Cameroon race of hope that was presided over by the minister of sports and physical education Michel Zoah in the company of other top government officials. The race ran on a budget of FCFA116 million and the first three winners in both the male and female categories bagged home FCFA 3, 2 and 1 million as prize money respectively, while other participants received FCFA 10,000.

Ugly scene with the private press

Journalists of the private press that were accredited to cover the mountain race were almost frustrated by the south west communication delegate Chris Enow Mbakwa Oben who refused to give their press financial package on grounds that they should first publish their reports on the event, whereas the state media CRTV and Cameroon Tribunes, as well as other private media who got accreditation from Yaounde had already received theirs.

After the closing ceremony of the race, the delegate quietly sneaked into his car and zoomed off, leaving the press men stranded. When they stormed Capitol Hotel where the official cock tail for dignitaries at the race was taking place, he was no where to be found. The irate journalists reported the matter to the secretary general at the south west governor’s office Handerson Quetong and the south west regional athletics president Emmanuel Motomby, who both tried in vain to call the delegate.

The athletics president and other reliable officials assured the journalist that their package was already with their delegate and that every media organ was sure to receive at least FCFA 20,000 (circa 45 US dollars). To the greatest shock of the press men, the delegate on Monday 28 February 2011 gave each media organ only half (FCFA 10,000) of what was expected, frustrating reporters who had come from far way towns of the region, and told some of the private TV that nothing was for them.

It should be noted that the south west communication delegate has hardly had a pass mark in terms of his relationship with the private press in Buea especially. He even dares tell journalists how to write stories each time he’s in charge of their financial package.

Is Alain Wabo’s Ghost Haunting Tiko United?

2011-02-23T15:51:00.000+01:00

Alain Wabo

Cameroon - Buea - By Ivo Ngong Mua - The lone South West outfit in Cameroon’s football top flight known as the MTN elite one football championship, Tiko United popularly known as the samba boys started the 2010-2011 football season with Alain Robinson Wabo alias “Capello” as their head coach for a second spell with the Tiko club. But since the death of the trainer in the morning of Monday 25 October 2010, the club side has witnessed an unprecedented nose-five awful performance.

The current poor form of the club that was hitherto a reference name in Anglophone Cameroon football has pushed many a fan to ask the question as to whether their recent poor showing could be attributed to the disgraceful manner in which they treated the man who died in active service as their head trainer.

3 wins in 11 league games

The samba boys after eleven league games already played in the premiership, have reaped just 13 points which still leave them lingering around the relegation zone. They have won 3 games, drawn 4 and lost 4. But away from the belief by many that it is mere ill luck that is befalling the team following the passing away of “Capello”, we also learnt that the Tiko side is also being plagued by other crucial difficulties. Sources within the ranks of the club’s management hinted that the side has been cash-strapped, and this has led to the poor recruitment of more young players to replace the somewhat aging ones. In all of these, there are fears that the “darling” club could be relegated to the inferior second tier championship if things continue in this way.

No official allegedly attended Wabo’s funeral

The erstwhile Tiko United tactician Alain Wabo died on the eve of the day the club was to have its first ordinary congress of the current football season. When the remains of the late star football trainer were removed from Douala, they were conveyed to his Buea residence where a requiem mass was celebrated in his honour after which they were later transferred to his native town of Bandjoun in the west region of Cameroon. Sources told us that no Tiko United official purportedly answered present at the mortuary in Douala when he was about being removed, and to make things worse, none was also said to have attended his burial in the village.

Fans want conciliatory mass for Wabo

Held neck-deep in this mess and for a club that is involved in continental assignments this season, many fans and enthusiasts of the samba boys are worried. They have begun calling for quick solutions to the problems of their club and for the celebration of a mass for Wabo for “conciliation”. It’s not too long that the team had a new coach, the second since Wabo’s demise, in the person of Justin Kamgue, but other fans feel that the entire management body should be sacked, and a new one put in place. Others opine that the club should seek the face of God for cleansing.

Alain Wabo: the man, the coach

Alain Robinson Wabo who was popularly known as Capello was born on the 26th of June 1972 in Bandjoun in the west region of Cameroon. He had a rich coaching profile and would be remembered for his untiring and steadfast attitude each time he did his job. He coached teams such as Oryx of Douala and Aigles of Nkonsamba all in the littoral region, Stade Bandjoun FC, Mount Cameroon FC of Buea where he won the football cup of Cameroon in 2002 and the Roger Milla super cup. He also coached Panthere sportive of Nde in the west region.

Coach

In 2007, he qualified Tiko United football club to the elite one championship, a club which he was coach of at the time of his death. On the national scene, “Capello” took the U-20 indomitable lions of Cameroon to the U-20 Africa cup of nations in Rwanda in 2009 and finished as runners-up. Later the same year, he led the same squad to the U-20 world championship in Egypt, but was eliminated in the group stage after playing in the same group with South Korea, Germany and the United States of America.

Out of Cameroon

Wabo coached first division club sides in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. He won 3 league titles with Equato-Guinean club Renaciemento FC, and took Gabonese club TeleStars to higher heights. Wabo would be remembered by many as one who did his job and did it meticulously. He passed on at the age of 38, leaving behind a wife, toddler and many relatives.

Mafia in Cameroon’s South West Football League exposed

2011-02-21T22:26:00.000+01:00

Cameroon - Buea - By Ivo Ngong Mua - The south west regional league of Cameroon’s football governing body FECAFOOT, which has always been the best in the country, producing the best grains from some legendary teams such as Victoria United, Elect Sport of Limbe and Mount Cameroon football club of Buea, just to mention a few, in the past years has been plagued with corrupt and dishonest practices vis- a- vis the promotion or relegation of clubs based on merit.

The current regional football season which started last December 2010 is a clear example of the afore-mentioned fact. A total of 13 clubs are playing in the championship, and how some teams got promoted to it, is a million dollar question.

Officials being bribed

Allegations are rife of officials being bribed here and there in order to let teams that do not merit the chance, to play in the championship. The case of Saint Peter of Ekondo-Titi in Ndian division playing in the league puts to indisputable question, the veracity of their qualification claim, since there is no Ndian 3rd Division league.

Kumba Lakers

Worst of all, the championship started with PWD of Kumba playing the opening game whereas last season, they were relegated to the 3rd division and Kumba Lakers were declared winners by general forfeiture by the same south west fecafoot officials handling the championship.

Better standards

May be, these teams passed through the back door, after buying over officials with money. This issue strictly puts to question the direction to which Cameroon’s football future is heading, especially at a time where the country and the African continent at large are craving for better and more transparent football standards.

we are working on it

2011-02-18T22:50:00.003+01:00

The Football Diary team