Cameroon’s U-20 national football team reached the final of the African Youth Championship where they lost to Nigeria on Sunday. At a time when most of the country’s national teams are faltering, it is easy for fans to be carried away by euphoria.
Cameroon supporters welcome Lions in Dakar on 24 March 2011, GF
Yes, the team was generally good – tactically well organised, disciplined, athletic and rigorous under the masterful leadership of Martin Ndtoungou Mpile.
Their primary objective was to qualify for the U-20 World Cup, which they did. In the process, they reached the final of the Africa Youth Championship (a secondary objective) and did their utmost to try to win it.
NO CREATIVITY
It is a functional team with Cameroon’s trademark mental strength and fighting spirit (evident in their come-back in the final against Nigeria). They certainly made Cameroon media and fans happy via their victories.
However, a youth team is not essentially about winning; it is often about development.
For years now, Cameroon has had problems producing creative and skilful attackers, offensive midfielders and wingers. Unfortunately, this team did not reveal players who could potentially supplement the deficiencies of the senior teams in such departments.
Did we see a potential Samuel Eto’o , Patrick Mboma and (I dare-say) Roger Milla in that Junior national squad in South Africa? No. The team was not clinical in-front of goal. They relied on set-plays (free-kicks and corners) to score except in the final when they had their backs to the wall.
The most promising striker was Ohandza Zoa. He has a good work rate, partcipates in defensive duties but he must improve his first touch, his positioning, the timing of his runs and his finishing. To his credit he did score two goals whereas the likes of Jacques Haman, Toko Edimo and Tageu were woeful in this aspect.
In the 80s and 90s, Louis Paul Mfede, Djonkep Bonaventure, Ernest Ebongue dazzled defenders on the African continent (and even on the world stage) with their displays on the flanks. Since they retired we have struggled on the wings with the notable exception of the period when Salomon Olembe and/or Lauren Etame Mayer – used their speed and power to outpace opponents.
Did we see new wingers from the junior team that competed in South Africa? Not quite.
Cotonsport Garoua’s Edgar Salli, who was used on the left and right flanks, was surely Cameroon’s most brilliant player at this tournament. He seemed to be the best crosser of the ball (from open and set play). Yet he looked laboured at times and gave the impression of being a relay midfielder who had been stuck on the wing because there was no one else capable of doing the job.
In many ways, Salli reminded me of Geremi Njitap who could play on the flanks but was originally (and naturally) a N°8. There was little to write home about the others who played on the wings.
MORE DEFENSIVE TALENT
Whereas the likes of Theophile Abega, Gregoire Mbida (Arantes), Tokoto, and (if we stretch it) Cyrille Makanaky used to weave creative magic in the middle of the pack to link to attackers, such players have gradually disappeared from our national teams. The closest we’ve seen since include Simo Augustine (in the late 1990s) , Marcus Mokake (who never succeeded to encrust himself to the team), Daniel Ngom Kome and Achille Emana (who dribbles but finds it hard to be effective).
Did we see people capable of holding the ball, creating the chance and make the right passes to Samuel Eto’o, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Vincent Aboubakar or even Ohandza in the future? No.
As noted repeatedly on this blog, the Junior Lions passed the ball well from defence to midfield; they effectively harried their opponents and recuperated the ball but the transmission in the final third of the field was awful.
In effect, the best players in this Junior Lions squad were the central defenders (Yaya Banana and Mvom Meyo), and the central midfielders (Eric Nyantchou and Frank Kom) which follows a common pattern in the past 10-15 years : physical, athletic, never-say-die central midfielders and central defenders.
They will add to the dozen or more people who are currently ahead of them: Stephane Mbia, Nicolas Nkoulou, Sébastien Bassong, André Bikey, Enoh Eyong, Aurelien Chedjou, Georges Mandjeck, Jean Makoun , Landry Ngeumo, Alex Song, Joel Matip…etc
THE GAME PLAN
Many would argue that this is the typical Cameroonian player: big, strong, and mentally tough! It has been so, since Claude Le Roy (and western European coaches) took over the mantle in the national team as from 1985. It became even more the case when most of the development players (through football academies and newly created clubs) became essentially targeted to an international market that requires big, physical, combative lads.
But it wasn’t so in the period of the Yugoslav trainers of the 1970s who worked to rebuild the national team through the local clubs. The process which led to the first qualification to a World Cup in 1982 and a first Africa Cup win in 1984 with a set of players who combined skill, power, creativity and improvisation.
It was Issiar Dia’s dribbles that broke the Lions’ defence for Demba Ba to score for Senegal on 26 March 2011 in Dakar. Who unlocks compact defences for Cameroon and picks the right pass for Aboubakar, Webo, Eto’o and Choupo-Moting?
It is the second consecutive U-20 final that Cameroon is losing and on both occasions the opponent rose to our physical challenge and had the additional spark and genius – Andre Ayew (Abedi Pele’s son) for Ghana in 2009 and Kayode for Nigeria in 2011 – to inflict harm (goals). Where are our creative men?
Maybe the take home message from this tournament is that Cameroon (technical directorate) needs to re-think its football to include style,finesse and flair to the steel that is already available; failing which, at best we shall continue to be runners-up and at worst fail to qualify to any tournaments.
I totally disagree with some of your observations, Salli Edgard was the most creative player in the tournament, in the finals he scored, provided an assist and created so many scoring opportunities.he is the most creative Cameroonian I’ve seen since the days of Mbida, Mfede and Dr Abega. There was a reason he was voted the best player of the tournament.
Dear Tunde, thank you for the comment.
About Edgar Salli: as you must have read in the piece, I duly recognise him as “Cameroon’s most brilliant player at this tournament” and even go ahead to praise his crossing and free-kick taking skills. He is hard working and technically superior to most of his team-mates. I think he is a bright prospect.
However, he doesn’t have great pace, he tires quickly (e.g. Egypt in the semi-finals), and often prefers to cut-inside to play centrally (where he looks more comfortable and has greater impact) which gave me the impression that he could be better elsewhere. That’s why I say we’re “not quite” there in terms of players on the flanks.
In that regard, he mirrors Somen Tchoyi who today plays on the left or right flank but was (is?) better as a number 8 (relay/pivot) midfielder in his debut. Ask Tchoyi to play anywhere on the forward line and he’ll do it(including as a 2nd striker)…
I will be glad to know the other points where you disagree with me. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Gef,
Thanks for your prompt reply and clarification. Salli Edgard will be great as a number 10 or a second striker. just like Iniesta who is great in the middle but not too effective as a wide player because of lack of pace. I was really excited about Salli Edgard’s technical skills and vision, he might solve some of our creativity issues if he continues to develop. Gef, do you have any idea why Gael Etock was not part of the under 20 squad ? he is really an exciting prospect based on report from La Masia. I will also like to congratulate you for your excellent sports articles and wished this site will be popular amongst the Cameroonian football loving fans to discuss new talents and the progress of our national team.
Tunde,
Indeed, an Iniesta/Xavi type player that is what I see in Edgard Salli. The difficulty for him in this team stemmed from the fact that we were playing a flat 4-4-2.This meant we could only have two central mid-fielders at any given time (in which case the coaches prefered defensive solidity). The system also imposed that we should have (“flying”) wingers à la Valencia and Nani (Manchester United) whereas our development system has failed to produce such players for years. We end-up trying to adapt players e.g. using Bedimo as outside left and Eto’o/Tchoyi as outside right in the senior team, and now Salli with the juniors.
My real fear for Salli is if, and when, he goes out of Cameroon. Will he be allowed to continue in what you and I see as his natural role or will he be reformatted to fit the general trend for most African players thus finishing as a holding midfielder like Eric Djemba and even Salomon Olembe (in his final days at Marseille) George or even send him behind as a full-back (he is not very tall) as John Toshak did to Geremi and Arsene Wenger did to Lauren Etame Mayer?
As for Gael Etock, I am not really sure why he wasn’t picked. Since you raised the question the last time, I have been prodding some of my contacts in the national team circles but I’ve not had a clear answer. I will continue. But I know Ndtoungou Mpile and his assistant Engelbert Mbarga are very smart. They know their team still needs additional talent and if Etock is as good as reports suggests, he shall be drafted into the squad for the World Cup.
Joel Matip and Vincent Aboubakar will be part of the squad in Columbia, as well. They couldn’t make it to the AYC because it was a non FIFA period.
Manyy thanks for participating and please don’t hesitate to spread the word about the blog!
GEF, Thanks again for the reply and I’ll try to spread the word about this blog to the cameroonian football loving community here in the states. Shifting gear to our senior team, I was wondering if you have had the time to Watch Henri Bienvenu in action. I’ve watched him on several occasions and he looks very interesting and has all the attributes to make it in the modern game. He has a great first touch, great feel for the game, pace, can shoot with both feet, a good header of the ball and above all a clinical finisher. he can also play as a support striker and also from wide positions. my greatest concern is why he is being overlooked by our coaches and prefer players like Webo. I recalled he has been called once and when he came in, his first touch was a goal eventhough it was ruled offside. if you could profile this player and bring it to the attention of our coaches, that will be great.
I suppose you are talking about Henri Bievenu Ntsama. I have been keeping an eye on him. There is no doubt that he is technically stronger than Webo. My feeling is that Jacques Songo’o actually preferred him. It was under his interim rule that Ntsama was called. Clemente seems to prefer athleticism (that’s what Webo gives aplenty).
Gef,
Another quick question, did you watch Armand Ella against Ghana ? if you did how was his performance.
Hi Tunde,
I watched Armand Ella against Ghana. I was expecting a lot from him – maybe too much (I suspect). He showed promise from a techical point of view but surely suffered from the fact that the team (as a whole) had difficulty coming into the game. The Ghanaians put a lot of pressure on our boys from the start and kept us defending for most of the first half.
Ella was upfront with the allowance to drop to the left-side and use his technique to take on the Black Satellites one-on-one. He was OK but could have done better. He was substituted. But the boy’s got talent.
Here is the link to match analysis after the Ghana game. I don’t specifically mention Ella but it would situate the context of the game (and in my opinion part of his performance).
http://georgefominyen.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/africa-u-20-three-lessons-learned-from-cameroon%E2%80%99s-1-1-draw-with-ghana/