For many times, the club has represented Cameroon with much still to be desired. Coton Sport of Garoua created in 1986 as a division two side ascended into the elite premiership in 1993. In less than ten years of existence, the Cotton profiteers have borne Cameroon’s flagship in six African continental competitions shuttling between the champions league title contenders and those for the CAF Cup
For three times they have gunned for CAF’s cup with inconsequential results. At their best, they reached the semi finals of the competition last year. They suffered a 3-1 defeat from Etoile of Sahel in Tunis and later fell 1-0 before the Tunisian team in the Garoua return leg.
In separate occasions, the regular football flagship of Cameroon crashed out at the 16th finals of the competition after lethal blows from Etoile of Congo-Brazzaville in both the away and return leg matches. Earlier, similar premature exits have been brought to bear on the club by Esperance of Tunis and little fancied Joliba of Mali. The unpleasant tidings have raised more questions than answers. Coton Sport, considered a financially vibrant club with a treasure of talents is expected to blend its diversified resources and acquire continental fame for this football-loving country. Conversely, wishes have never been horses, perhaps for beggars to ride. The season has ended with Coton Sport qualified for yet another expedition of the CAF Cup. Coton Sport’s participation in this competition next year will bring to seven, the number of times the team has represented Cameroon in continental games. But no trophy has so far been lifted. Time for management to take stock ! Needless to count misfortune one after another. Can Coton Sport tune to the wake up bell played by Tonnere in this year’s CAF Cup competition? The qualification of Tonnere for the finals of the competition opens a new chapter in more than a decade of inconsequential participation of Cameroonian clubs in African competitions. The clubs reputed for winning in yesteryear’s competitions, have been caught by the schoolboy riddle of the first shall be the last. Can the wake up bell being tolled by Tonnere instill the winning spirit absent in Coton Sport ? That certainly, is the question.
