Fans in Cameroon are calling for Winfried Schafer to be sacked, but players and the FA ask him to stay. After the disappointing showing of the Indomitable Lions in Korea and Japan, fans and managers are in disagreement over the future of head coach Winfried Schafer.
Though the German may like to stay, most of the fans who hold him responsible for Cameroon’s debacle do not want his contract – which expires this month – renewed.
»The coach could not take any risk, » said one fan.
« He insisted on using the first eleven, in spite of signs of fatigue and failed to exploit the rich potential of the reserve bench ».
The feeling in Cameroon is that Schafer did not work the magic expected from a coach of his statue, though he had spent only seven months with the team.
The players and managers, however, stand in support of Schafer as they continue to shift the blame onto each other.
And the president of the Cameroon football federation, Iya Mohamed does not even want to hear of changing the coach.
»I can safely say the coach has had a positive balance sheet. Personally, I think we should avoid always changing coaches in order not to always begin again », says Iya.
However, whether Schafer stays or not does not depend on the fans – or the football federation.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports, which hires and pays coaches, will have the final say – without necessarily consulting Iya.
