I m stuned by the comments that claim that we tarnish our image by Lauren « resigning » from the National team. I m not sure, i heard the same outrage from the same people, when it took us almost a week to go from Paris to Japan in a chartered plane…
I did not hear the same outrage, when our Bidoung National invites players to training camps and it comes out, those players could not make the trip, cause they did not get visas. Where is the outrage, when 6 months after the WC, the lions haven’t even played a single friendly? Where is the outrage, when the lions are invited to training camp in Cameroon, so they can run on a Potatoe field and risk the worst injuries? Where is the outrage, when players are flown to Cameroon and their passports are taken away, because they are waiting for the President …. to come back from Europe? What image do we have to defend? And who should be defending that image? Please, let’s not get ridicoulus here… Lauren main job is to play ball and last weekend, he had another great Game at Arsenal vs Boro… That is what he should be judge on. If the FECAFOOT cannot provide its BEST athletes with minimal conditions to operate DECENTLY, then there is no excuse for them…
Yes, Bell was one of those who took FECAFOOT by the horn, but lets not forget that Bell grew up in that environment and he knew how to deal with such situations… Furthermore, i remember again on this Forum, people accusing Bell of « dividing the National team » for his own interest, back then, when he was challenging Fecafoot. Folks, we can’t have it both ways…Was Bell a leader, or was he just a troublemaker?
Remember that Etame did not grow up in Cameroon and he barely has « friends », as he barely speaks french/english. Also remember that, Lauren is the guy that most people have refered to as the « equato » for a long time… Lauren is the guy, who has given all his National team money to charity to Cameroon’s amateurs. Lauren is the guy who, from 1998-2002 has made sacrifices to play for cameroon at almost every tournament: WC98, CAN00, OLY00, CAN02, WC02… That is a LOT of soccer, even for a professional…
I don’t know any other Cameroonian, who has played as many competitive games(championship, cup, champions league, National team) in that span, as Lauren…Not even Song, Geremi or Wome… If you know of any, please let us know…If playing for the National team is an Honour, it is not slave Labour either… If Lauren ever would get injured during a national team assignment, … i wonder, if Bidoung will spend a dime on this guy’s insurance… Remember Foe? Maya?
This Lauren Issue actually brings up another very interesting point. I know, most guys on the forum are very quick to « integrate » everyone whose name sound Cameroonian into the National Team(Boumsong, Itanje, …), but very few of those Legionaires can really deal with the Cameroonian (Paul Biya-type Burocracy)-specific issues. Many people who grew up in Cameroon can understand that, people can work and not get paid, and go back to work the next day. But, how many people, who grew up in Europe/America will accept to Work without getting paid, and go back to work the next day? Lauren is the first Foreign Grown Cameroonian, who has lasted this long with the National team. (Correct me if im wrong). In other sports, those Foreign Legionaire NEVER even make it back…Simply disgusted by the working conditions and « responsable » attitude of our functionaires. (I remember a lot of track and field athletes, we see only at the olympics.)
Bepanda
