Cameroon: ‘ousted’ by Samuel Eto’o, Marc Brys denounces an ‘irregular’ decision
Less than a month before CAN 2025, Cameroon finds itself plunged into a new storm with the dismissal of Marc Brys. La Fecafoot has handed the reins to David Pagou, while the Belgian coach vehemently contests his ousting.
Samuel Eto’o et Marc Brys © Vitrine du Cameroun
The storm continues to rock Cameroonian football. Less than a month before the kick-off of CAN 2025, the Fédération camerounaise de football announced on Monday, December 1st, the end of its collaboration with Marc Brys. The Belgian coach, appointed in 2024, was relieved of his duties following an emergency meeting of the Fecafoot executive committee.
To succeed him, the body led by Samuel Eto’o chose to promote David Pagou, a member of the previous staff. A choice presented as one of “local continuity”, Pagou being reputed for his knowledge of the championship and the national scene. At his first appearance before the press, the new man in charge of the bench said he wanted to “bring people together” in order to best prepare for the approaching CAN.
But the matter is far from closed. From Belgium, Marc Brys is already contesting his dismissal. He says he was not officially notified of his sacking and denounces an “irregular” decision. In an interview with the Belgian press, the former national coach was particularly critical of the federation’s governance.
According to him, Samuel Eto’o allegedly “took advantage of the renewal of his mandate” to carry out deep changes within the technical staff. Brys accuses in particular the president of the Fecafoot of sidelining, without justification, staff who worked in connection with the Ministry of Sports and replacing them with collaborators chosen “for no good reason”.
The Belgian also regrets the timing of this decision, which he judges “dangerous” with a major competition approaching: “Just before a crucial tournament, they install technicians who have not been prepared. They are exposed to immense pressure. You don’t see this in any other national team in the world”, he said.
A conflict that didn’t start yesterday
Imposed on the FECAFOOT by a contested government decision, despite Samuel Eto’o’s open opposition, Marc Brys never found common ground with the federation president. As many Cameroonian media pointed out, relations between the two men remained tense throughout the Belgian coach’s stint at the head of the Lions Indomptables, with disputes over prerogatives, institutional tensions and episodes of public confrontation.