Cameroon Sacks Coach, Siasia Next?

Javier Clemente has finally been fired as coach of Cameroon, though he still has eight months left in his contract.

MTNFootball reports that the Spaniard was officially given the boot yesterday three weeks after he oversaw the Indomitable Lions’ failure to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

The former Spain coach insisted last week that he will not resign as his contract with the Indomitable Lions will end in June 2012.

But the Sports Ministry has finally confirmed yesterday that they have written to tell him of their decision to terminate his contract.

“We sent him a mail, followed by a call to inform him,” says a source at the Cameroon Ministry of Sports. There are strong indications that Clemente is likely to go to FIFA to fight for his compensation as he still has eight months left on his contract.

Frenchman Denis Lavagne, coach of the country’s champions Coton Sport, is the favourite to take over after winning two league titles in the country.

The federation insists the Spaniard had failed in his mission to get the Indomitable Lions through to the 2012 African Nations Cup.

Cameroon’s failure to qualify for the Nations Cup is the second time in the last 16 attempts that they have missed out on the tournament. They finished second behind Senegal in Group E of the qualifiers.

Meanwhile, the embattled chief coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Samson Siasia may be the next victim as the board of Nigeria Football Federation meets on Friday to decide his fate after he failed to qualify the star-studded Eagles for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Former assistant coach of the Eagles, Joe Erico says he won’t be surprised if Siasia is relieved of his job, adding that Nigerians are always in a hurry any time the national team failed to live up to their expectations.

“We are fond of sacking coaches anyhow. When I was in the coaching crew of the Eagles, I was sacked alongside others because we did not meet the aspirations of Nigerians, so, Siasia’ case won’t be a surprise to me,” he said.

Erico said sacking Siasia, won’t solve the myriad of problems facing Nigeria’s football untill the NFF goes back to the grassroots. He said if there is a proper developmental programme in place, Nigeria football will rise again.

—Sunday Akintoye