By Angu Lesley, kick442.com
Former Cameroon coach, Hugo Henry Broos has revealed that he resisted the temptation to impress on Samuel Eto’o to come out of his retirement as he prepared for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Speaking in a recent interview with kick442.com, Hugo Broos — who arrived Cameroon in February 2016 two years after Eto’o had retired from international football — said by then the Indomitable’s all-time top scorer was still very productive with Turkish side, Antalyaspor.
Hugo Broos celebrates with on of the youths he
trusted
When the 68-year-old Belgian coach arrived in Cameroon for to prepare for the 2017, he set his eyes for a complete overhaul of the Indomitable Lions.
But something still nagged him as he contemplated on whether to rely on his young and untested squad or add in some experience upfront with Eto’o.
Samuel Eto’o
But he then decided against trying to convince the record scoring machine to come out of his retirement because of the huge charisma of the players he had and his plans to trust the youths.
“The group was very important, more important than an individual,” the coach responded on his prospect of recalling Eto’o. “Also Eto’o had too much influence on players, media, supporters, even on some coaches.
Eto’o is now advisor to CAF President Ahmad
Ahmad (left)
“Off course, he was a successful player who had retired. I didn’t want to have the confrontation with him beause I couldn’t win it.
“So I decided not to try to convince him or select him and to give chances to younger talented players,” Hugo Broos said.
The legend
Instead he settled for Christian Bekamenga, Jacques Zoua, Ndip Tambe Robert amongst others.
In the end, Broos principle of trusting the youths, ended into the Indomitable Lions giving Cameroon the surprise gift by winning the 2017 AFCON title in Gabon with a happy Samuel Eto’o watching from the stands.
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That success was Cameroon’s fifth in the tournament and the country’s first in 15 years.
Broos finally left the Cameroon job in 2018 without convincing Eto’o to come back, but with a trophy that has written a super story about him in the hearts of many Cameroonians.