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Scouting
Report
Style of play: Creativity, inventiveness and
speed are the hallmark of Cameroon's style of play.
Coach Winfried Schafer employs an attacking 3-5-2 formation,
with the wing-backs making bristling runs up the flanks,
and the midfielders sending balls deep to the two strikers.
Cameroon begins its attack from the wings with ball
carriers cutting inward and running directly at their
opposition. This usually draws a cluster of defenders
into the centre of the pitch, opening up a lot of space
for Cameroon's strikers down the sides and allowing
them to get into scoring position unmolested.
Strengths:
Coaching -- Since taking over the team last September,
German Winfried Schafer guided Cameroon to victory in
the finals of the African Nations Cup in February. Schafer
is a tactically astute coach who hands out clear assignments
to his players and has Cameroon playing together as
a team.
Attacking options -- Cameroon won't have problems
scoring goals, as Schafer has several sure-footed forwards
and strikers to choose from. Patrick Mboma is fast,
powerful and is strong in the air; Samuel Eto'o is a
quick, creative striker, and Pius Ndieffi is a deft
ball-dribbler with an excellent first touch.
Speed -- Cameroon has speed at every position.
The wing-backs use their pace to make dangerous runs
up field, while midfielders are quick in beating opposing
players to loose balls. The strikers and wingers are
similarly fleet of foot, expert at making direct runs
towards the penalty area and breezing by opposing defenders.
Weaknesses:
Goalkeeping -- Serious questions still linger
about the ability of Alioum Boukar. Critics feel that
despite his physical tools, he lacks technical sharpness.
Thirty-six year old backup Jacques Songo'o has struggled
with injuries this past year and looked shaky in recent
appearances for Cameroon.
Overconfidence -- Cameroon are the undisputed
kings of African soccer, but sometimes they fall into
the trap of believing their own hype. Cameroon's success
in Africa, where a lot of nations have neither the money
nor the resources to compete, has a way of giving the
team a false sense of security heading into a talented
pool of teams at the World Cup.
Discipline -- When they're trailing, Cameroon
begins to play a very physical and undisciplined brand
of soccer. Frustrated players make lunging, rash tackles
and they concede far too many free kicks from dangerous
areas on the pitch.
Key injuries/omissions: Patrick M'Boma is suffering
from a series of minor injuries, but will be able to
start for Cameroon…
Outlook: Cameroon is an eclectic team, boasting
a mix of wily veterans and exciting newcomers. In German
Winfried Schafer, they have an experienced coach who
has managed to tighten up the defence (forever Cameroon's
Achilles heel). After bowing out in the first round
of the past two competitions, Cameroon will be looking
to advance to the quarter-finals this time around. With
Germany dealing with a rash of injuries and playing
below par as of late, Cameroon will topple the Republic
of Ireland (which sent home its best player, Roy Keane)
and an overmatched Saudi Arabia to finish atop Group
E. Reaching the quarter-finals will be tough, since
potential opponents in the second round include Spain
and Paraguay (if Cameroon finishes second in Group E)
or any of the teams from the "Group of Death"
(if it wins Group E).
The
Country
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight
of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Capital: Yaounde
Area: 475,440 sq km
Population:15,421,937
Government type: Unitary republic; multiparty
presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in
1990).
Climate: Varies with terrain, from tropical
along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Ethnic groups: Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial
Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu
8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African
less than 1%.
Religions: Indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian
40%, Muslim 20%.
Languages: Twenty-four major African language
groups, English (official), French (official).
History: The former French Cameroon and part
of British Cameroon united in 1961 to form the current
country. Cameroon has enjoyed stability the past four
decades, which has allowed for progress and the growth
of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum
industry. Political power is held by an ethnic oligarchy.
The Community in Canada
There are about 20,000 Cameroonians in Canada - most in the Montreal and Trois Rivieres areas. Soccer is a very big deal in Cameroon. And so it should be, after a quarter-final appearance at the 1990 World Cup, a gold medal over Spain at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and a victory over Senegal at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.
Jacques Yamdjie organizes youth soccer tournaments for boys and girls in the French, French-African and French Arab communities of Toronto (www.canoraaa.com). He also heads up Les Lions Indomptables de Toronto - a Toronto team paying homage to Cameroon's soccer heroes.
"Soccer matches are very big events in the community. Everybody gets together to eat and drink, and we are always singing - with every goal, and when we win - and we are always singing, 'Go Go Camerooooon'", says Yamdjie.
During Cameroon's World Cup games, a number of the bars on the Cotes de Niege in Montreal are the place to be. Or if you want to get the flavour of the expatriate game, you can head down to Jeanne Mance Park in Montreal to watch Montreal's decade-old Cameroonian team, Les Varietes, in action.
Although the whole team is strong, Yamdjie recommends paying special attention to Rigobert Song, Patrick Mboma, and Samuel Eto'o.
"I think we're going to surprise the world this tournament. I think you're going to see Cameroon take the World Cup," says Yamdjie.
One well known Cameroonian-Canadian musician and educator concurs: Njacko Backo is a Toronto-based band leader with a strong connection to the team. His song, "Lions Indomptables," was picked up around the world after the team's success at the Olympics and continues to enjoy success around the world.
For more on Njacko, check out his Global
Village profile.
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