Samuel Eto'o to vie for Fecafoot presidential seat

Yaounde. Four-time African player of the year, Samuel Eto'o Fils has declared his interest in the presidency of the Cameroon Football Federation, Fecafoot.

The former captain of the Cameroon national team, the indomitable Lions said his decision to seek elective post as president Fecafoot is motivated by “love for Cameroon and passion for our football.”

Eto’o has promised to revive and give visibility to ailing domestic championship and rekindle the winning spirit within national football teams, especially the women’s national football team; four-time finalists in the African Cup of Nations without a trophy.

“It is time to rebuild our football. We can no longer delay the revamping of our number sport,” the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations said in the statement declaring his candidacy.

The former striker who has played in some of the world’s leading football clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, Inter Milan in Italy and Chelsea in England has also committed “not to pocket a cent of the monthly allowances” provided for the FA boss, but to use such cash for the development of amateur soccer as well as maximise on his personality to draw external funding.

“I am running for this position in order to attract external funding and not reduce the already meagre revenues with unnecessary burdens," Eto’o, who has participated in four World Cups and won Gold Medal with the Indomitable Lions at the 2000 Olympics said.

An election of a new president and other executive members of the Cameroon FA is expected next month after the Court of Arbitration of Sports (Cas) in January, annulled the 2018 election that brought Seidou Mbombo Njoya to the helm of the national football house.

The Lausanne-based sport tribunal ruled following complaints from some amateur clubs in Cameroon that the electoral process was flawed, but the executive was asked to stay as interim and organize new elections.

Eto’o, who is believed to be the interim president, Mbombo Njoya’s godfather admitted he supported the team as it seemed “promising for the future of our football.”

He said he does not regret his decision, albeit the Mbombo Njoya-led team not meeting expectations.

“It is important to learn from this setback in order to bring about a controlled and well managed change,” Eto’o said.

Another former footballer, Jules Denis Onana, who was instrumental in Cameroon's national team that played in the quarter-finals of 1990 World Cup, has also declared his intentions for the FA top job.