FECAFOOT: why does Gérémi Njitap worry the Eto'o camp so much?
Samuel Eto'o's camp has become vehement since Gérémi Njitap was chosen by the Cameroonian government to head the FECAFOOT normalisation committee
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" Gérémi Njitap has been chosen by the government to chair the next Fécafoot normalisation committee after FIFA's removal of Samuel Eto’o ". At the height of the crisis shaking the governing body of Cameroonian football, a single Facebook post by a whistleblower in mid-July 2023 was enough to send a horde of supporters of the Cameroonian football chief into battle formation against his former team-mate.
Indeed, as far as the Eto’o camp is concerned, the current president of the Syndicat National des Footballeurs Camerounais (Synafoc) is the man to bring down. From the spokesman of the Federation president to his allies, members of his executive board and even some journalists and sports pundits, no blow is considered off limits, both in the media and on social networks. Several forums devoted to the "anti-Njitap fight" have even been set up for the cause. Every time they speak out, the tone is vehement.
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"Njitap can do better than Samuel Eto’o"
Why does Gérémi Njitap attract so many aggressive reactions from Samuel Eto'o's supporters, when he was behind the mobilisation of former players in support of Eto'o's candidacy? The reason is simple, according to Jean-Bruno Tagne, Samuel Eto’o's former campaign director and author of several bestselling books on the former Indomitable Lions captain. " Njitap enjoys a fine reputation among players and has never been linked to any scandal. He also has managerial experience that Samuel Eto'o did not have when he was a candidate for the FECAFOOT presidency. What is more, he has excellent relations with the presidents of FIFA and CAF ". So, the journalist explains, Njitap has long been a source of fear for Samuel Eto’o: " When Eto’o launched his bid, he already feared a possible candidacy from Njitap ".
In Cameroonian football circles, this view is the most widely shared: " The Eto’o camp knows full well that Samuel is no longer the man for the job. The same arguments the Eto’o camp put forward for his candidacy apply to Njitap, who is just as legitimate as Samuel to become president. He is a profile the Eto’o camp cannot take lightly. His experience at FIFPro makes him well placed to do better than Samuel, and that is unbearable", says a former FECAFOOT official.
Accusations vs counter-accusations
The tension around Njitap's name has created a palpable sense of danger among Eto'o's entourage. That feeling peaked after Cameroon's win over Gambia (3-2, on 23 January) in the third round of games at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast. According to Synafoc, Njitap was allegedly assaulted twice in the Lions' dressing room. First by the national team's head of security, then by Samuel Eto'o's head of protocol. However, FECAFOOT has rejected these accusations. "The war" is far from over.