Cameroon champions Coton Sport of Garoua have been eliminated from the Caf Champions League following another defeat to Al Hilal of Sudan on Monday.
Goals from David Abagna Sandan and Glody Lilepo Makabi ensured an easy win for the Sudanese Champions.
Despite Coton Sport’s shameful exit, the 17-time Cameroon champions still have two games to go against Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly of Egypt.
The defeat on Monday puts the Cotonites bottom of their group with zero points in four games – scoring two goals and conceding 10 goals.
This writer examines four reasons for Coton Sport’s devastating exit from the competition.
1. Coton Sport Lacks Competition at home.
Being the only team in Cameroon that has been consistent in the last decade, the team can’t get to the level of Al Ahly, Al Hilal and Sundowns. We can do a flashback to the 1970s and 1980s when the Country’s football was competitive with the likes of Canon of Yaounde, Tonnerre and Union being the top teams then and there was competition – which enable these clubs to compete in Africa and win Continental club competitions. But today, that competition is no longer there as Coton Sport seems to have monopolised the league. Just like Lawrence Nkede – A football expert and pundit puts it “Coton Sport’s exit is the true mirror of the current state of Cameroon football because being the only flag bearer and the best team in Cameroon and performing so poorly at the level of the African Champions League – it’s a representation of the level of Cameroonian football in the African scene”
2. The Ambition of the Club.
The ambition of the club is one of the indicators to measure a team’s preparedness and performance in big competitions like the champions league. The ambition of a club can also mean how you manage and keep your top players ahead of such competitions. Coton Sport sold most of their key players like Marou Souiabou, Felix Oukine, Anye Derrick, Tombi Alemi and others on the eve of the competition. This gives the impression of a lack of ambition in the club to go far in the competition – because a club that is aiming to win will keep its best players.
3. Poor Recruitment during the off-season.
One of the key elements that a club must do to have a positive impact in competitions like the CAF Champions League is to have a squad in-depth – and to have a quality squad, the club’s recruitment policy is key. Yes, the club sold players but that wasn’t enough to get the replacement of those who have left. Even the players they bought like the Nigerian Emmanuel Igboeri, Dongfack Ramses and Nyeck Jean are players below standard and can’t compete with their counterparts of Al Ahly, Sundowns and Al Hilal. This poor recruitment could also be linked to lack of funds for the club as Lawrence Nkede puts it “Coton Sport is selling their key players against their will because they don’t have the financial might to compete at the African level.
” Even the money made from sales of players is just plagued back into the running cost of the championship”, he added.
4. Poor Tactics from Coaches.
The technical and tactical approach of Cameroon’s local coaches is a reflection of Cameroon’s level at the African scene. The tactical approach of the college of coaches (Agbor Earnest, Haman Gabriel and Francois Ngoumou) in all four games were very poor. Coton Sport’s stats of two goals scored and 10 goals conceded with no points in four games give the level of coaching in Cameroon on the African scene.
