Although the Cameroon head coach who omitted André Onana from the current Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad last week has been dismissed, Onana has been dramatically included in Cameroon's 28-man AFCON squad.
Belgian coach Marc Brys was recently officially dismissed by newly elected Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) president Samuel Eto'o, but he insists he still controls the team's affairs and has announced the squad and tournament preparation plans. Brys included Onana in the squad before the Thursday deadline for submitting the list.
The dispute stems from Brys' appointment by the Ministry of Sports, which went against Eto'o's wishes, triggering a fierce power struggle. This struggle has already resulted in Cameroon losing its World Cup qualification and now threatens its AFCON campaign.
FECAFOOT, led by Eto'o, officially dismissed Brys on charges of "intrigues", "professional misconduct" and "inciting" players to defy the federation.
In addition, the Belgian coach was also accused of "actively colluding with unidentified persons within FECAFOOT". Despite being dismissed, Brys stated that the Ministry of Sports had never officially notified him of his dismissal, insisting he would continue to perform his duties and including Onana in the squad.
However, FECAFOOT has appointed David Pagou, one of Brys' assistants, as interim head coach. This situation has brought great instability and uncertainty to the team's preparations before the tournament.
Onana, the Manchester United goalkeeper, was not included in the official squad announced by Pagou. Instead, local goalkeeper Edouard Sombang from Sangmelima Pigeons was selected. Other well-known players, including Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo and Brighton's Simon Adingra, appeared in both lists.
As the Thursday deadline for submitting AFCON squads approaches, it remains to be seen which list will officially represent Cameroon. But for now, Brys, who refuses to step down, has confirmed Onana's place in Cameroon's tournament plans.
