Finke leaves door open for Eto’o and Co

Ahead of Cameroon’s clashes with DR Congo and Côte d’Ivoire in the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2015 qualifiers, head coach Volker Finke decided to leave many of his key players behind.

In total, 13 of the players who competed in the Indomitable Lions’ disastrous FIFA World Cup campaign in Brazil last June were axed from the national squad.

The list includes first choice keeper Charles Itandje, defenders Aurélien Chedjou and Benoît Assou-Ekotto, midfielder Jean II Makoun, striker Achille Webo and controversial skipper Samuel Eto’o.

Injured Henri Bédimo and suspended Alexandre Song have also been side-lined, while Finke has called-up many youngsters (Cédric Djeugoue, Frank Bagnack, Edgar Salli, Jean-Marie Dongou, Clinton N’Jié) and decided to give another chance to more experienced players like Gaëtan Bong, Georges Mandjeck or Léonard Kweuke.

“For a better future, we must have the courage to work with the youngsters,” the German told Camfoot.

“After the World Cup, I decided to radically change this team of Cameroon. We are going to work in a long-term perspective. But we also have the players to get immediate results.

The main objective remains the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and then the qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations,” he added, insisting, however, that the door is still open for Samuel Eto’o and his banished teammates.

“The team’s door is always open. In the group, there are players to whom I have given a second chance.

“If among the ones I have not called-up, some return to full form, I will welcome them back. But every player must comply with the national team’s internal rules.”

Cameroon, who will resume a camp in Yaoundé on September 1, will travel to DR Congo to face the Leopards on September 6 before hosting Côte d’Ivoire in the Cameroonian capital four days later in their Group D of the Afcon qualifiers.