Sampdoria coach blasts Eto'o for missing training

African football legend Samuel Eto’o is already in the bad books of new club Sampdoria after his failure to show up for a training session yesterday was described by coach Sinisa Mihajlovic as showing a “serious lack of respect”.

The 33-year-old three-time African player of the year — who helped Inter Milan to an historic treble of league, Cup and Champions League in 2010 — left the ground without an explanation following morning training and his attitude did not go down well with the famously combative Mihajlovic.

“He gave me no explanation and I consider that to be a serious lack of respect towards myself and the rest of the team,” the Serbian handler told sports daily la Gazzetta dello sport.

Mihajlovic denied there had been a rift between himself and the player who signed from Premier League club Everton last week on a three-and-a-half year contract.

“There has to be two people to have an argument and he took this action on his own. After the morning training I didn’t see him or hear from him,” said Mihajlovic.

“I do not know why he left or what the club is going to do now,” added Mihajlovic.

Club president Massimo Ferrero played down the incident, telling the Italian press it was “just a difference of opinions and of little importance. Stay calm, the ‘Samp’ is solid.”

Eto’o has won three Champions League titles, two with Barcelona and one with Inter Milan, as well as two Africa Cup of Nations’ trophies with Cameroon although he has had relatively undistinguished well-paid spells of late with Chelsea and Everton.