Details have been given in Cameroonian media regarding Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana’s disagreement with the Cameroonian coaching staff and FA that led to his early departure from the squad at the World Cup in Qatar.
Cameroonian journalist Ivan Kamwa detailed the backstory of the disagreement between the Nerazzurri player and several senior figures within the Cameroonian camp in a column for Cameroonian news outlet Camerunweb.com.
One of the initial points of contention with Onana was the arrival of a new goalkeeping advisor in the form of Souleymanou Haminou.
The Nerazzurri keeper disagreed with some of the new member of the coaching staff’s training methods and exercises, which he saw as outdated for a modern player.
Moreover, after the Cameroonians lost their group stage opener in a narrow 1-0 defeat to Switzerland, there were further disagreements between Onana and Haminou.
Haminou felt that the high positioning of Onana in possession was inviting too much risk onto the team of making costly errors, whilst the Nerazzurri keeper stood firm in his view that his positioning meant that the team invited less defensive pressure.
Cameroon coach Rigobert Song agreed with Haminou on the matter, conveying to Onana that he wanted the goalkeeping advisor’s instructions to be observed.
This led to tensions within the Cameroon dressing room, whilst a representative of Cameroonian FA President Samuel Eto’o, Ernest Obama, was also present.
Onana felt that the presence of Obama was inappropriate given that he is not a part of the playing or coaching staff but rather a figure within the FA.
Eto’o also became involved, and in the end the situation became sufficiently tense that it could not be reconciled, leading to Onana being dropped from the team and then eventually temporarily suspended by the FA.
