Cybereagles

Indomitable Lions Bank on Mboma

------------------Thisday sports today-------------------------------------------

Cameroon coach Winfried Schaefer has named veteran striker Patrick Mboma in his provisional squad for the Nations cup finals - but there is no place for Lauren.

Mboma, who is currently based in Japan, was included in the 31-player list.

The 33-year old veteran is a very popular star in the J-League and was invited by Schaefer for a friendly match against Japan last month.

The German boss of the indomitable Lions is currently trying to arrange warm-up matches for his squad, who will be defending their title for the second successive year.

Mboma was included despite reports that he will undergo surgery to correct a niggling knee injury at the end of the Japanese season.

10 players from the primary list are based in France while only 4 players are actually playing their football in the Cameroonian league.

The 26-year old, who started his international career back in 1998, retired from international football in June 2002 following that year's World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.

Lauren was ignored despite his recent statement to BBC online in which he said there there is a possibility he would represent his country at international level again.

Middlesborough's striker Joseph-Desire Job was another notable absentee from the list.

Cameroon are in Group B along with Algeria, Egypt and Zimbabwe at the Nations Cup finals, which start on the 24th of January in Tunisia.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Idriss Kameni (Le Havre - France), Eric Kwekeu (Bamboutos de Mbouda), Mathurin Kameni (Coton Sport)

Defenders: Rigobert Song (Lens), Jean-Noel Perrier Doumbe (Auxerre), Pierre Njanka Beaka (Sedan), Thierry Gathuessi (Montpellier - All France), Bill Tchato, Lucien Mettomo (both Kaiserslautren - Germany), Timothee Atouba (FC Basel -Switzerland), Daniel Ngom Kome (Numancia - Spain), Pierre Wome Nlend (Espanyol - Spain), Patrice Abanda Etong (Sparta Prague - Czech Republic), Falemi Nana (Steau Bucarest - Romania)

Midfielders: Modeste Mbami (PSG), Jean Makoun (Lille), Valery Mezague (Montpellier - all France), Geremi Njitap (Chelsea), Eric Djemba Djemba (Manchester United), Salomon Olembe (Leeds United - all England), Achille Webo (Ossasuna -Spain), Justice Wamfor (Genk - Belgium), Amour Patrick Tignyemb (Tonerre de Yaounde), Marcus Mokake (Canon Yaounde)

Strikers: Gustave Bahoken (Angers), Achille Emana (Toulouse - both France), Mohammed Idrissou (Hannover 96 - Germany), Samuel Eto_o (Real Mallorca - Spain), Joel Epalle (Panathinaikos - Greece), Pius Ndiefi (Al Ittihad - Qatar), Patrick Mboma (Tokyo Verdi - Japan)

Another interesting absentee from the squad is the bulky-looking player/wrestler Patrick Suffo of Coventry, he has been banging in goals recently.

..honestly IMHO, this is the most lightweight I have seen of a Cameroon team in a while..I am almost certain Mr. Schaffer is using the ANC to build the next generation of Cameroon players..

I dont think its a lightweight squad .Schaffer has retained nearly 80% of the players who played in the 2000 Olympics and 2002 ANC

I thought Mboma was injured. Is Idris Kameni related to Mathurin Kameni?
Vindave thank God for this new site, at least you don replace that ya 1904 picshur

I think it is lightweight compared to their 2000 and 2002 squad...how many on that squad are playing for top sides..or getting regular action..compared to Nigeria's core 22 which IMHO should be:

Enyeama
Etafia
Ejide

Enakahire
Abbey
Yobo
West
Okoronkwo
Udeze
Babayaro

Utaka
Kalu
Okocha
Obodo
Olofinjana
Ekwueme
Osaze
Usim or any creditable midfileder

Aghahowa
Martins
Kanu
Aiyegbeni

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Nemi2002,
How dare you refer to that my yuppy - yongi picture as 1904, make u take time o! Ok! why u forget to put ya face????

NO they are not related. Just a similarity of names. Maturin Kameni is older than Carlos. Started his top flight soccer career with Free Boys, then moved to Kumbo Strikers (when Free Boys were relegated to the second Division) was later voted MVP during the 2000 Cameroon cup Final. Moved to Coton Sport Garoua after where he is playing.

mkizito thanx

Mister Dolly,

I am not sure what you mean by lightweight, considering that at least 15 of these guys were in the last ANC 2002 squad and also went to the WC. We are talking consistency and experience, blending with new talent like Mbami, Mokake, and Webo.

The only persons we are missing here are Etame, Alioum Boukar and the dear departed Foe.

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It is good to be lightweight, that way they can have mobility on the field. Heavyweights are not good for football as you won't expect that nimbleness of foot. But seriously, the squad is just fine. The absence of big names ensures that much thought is given to teamwork.
Cheers!

_________________
"If you aren't keeping the score
you're only practising". Hugh Collum, Finance Director, SmithKline Beecham.

Mister dolly,how many in that your list of 22 core Nigerian players are playing for top sides or getting regular action?

fungi67,
At least 5 of the 22 players listed by mister Dolly have tasted Champions League action recently , 1 is in the semi-finals of the Carlington Cup .That should make up for the criteria of not "playing for top sides or getting regular action ".

Mboma is injured and had surgery last week and has been ruled out of ANC.

This naija journalist don start again.

London coooler,are you the spin master in this forum? My question has not been answered.

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"We know there are known Unknowns;that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also Unknown Unknowns-the ones we know we don't know".
DONALD RUMSFELD.

They are at it again and we don't even know it, they are building again no wonder they always win it, basically i think they have the most organised and forward looking FA in Africa.

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If you give me Cole and I give you Gallas, surely, SURELY, you owe me money? waka man on the Cole Gallas transfer saga

fung67,
First of all you have to ask "Mister Dolly" to define what he meant by not playing for a top club or getting regular action !! .What is a "top club" ?, what is "regular action" ?.Kanu plays most of the reserve matches and Carlington Cup matches so he is he getting "regular action".Celta Vigo nearly dethroned Real Madrid in the La Liga last season and are facing relegation this year, are they a "top club" ?.
Many atimes we tend to make sweeping generalisations without actually defining our premises.Henrik Larson has won the European Boot award twice for being the highest goal scoring player in Europe, can we be safe to call him a "World Class" striker ? (inspite of not playing for a "top club" ?).David James plays for West Ham and makes the England team, is he now playing for a "top club" ? .The argument can go on and on.Bottom line:we just need to be flexible in our football analysis without stereotyping clubs,players or our judgments.

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"Arsene Wenger's problem is that his young players are too young and his old players are too old and there is not much in between "

Alan Hansen

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Rev.Jesse Jackson

Lauren has made it clear that he has retired from International football.

Why is the heading saying that Lauren was ignored? Sensationalism.

Mr. Dolly,
Have you been following this team? With the absence of Foe this is the same team that help the Confeds cup hostage, abi.

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If Sex and Money can't do it, Forget About It.
01.06.1955 Ghana 7-0 Nigeria International @Kwabena

Hello to all! This is my first post here on the new forum. Larry, Mboma's injury status isn't clear. Nowhere have I seen that he is ruled out due to his recent surgery. Apparently it was a minor operation and I'd assume since he was named on this preliminary squad list that he should be ready to go in a month's time when the ANC starts. Lauren had told the BBC that he was making himself available for national team selection again thus his exclusion here is noteworthy and is not sensationalistic journalism.

Overall I like the group of players that Schafer has named to this preliminary list. He'll have to cut 9 to get to the roster limit of 22 for the ANC. Over on the camfoot forum we had a prolonged debate about bringing in Mboma to the team but he is a well known leader within the squad and is still scoring goals in Japan. It looks like this ANC will be his swan song with the Lions as he likely won't be involved in qualifying for World Cup 2006. Obviously he'll want to go out as an African champion.

It's interesting that Wome was named as he hasn't been included much, if at all, post World Cup 2002. With the development of Tchato and Atouba I'm not sure where he'll fit in but perhaps he'll end up being a reserve left sided defender/midfielder. The only real absences of note, besides Lauren, are Job and Suffo but frankly both have had their chances and, while decent players, haven't produced much for Cameroon. Younger players are being brought in to replace them.

That is in my opinion, one of the key reasosn to Cameroon's success. They are constantly bringing in new players to strengthen the squad's overall depth. The Confederations Cup last summer saw the rise of players like Idriss Kameni, Mbami, Atouba and Idrissou. Post Confed Cup players like Mokake, Makoun and Webo have been brought in. Personally I would have liked to have seen forward Daniel Wansi and right back Angbwa Benoit included on this squad but they are with the U-23 team and I believe post ANC 2004 they'll be making their way onto the senior Indomitable Lions team.

This is a very solid looking Cameroon team and nobdy should forget this is still a team playing for the memory of their fallen leader Marc Vivien Foe. As in boxing, you'll have to knock the defending champ out in order to take the crown and that won't be an easy proposition with the team Cameroon will be bringing to Tunisia 2004.

By the way for those who visit the camfoot forum, have any of you been having trouble accessing the site? I haven't been able to get on for the past few days.

In case anyone is interested, the original story first posted on this thread has some of Cameroon's players incorrectly listed by position. Here is their correct positions (with some players of course being multi-dimensional and being able to play in several positions):

Goalkeepers: Idriss Carlos Kameni (Le Havre, France), Mathurin Kameni (Cotonsport), Eric Kwekeu (Bamboutos Mbouda), Patrick Amour Tignyemb (Tonnerre Yaounde)

Defenders: Timothee Atouba (Basel, Switzerland), Gustave Bahoken (Angers, France), Thierry Gathuessi (Montpellier, France), Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe (Auxerre, France), Lucien Mettomo (Kaiserslautern, Germany), Pierre Njanka (Sedan, France), Rigobert Song (Lens), Bill Tchato (Kaiserslautern, Germany), Pierre Wome (Espanyol, Spain)

Midfielders: Patrice Abanda (Sparta Prague, Czech Republic), Eric Djemba Djemba (Manchester United, England), Joel Epalle (Panathinaikos, Greece), Geremi Fotso Njitap (Chelsea, England), Jean Makoun (Lille, France), Modeste Mbami (Paris St Germain, France), Valery Mezague (Montpellier, France), Felami Ngassam (Steaua Bucharest, Romania), Daniel Ngom Kome (Numancia, Spain), Salomon Olembe (Leeds United, England), Justice Wamfor (Genk, Belgium)

Strikers: Achille Emana (Toulouse, France), Samuel Eto'o (Real Mallorca, Spain), Mohammed Idrissou (Hanover 96, Germany), Patrick Mboma (Tokyo Verdy, Japan), Marcus Mokake (Canon Yaounde), Pius Ndiefi (Al Ittihad, Qatar), Achille Webo (Osasuna, Spain)

They cant Ignore player like Lauren....thy gonna need him in the end