Cameroon may take action against the seven players who’ve refused a call-up to the AFCON this January…
Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip is the highest profile of the bunch, but Andre Onana of Ajax, Nancy’s Guy Roland Ndy Assembe , West Brom’s Allan Nyom, Maxime Poundje of Bordeaux, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa of Marseille and Lille’s Ibrahim Amadou have all turned down the chance to join up with the national squad.
“These players have put personal interest above those of the national team and the federation reserves the right to take action against the players in accordance with FIFA regulations,” Cameroon manager Hugo Broos told RTE.
Cameroon have the option of asking FIFA to suspend players at club level for the entirety of the tournament, which ends on February 6.
Matip hasn’t played for Cameroon since 2014 after falling out with a previous coaching regime, and despite Broos visiting him twice, he hasn’t been persuaded to rejoin the Indomitable Lions.
Although our excellent defender was born in Cameroon, he’s lived most of his life in Germany, speaks in a German accent and hasn’t lived in Cameroon since he was four-years-old.
For this reason, we’d find it pretty outrageous if he and us were punished – considering we’re already losing Sadio Mane due to his participation with Senegal.
Let’s just hope Cameroon don’t attempt disciplinary procedures, as you can never trust FIFA to make a sensible decision.