Marc Brys has been replaced as head coach of Cameroon – without taking charge of a game – after he was involved in a heated exchange with Samuel Eto’o, the president of the country’s football federation (Fecafoot).
Martin Ndtoungou was named as interim boss of the Indomitable Lions following an emergency meeting of Fecafoot’s executive committee.
A statement from the governing body cited “disrespectful comments” by Brys and “an outright refusal to collaborate” among several reasons for replacing the Belgian, as well as “inappropriate behaviour” by the coach and his assistants.
Brys was appointed in early April by Cameroon’s sport ministry but Fecafoot expressed its “great astonishment” at the move and said the decision had been “taken unilaterally”.
Former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker Eto’o had reportedly drawn up his own list of higher-profile candidates for the role, and was not present when Brys, 62, was unveiled as boss.
The two men met at Fecafoot’s offices in Yaounde on Tuesday, but videos on social media showed a fiery conversation between the pair before Brys swiftly left.
Eto’o, who has been president of Fecafoot since December 2021, was also shown having a row with an official from the sports ministry.
The ministry is yet to comment on this latest development in the power struggle between itself and Fecafoot.
The drama comes in the build-up to next month’s qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, with Cameroon hosting Cape Verde on 8 June before travelling to Angola on 11 June.
Ndtoungou, 66, is scheduled to announce his squad for those games during a news conference on Thursday.
The Central Africans are top of Group D with four points from two games, with the group winners assured of a place at the finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.