Marc Brys “focused on the team”, despite the ongoing cold with Samuel Eto’o

The sea is not far away, the sun is already shining and the thermometer is displayed almost 20 degrees at the end of the morning on the last Sunday in April, but Marc Brys will not take advantage of this beautiful Cretan day. For the new Belgian coach in Cameroon, who settled near Heraklion with his wife, originally from the Greek island, and their 6-year-old son, after leaving the Louvain club in October 2023, the time is not in battle against Cape Verde (June 3), then another against Angola (June 10), both qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Since his appointment on April 2, the successor to Rigobert Song, at the heart of a controversy between political authorities and the Cameroon Football Association (Fecafoot), has not been available. After signing his two-and-a-half-year contract at the Ministry of Sports and visiting several stadiums in Cameroon, Marc Brys undertook a European tour where he held a series of interviews with international and bi-national players eligible to wear the shirt of the Indomitable Lions.

The resident of Antwerp has been notably seen in England, Germany and France. “I spoke to André Onana, who told me a lot about the team and his connection to his country. » He also spoke to Carlos Baleba, the young midfielder from Brighton, who he hopes has convinced him to play for Cameroon. On the other hand, Hugo Ekitike, the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, rather envisions his future in the French team. “We must respect his choice”explains the new coach, who took office at the beginning of April despite opposition from Fecafoot.

“Strong Character”

Almost a month after being appointed by Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, the Minister of Sports, following instructions from Head of State Paul Biya, Marc Brys has still not been recognized by Samuel Eto’o. The former Indomitable Lions goalscorer turned manager, believing that Fecafoot was kept out of the coach’s recruitment process which falls within its prerogatives, refused to sign the latter’s contract. On April 7, the Cameroonian football boss even considered appointing another coach within seventy-two hours.

Marc Brys, for his part, declared on the occasion of his first stay in Yaoundé from 7 to 13 April, be “ready to work with the federation and its president, in the interest of the committee and the country. I hope to see it, as I said before. But I’m not the type to chase people, because I have to concentrate on the team and the players for the next matches .

In Belgium, where he coached a number of clubs for more than eighteen years, the Flemish has earned a solid reputation as an uncompromising coach when it comes to his sporting prerogatives. “I am open to discussion, attentive, positive, but the dressing room is the place of the coach, his technical staff and the players, and which neither the Ministry of Sports nor Fecafoot enters”, he said. A firmness that does not surprise the former Belgian international Nordin Jbari, now a consultant for several media and who knows Marc Brys. “He does not tolerate the slightest interference in his choices, either from the players or the game system. Brys is very friendly, calm, but he has a strong character and does not allow himself to be influenced. »

Discovery of the Continent

The Indomitable Lions coach does not appear to be unduly affected by the rumors surrounding his contract situation. “I read and heard that I had not signed a contract. But I have one! “, assures Mr Brys, whose monthly salary of 40,000 euros per month – part of which is used to pay two of his deputies – is covered by the state. The Flemish also claims that his relationship with the Ministry of Sports is “excellent. Everything is done so that we can work under professional conditions, I always have someone to answer my questions and requests.”

Necessary support for the former coach of Saint-Trond and Louvain, who discovers both the African continent and the job of coach. “I no longer wanted to train in Belgium, I wanted to experience something elsehe said. I will spend time in Cameroon to talk to local coaches, follow championship matches and observe the youth selections, because the future is being prepared now. »

The diary of Marc Brys, who will get to know his group around May 25, during the preparatory camp for the two games in June, promises to be busy throughout the year. Cameroon will actually play six matches in September, October and November counting towards qualification for the 2025 African Cup of Nations (CAN), still facing unknown opponents.