The Eto’o Cameroon Needs Can be Found in SWR”-Enow Ngatchu

Physical Education Instructor and Coach of the University of Buea Football Club, Asongu Azemchop Nicholas, and his renowned colleague of Maumu Youths, Nlend Ayme, have been commissioned into office as Head and Deputy of the National Football Academy of Cameroon (ANAFOOT) respectively.

Enow Ngatchu

Before his appointment on 30 August, 2017, Asongu Azemchop Nicholas had been designated President of Youth Football for Fako Division.

The installation ceremony took place on Thursday 23 November, 2017, at the Governor’s Office in Buea, capital of the South West Region of Cameroon. Accompanied by S.W. Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai and Delegate of Sports and Physical Education for the SWR, Egbe Ignatius, and others, the Director General of ANAFOOT, Enow Ngatchu used the occasion to explain the role of the National Football Academy created some seven years ago.

“We are about to start our activities. Immediately after the training of our regional representatives we shall launch our football activities in the regions. We need 50 players, 25 girls and 25 boys below the age 13 from each region, and that will be 500 from the ten regions. The youngsters will be selected by experts and only 50 of them will be at ANAFOOT in Yaoundé,” Enow Ngatchu told Volcanic Sports.

Thursday’s event was part of ANAFOOT’s planned tour to the ten regions of the national triangle, to present and install its regional heads, and to lay ground work for subsequent kick off. Talking to reporters, Mr Ngactchu said the SWR has got football talents. In his opinion, the Samuel Eto’os and Mbomas Cameroon is in dire need of can come from here. 

In his quest to have the best of football talents from Cameroon’s nooks and crannies, the General Manager urged Messrs. Azemchop and Nlend to reach out to the hinterlands during their scouting expeditions. 

“We have appointed the Heads of Pools to go into the interior to get players. The South West Region has always had very talented players in the national team and at the club level. What Victoria United and St Peters did in this year’s Cameroon Cup means the South West has talents. Very soon each player you will want to interview, will tell you he/she is from ANAFOOT.  That is what we want to do,” the GM said.

On the issue of how soon ANAFOOT will start its recruitment of talents in the ten regions, Enow Ngachu said the academy will start up a refresher course for its regional heads and deputies. 

“We are going to organize a refresher course for our regional heads and their assistants. After that you will see banners all over the ten regions of Cameroon. Sometimes, we will launch our activities with some official ceremonies in the regions,” he concluded.

After its creation in 2010 to professionalise football in Cameroon, the National Football Academy of Cameroon, commonly known by its French acronym ANAFOOT, only came to life on 24 May, 2017, through a Presidential decree. In the same vein, the former prolific trainer of Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses, Enow Ngachu, was appointed General Manager with former Boss of the Confederation of African Football, CAF, Issa Hayatou as Board Chair.

The coming of the National Football Academy of Cameroon is widely expected to revive Cameroon’s football which is arguably on its knees, harness emerging talents who will not only sustain the domestic leagues, but serve as a ready-made reservoir for national selections across all levels and gender.

Note that ANAFOOT was created by the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, as a result of the Indomitable Lions’ dismal performance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. 

By Isifu Michael Wirfengla & Ekonde Daniel