By Angu Lesley
Football Writer,kick442.com-Cameroon
Espoir Pokam FC founder Pokam Fabrice says his club has yet to receive training compensation following Bil Songo Tonfack Dorel’s transfer to Deportivo La Coruña, claiming he has faced threats while seeking an amicable settlement.
Pokam Fabrice, president and founder of Espoir Pokam Football Club of Mbalmayo, has publicly appealed to football club promoters across Cameroon, bringing renewed attention to the question of training compensation and the rights of clubs involved in developing young players.
In a statement addressed to club promoters, Pokam said his club was the first to register Songo Tonfack Bil Dorel, popularly known as Bil Songo, before the player moved to Lumière de Ndzeng and subsequently continued his career abroad. He maintains that Espoir Pokam FC has not received any money from the player’s transfer to Spanish club Deportivo La Coruña.
Pokam expressed frustration over what he described as the treatment of his club, alleging that while other clubs and individuals involved in the player’s career had received millions of CFA francs in training compensation, Espoir Pokam had received only a small contribution from the player during a recent visit to Cameroon.
According to the club president, Bil Songo visited him and handed over three rubber footballs, six training bibs and FCFA 5,000. Pokam said this gesture was insufficient in light of the financial rights he believes his club is entitled to as a formative club.
The Espoir Pokam FC president said he had engaged legal advisers and that attempts had been made to reach an amicable agreement with the player and his family. He claimed that two representatives of the player had opened discussions with the club and promised that Bil Songo would meet with him after Cameroon’s match against Côte d’Ivoire. Pokam further stated that the player returned to Cameroon and visited the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) on October 5, 2026, where he was filmed alongside football officials.
However, Pokam alleges that the situation deteriorated after that visit. He claims to have received a direct telephone call from the player in which he was threatened with imprisonment if he continued pursuing his compensation claim. He also alleges that he has since received intimidating messages from different individuals urging him to abandon the matter. These allegations have not been independently verified, and Bil Songo’s response was not included in the statement.
Despite the alleged threats, Pokam insists he will continue seeking what he considers the club’s legitimate entitlements. He said evidence, including player registration documents, photographs, messages and recordings, had been secured. He also appealed to football authorities and state institutions to ensure his protection, expressing concern about his personal safety.
The dispute raises broader questions about the recognition and protection of grassroots clubs in Cameroon, particularly those that invest in the early development of players who later move into professional football. For many local academies and clubs, training compensation can represent an important source of income and a means of sustaining youth development programmes.
Under FIFA regulations, training compensation may be payable to eligible clubs that trained a player during the relevant development years when specified conditions are met. However, establishing entitlement in an individual case requires an examination of the player’s registration history, the applicable transfer rules and the circumstances of the move. Espoir Pokam FC’s claim has yet to be independently established through the relevant regulatory process.
Pokam says he remains open to an amicable settlement, provided the rights of the club he considers Bil Songo’s formative institution are recognised. He has vowed to continue pursuing the matter until it is resolved.
For now, the allegations place the spotlight on the relationship between professional players and the grassroots clubs that help shape their careers, as the football community awaits further clarification on the compensation claim and the alleged threats.
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