Tuesday, March 7- Samuel Eto’o Fils, the president of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) sent a reminder message to club owners in the country at the time footballers in the top-flight and second tier championship have been complaining about unpaid dues.
Eto’o took advantage of a meeting with a section of stakeholders in the Southwest region of Cameroon to voice his thoughts while the federation was preparing to approve the payment of subventions to its clubs.
“The money we give you is to pay the players. Because when you transfer them, the players don’t get their share, it’s your business. It’s like a racehorse, you have to maintain it well, because it earns you bonuses. And in this case, the players bring you a lot of money,” Eto’o said.
Payment of subventions as well as players salary in Cameroon is more or less like an everlasting problem with the federation and the club presidents pointing accusing fingers at each other while the players perish in poverty.
Some school of thought have suggested that the players be paid directly by the federation which doesn’t look logical given the federation doesn’t employ players.
Eto’o is certainly cautious of the sphere of the federation whose executive committee he heads and takes a clear position about how clubs go about this payment situation.
“We do not interfere with your management. But ours, at the Federation, that of the executive committee of which I have the honor to chair, Nooo, we justify! We justify. So, instead of spending time on the radio stations, on the television stations, playing the interesting game, take 30 minutes of your time, go to the bank, get the bank statement, send to us.”
On Thursday FECAFOOT announced they had begun the payment of the third tranche of subventions to Elite clubs which was initially obstructed by the fact that the Tsinga football house wanted prove of previously payments of salaries with what the clubs received before the start of the season.
Top-flight clubs in Cameroon were mandated by FECAFOOT to pay at least 200000 FCFA to each of their first team players while second tier clubs pay at least 75 000FCFA. Though the move was welcomed by the general public, implementation has been effective at least on evident on the fact that footballers across the country still complain about almost the same situation.
