Tollo’s latest remarks reopen questions over Pagou’s status after Brys contract ends

By Angu Lesley

Football Writer,kick442.Cameroon

Cyrille Tollo has reignited debate around the management of the Indomitable Lions after making fresh remarks about Marc Brys’ expired contract and David Pagou’s status as Cameroon enters a new chapter on the international scene.

Speaking during his latest media outing, Tollo stated that Brys’ contract with the State of Cameroon officially ended on September 7 and insisted that the Belgian coach had been paid up to that date. The clarification comes as Pagou takes charge of the Lions following the end of Brys’ tenure.

But Tollo’s comments about Pagou have raised even more questions. “He does not have a salary that comes from the State. He was appointed by FECAFOOT, so it is up to her to take care of his salary,” Tollo said, placing responsibility for the coach’s remuneration firmly on the football federation.

The Ministry official then pointed to Pagou’s status as a civil servant. “Mr. Pagou is a civil servant of the Ministry of Sports. In order for him to work in another organization, he must obtain authorization. He must be detached,” Tollo explained.

The remarks touch directly on one of the most sensitive aspects of the long-running FECAFOOT-Ministry of Sports dispute: who has the authority to appoint, contract, pay and administratively manage the technical staff of the national team. FECAFOOT has previously maintained that Pagou is part of its technical structure, while the Ministry’s position has repeatedly emphasised the State’s role in the management of the national teams.

Interestingly, Pagou has already moved into his new role on the sporting side. He has been involved in preparations for Cameroon’s upcoming international engagements and has taken responsibility for selecting the squad, meaning the latest comments could put the spotlight on the administrative arrangements behind an appointment that is already operational on the football pitch.

With Brys’ contract now officially behind him, Tollo’s intervention suggests that the end of the Belgian coach’s tenure may not mark the end of the institutional questions surrounding the Indomitable Lions. Whether his latest outing was simply intended to clarify Pagou’s contractual and administrative situation, or whether it signals another chapter in the FECAFOOT-MINSEP dispute, remains to be seen.