Cameroon’s Goalkeeper Andrea Onana has finally addressed the circumstances which led to his removal from the Cameroon World Cup squad in Qatar.
Andrea Onana was dropped from Cameroon’s World Cup squad following ‘a blazing row with manager Rigobert Song’.
The former Ajax goalkeeper clashed with the country’s head coach Rigobert Song over his performance. Unfortunately, the outcome of the clash didn’t sat well with the coach.
The dispute came after Song lambasted the stopper during training for taking too many risks playing with his feet.
Rigobeet Song wanted Andrea Onana to play in a more conventional, risk-free fashion to avoid unnecessary blunders.
Andrea Onana, in his first World Cup match for the Indomitable Lions, was more attack-minded, regularly advancing off his line to start attacks from the back.
Rigobert Song is said to have fumed at the style, given the risks of easily falling prey to the opponents or committing a blunder that the opponents could capitalize on to have an edge on the game.
The heightened tensions are said to have been doused after the training session, and Andrea Onana is said to have insisted on continuing his style of play despite the warning of Rigobert Song.
Rigobert Song omitted him from the Cameroon squad and said it would be better that he is not even on the bench in the next game against Serbia.
Cameroon FA President and former legendary forward Samuel Eto’o is said to have attempted to reconcile both parties, all to no avail, as Andrea Onana insisted that his soiled relationship with Rigobert Song remains ‘irreversible.’
Onana finally left the squad with Epassy, who played his club football for Abha in Saudi Arabia and had made just five international appearances, replacing him as the first-choice goalkeeper in the tournaments.
The controversy is the latest involving Onana, who last year served a nine-month ban for breaching doping regulations.
Andrea Onana Breaks Silence after exiting Cameroon World Cup Squad
After flying home to Cameroon following the face-off with Rigobert Song, Andre Onana, has finally broken his silence on what actually occurred.
In a statement on his Twitter handle on Tuesday, 29 November, he said, “Yesterday I was not allowed to be on the ground to help Cameroon, as I always do, to achieve the team’s goals. I always behaved in a way to lead the team to success in a good manner.
“I have put all my efforts and energy into finding solutions to a situation that a footballer often experiences, but there has been no will on the other side. Some moments are difficult to assimilate. However, I always respect and support the decisions of the people in charge of pursuing the success of our Team and Country.
“I extend all my strength to my teammates because we demonstrated that we are capable of going very far in this competition…Representing Cameroon has always been a privilege. The Nation first and forever.”
Meanwhile, Epassy was in between the sticks in Cameroon Vs Serbia and conceded three goals in his 2022 World Cup debut for the Indomitable Lions.
However, the one point keeps Cameroon’s hopes alive, but they must beat Brazil in their final game to have any chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
The game will be a tough test for the African side given the quality in the South America giants.
Despite losing their star striker and PSG forward Neymar Junior to an ankle injury, the Brazilians have won their two opening matches. They will cap their brilliant efforts in their last game against the Cameronians.
It will be an uphill task for the Indomitable Lions as they must pick all three points from the Brazilians to qualify from the group.
