The Cameroon Football Federation (CFF) has called on supporters to remain united after their World Cup preparations were thrown into disarray by Samuel Eto'o's threat to pull out of the World Cup. The Inter Milan striker was named in the African nation's 23-man squad on Saturday, but questioned whether he would be involved after his performances for the national team were criticised by Roger Milla, the Indomitable Lions' hero of the 1990 World Cup in Italy, earlier this week.
Iya Mohammed, the CFF president, has appealed for calm in the build up to the country's Group E fixtures against Japan, Denmark and Holland. He said on the federation's website: "As the Indomitable Lions approach the final stretch of their preparations for the finals of the World Cup in South Africa, the Cameroonian Football Federation provides support for the national coach Paul Le Guen, captain Samuel Eto'o and all of our national team.
"Following statements made in the media by some major figures of our football which disturb the serenity of our national team, the Cameroon Football Federation invites the public to remain united around the athletes of the Indomitable Lions." Milla, who aged 42, became the oldest man to score in the finals in USA '94, claimed Eto'o did not produce the same level of displays for his country as he does in club football.
Eto'o responded by saying: "Is it worth me going to the World Cup? "I still have a few days to think about it but I will see if my participation is important because I don't need this in my career." Meanwhile, several players have voiced their reservations with the new World Cup ball, with more than one comparing it to those bought in a supermarket. And this time it is not only goalkeepers who are complaining. Strikers, defenders and midfielders are also lashing out at the Adidas ball.
The ball, called Jabulani, which means "to celebrate" in isiZulu, but it seems not many are celebrating. In fact, it is hard to find a player who is happy with it. "It's very weird," Luis Fabiano, the Brazil striker, said yesterday. "All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It's like it doesn't want to be kicked. It's incredible, it's like someone is guiding it. You are going to kick it and it moves out of the way. I think it's supernatural, it's very bad."
Julio Cesar, the Brazil goalkeeper, on Saturday called the ball "terrible" and was the first to compare it to those plastic ones which can usually be found on the shelves of seaside supermarkets. Giampaolo Pazzini, the Italy striker, echoed Cesar's sentiments, calling it a "disaster." "It moves so much and makes it difficult to control. You jump up to head a cross and suddenly the ball will move and you miss it," Pazzini said. "It is especially bad for the goalkeepers if it means they concede a goal because they can't judge the trajectory."
Adidas has hailed the technology on the Jabulani as "radically new," saying that it would sail true because small dots on the surface would help improve reliability in the air. * Agencies
