We are not afraid of Brazil

Rigobert Song, team manager

Rigobert Song, Lions Team Manager

Interviewed on the sidelines of the inauguration of the CAF centre of excellence at Mbankomo on Monday 5 May 2014, former indomitable lions’ skipper and current manager of the team says the lions cannot be afraid of the selecao of Brazil because both sides are now on the same pedestal after they qualified for the World Cup. Song also talked on the state of preparedness of the team barely five weeks to the kick-off of the competition.

Question: So how prepared are the lions with barely six weeks left to the start of the World Cup?

:--The preparation of the lions for the World Cup started soon after they beat Tunisia 4-1 and qualified for the most prestigious tournament. The head coach of the team had since drawn his plan of action. And he has been following it to the letter. I can say for sure that preparations are well advanced in the technical domain. The test matches have all been arranged and comfortable and conducive training sites too. Preparations are also far advanced in the administrative domain. For now we are only waiting for the players to be liberated by their respective clubs by 20 May so that we can call them to camp.

Question: But the lions were beaten 5-1 in a recent friendly against Portugal. How come you say they are quite prepared technically?

:--I think what is important now is the current form of the individual players. There were a number of potential players of the world cup squad who were injured but who are now fit again. This is quite comforting and motivating to us. I think despite the 5-1 defeat we suffered the team has gained in strength. Even though, we must work to surmount the defeat syndrome. We committed errors of lack of concentration, and this is an easy problem to handle. I can assure you that the team will be very solid by the time we complete the training program that begins on 20 May.

Question: Of Brazil, Croatia and Mexico which in your opinion is the toughest side for the lions?

:--I think all the teams are the same. We are going to start the competition on the same pedestal. It is only later in the course of the competition that the realities of football would unravel themselves. We are not scared of any team because we are all on the same pedestal. But all I can say for now is that the lions have enough chances to create surprises. And I should say our first game will be determinant, in fact, we must not lose it.

Question: Do you think we have the means to do better than in 2010?

:-- We are among the 32 countries that qualified for the 2014 World Cup from among 208 countries. That alone is a great achievement. But it is incumbent upon us to put the odds on our side in order to perform better than in 2010. I think we have the capacity and the means to do this. We would not like to have a replay of what happened to us in 2010. I think we will do every thing to put up a better showing this time,

Question: Any chances for home-based players?

:--I am not well placed to answer to that question. I am just the team manager. The head coach, Volke Finke, is better placed to answer that question. I think he has been following the national championships. It is only he to decide if a local player is good enough to join the team. And it is a possibility. Don’t forget that Foe Marc Vivien and my self joined the senior team in 1994 when we were still playing in the local league. Others like Janka Beaka, Ndip Akem, Tataw Stephen etc etc also did it. So the chances are quite open for locals too.