What Broos had not said about the Choupo-Moting case

Asked once more about the "real" reasons for the absence of Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting at the 31st African Cup of Nations in Gabon, the coach of the Cameroon team said something 'He had never said before, regarding the withdrawal of the striker.

Cameroon's national football team reiterated the defections at Friday's press conference at the Friendship Stadium in Libreville. "The problem is that before, some players were very happy to be part of the national team of Cameroon. But this infatuation has diminished; Because the players have the pressure of their club, "said Hugo Broos, national coach. "Their absence in clubs can be detrimental to their careers in the sense that they can lose their place. It's the same for those who are at the end of their contract, "he said.

But this is for the case of the players who openly told him that they prefer to remain in their team in order to secure their places. Among those who have said no, there is one particular case of concern, that of Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting. The Schalke 04 striker had written to the president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fécafoot) to explain the reasons for his withdrawal from the team. Reasons that the coach says he does not know. "I do not quite understand why Choupo-Moting did not come. He declined the summons two days before the beginning of the course. And it's a bit sad. If he had done it two weeks before, I think it would not have bothered us. So what are the real reasons for his absence? It is up to him to ask the question, "insists Hugo Broos.

What he did not know was that the Journalists who asked him the question had planned to relaunch him in case of flight ahead. "They say he refused to come because you removed the armband ...", the journalist said. And Broos replied: "At one point there were neither Choupo-Moting nor Vincent Aboubakar who were the two captains. I spoke to Aboubakar. I asked him if it was a problem for him that I chose Moukandjo. He said no. " That, Hugo Broos had already revealed to the Cameroonian press some time ago.

But today, the Belgian technician made a new revelation. "I also told Choupo: is there a problem? He said, no, Moukandjo can remain captain. It's simple ". Never had the coach mentioned a conversation with Choupo-Moting about it. "If the armband is a reason not to play with his country, it means that you are more important than the team. And that's a shame. " Choupo-Moting is not going to find this one funny.