Cameroon / Dave Farrar / 14 May 2010 / 1 Comments Free £25 Bet

Under the guidance of Paul Le Guen, Cameroon have a side with plenty of experience and one of the finest finishers in world football in the shape of Samuel Eto'o. They'll be as popular a team as ever but they have their work cut out to make the last sixteen...

"If you want to back a home team, but think South Africa are rubbish, then these are your men. With the Dutch bound to start well, and Japan not very good, second place will come down to a straight fight between Cameroon and Denmark, and I narrowly favour the Danes."

Paul Le Guen's Cameroon are the top ranked African nation according to the FIFA rankings, and despite all of the publicity surrounding the Ivory Coast, the Indomitable Lions may just go further than any of the other four continental representatives.

Since their amazing showing back in 1990, they have won only one of nine World Cup finals matches, and they missed the last World Cup completely after blowing their final qualifier against Egypt. This time round, they stuttered at the start of qualifying, but then powered through what was a difficult looking group, brushing aside the likes of Togo, Gabon and Morocco.

Cameroon are an old reliable, and while they look uncharacteristically weak defensively, their midfield would not be out of place if it lined up for one of the bigger nations. Stephane Mbia and Alex Song are rock solid, as is Jean "Deux" Makoun, while Achille Emana will be playmaker.

If you like the idea of a "home" nation going a long way in the tournament, then remember that Cameroon were the first country which played an international in South Africa after apartheid, and that the local supporters will be right behind them as a result.
If you want to back a home team, but think South Africa are rubbish, then these are your men. With the Dutch bound to start well, and Japan not very good, second place will come down to a straight fight between Cameroon and Denmark, and I narrowly favour the Danes.

COACH:

Paul Le Guen

Cameroon were lucky to land a coach of Le Guen's calibre, and he has had a positive impact on the squad, stamping his professionalism and force of will on the team. The captaincy was taken off Rigobert Song and handed to Samuel Eto'o, and both have flourished since. Le Guen may not have these players in the prime of their careers, but he's definitely helping them make the most of their talents.

Key Players

Samuel Eto'o

It's not simply his nine goals in qualifying that make Eto'o a man to watch, but also a sea change in his attitude which has enlivened Cameroon and, to a lesser extent, Inter Milan. Eto'o was always a nice guy, but he has a real work ethic which wasn't always apparent, and his sterling performance as a left back in the Camp Nou was not as big a surprise as it would have been five years ago. The prices will be short enough, but I'll be mightily surprised if he doesn't end up as Cameroon's top goalscorer in South Africa.

Achille Emana

Three years ago, Emana all but walked out on the national side and complained bitterly about the way he was perceived by fans back in Africa. Now he's one of the key men in Le Guen's side, and slots neatly into Cameroon's 4-3-3 formation as the playmaker. He's physically strong, richly talented, and despite a season playing in the Spanish Second Division with Real Betis, he looks set to shine at this level.

Carlos Kameni

Gone are the days when Cameroon could line up with four monstrously good defenders in front of a shaky goalkeeper. The likes of Lucien Mettomo are gone now and so it's lucky for Le Guen that Cameroon have an outstanding keeper in the shape of Espanyol's Kameni. He's athletic and brave, and it's only the lingering fear that teams have about African goalkeepers which has prevented him from getting a contract with a European giant.

Recommended Bet:

Back Cameroon to get between 3-5 points (and just fail to qualify) @ [3.6]

Tags: Cameroon players, Cameroon world cup record, Paul Le Guen, Samuel Eto'o, World Cup fixtures, World Cup groups