Yaounde,Cameroon—Cameroon head coach, Hugo Broos has warned, Clinton
Njie might let his career pass him by if he “does not change his ways.”
Broos fired the warning shot recently at the
Marseille striker in a press conference in Yaounde as he justified his 23-man
squad for the FIFA Confederations Cup.
Njie, who was part of
the squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon early this year has not
had a look in at the squad since then as Broos dropped him first for the
friendlies against Tunisia and Guinea in March.
He was later dropped
alongside seven players who won the Afcon trophy in Gabon for different
reasons.
“If he [Clinton Njie] is
not going to change, he will lose his career totally. He must change his
attitude and put in the work required. Even Ronaldo or Messi are always working
hard,” Broos told a press conference.
“If he [Clinton Njie]
doesn’t understand that, then it is a pity for him. He will never become a
great player even when he has the qualities,” Broos stated saying the Cameroon
international striker could ruin his career.
Broos told a press
conference in Yaounde that Njie’s performance has been poor since the Gabon
expedition. He said instead of concentrating on the field, the striker who has
played 22 games and scored four goals since joining the Indomitable Lions in
September 2014 has resorted to indiscipline, thinking he’s the best, “which
doesn’t work.”
Njie started the first
two games of the Africa Nations Cup against Burkina Faso and Guinea Conakry but
failed to register a shot on target as he was soon relegated to the bench for
the rest of the competition.
He was criticised for
his performance and work rate by Cameroon football legend Roger Milla in Gabon
and in a show of dissent was caught on camera refusing to shake hands with the
legend though the pair later made peace.
Even at club side
Olympique Marseille, Njie has managed just four goals and an assist in 23
assist in 23 appearances throughout the season.
Other players who were
in Gabon but may not feature at the Confederations Cup in Russia include
goalkeeper Jules Goda, forwards Franck
Boya and Salli Edgar and defenders Mohammed Djetei and Nicolas Nkoulou who
announced he has retired from international football after the Gabon
expedition.
Schalke04 striker,
Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting who snubbed a call for the AFCON in Gabon but returned
to the team in March was not also included on the list of players Broos named
on 18 May.
Cameroon will play in
group B of the FIFA Confederations Cup alongside Chile, Australia and Germany.
According to the
Indomitable Lions coach, the level of the Confederations Cup is higher than
that of AFCON and Cameroonians should not be surprised that the African
champion may be eliminated after their first three group games.
“It is not because we
are champions of Africa that we should think we can defeat everyone. The level
of the confederations Cup is higher than that of the African Cup of Nations. We
are going to meet world champions, if you take Chile from South America for
example, it means the team is better than Brazil, Argentina,” Hugo Broos said.
By Ndi Eugene Ndi
