Soul-searching for Cameroon after early exit

There will be much soul-searching in Cameroon this morning as they contemplate an early exit from the African Nations Cup finals after a qualification campaign that suggested a turnaround in the team's fortunes.

The Indomitable Lions suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cote d'Ivoire in their final Group D game on Thursday, which was enough to send them packing from the competition.

There was no great disgrace in that result, though the side did not play particularly well, but they will rather look back to earlier draws with Mali and Guinea for reasons as to why their campaign ended in such bitter disappointment.

The World Cup in Brazil last year was a disaster, where fighting on and off the pitch, inept performances and not a single point earned were the source of great embarrassment for the country.

It was clear there needed to be a change and coach Volker Finke, who perhaps surprisingly hung on to his job in the face of that humiliation, sought to rebuild the team, dropping a number of established stars, while the likes of legend Samuel Eto'o took international retirement.

It appeared to do the trick. Cameroon were magnificent in qualifying for the Nations Cup, going through a difficult preliminary pool that also included Cote d'Ivoire and DR Congo unbeaten.

That included a 4-1 home success against the mighty Ivorians in September. There is no doubt they were placed in a difficult pool again at the finals, but it is one they would have expected to advance from.

"We tried so hard, really, everyone gave everything," Finke told reporters after their loss on Wednesday. "We can't talk about the team not trying, we tried, we gave everything. In the second half, everyone gave everything, but there were no clear chances. In the first half there were, but we didn't take them.

"I think the most important thing, as always, is what's happening on the pitch. We gave everything, and we're disappointed. But it's important to stay positive, because the team is young and the future is still to come." Finke later repeated the mantra that the best years for this side are ahead, but he must wonder again if he will be around to see them.

"The most important thing is still to come for Cameroon. The team is still in construction, but we can't say we failed because of youth. The most important thing is to look forward and to speak of chances to come."