AFCON 2015: Njie wanted

After the 1-1 draw against Guinea Conakry and Mali following the day one and two group games of the 30th edition of African Nations Cup, fans have been asking to know the whereabouts of their darling striker Njie Clinton.

The social media especially Facebook is awash with this question, where is Njie Clinton? Twitter already has a hash-tag, #bringbacknjieclinton.

There are speculations that Njie is caught up in a feud of elephants with him as the grass suffering the consequences.

The Post learnt that the strike who ply’s his trade for Olympic Lyonnais has not been in the line-up or fielded in the group games is a victim of Fecafoot machinations.

There are claims that Finke has been pressurized by Fecafoot officials not to field Njie as a way of settling scores with Njie’s former club manager, an ally to Joseph Antoine Bell, one of the candidates vying for the Fecafoot top job.

Njie won his way to the hearts of football lovers in his first cap on October 24, 2014 for the national team when he score against the DR Congo during the qualifiers of the Nations Cup and added a brace against Ivory Coast.

Answering to why Clinton has not been fielded since the beginning of the competition, Finke replied after a long explanation to the press after the 1-1 draw against Guinea.

“Like every young player, it is not good to be too fast with Njie Clinton with the risk of burning him up”. Finke explained his choice of benching Njie is informed by the excellent form Benjamin Moukandjo and Salli Edgar showed during the training camp in Gabon thus making the difference.

Finke retorted that it is not fair-play to look at the benching of Njie in a negative manner saying the product of the Brasseries Football School was also benched in club.

The Coach estimates that he created Njie Clinton and can or not bench the player when he wishes as he declared. “We were looking for young players for the Lions, I saw and handed him a call-up, putting him in confidence and he did return the gesture in the match against DR Congo and Ivory Coast”.

“This earned him a new contract for Lyon and his coach called to thank me that he saw a new player”.

“Njie started the game for Lyon 2-3 times and it is normal that he is undergoing a counter performance, he needs to reaffirm and stabilize his level and has two three years ahead of him”.

But is he the messiah Cameroonians are waiting for to save the team from yet another draw, as the Lions take on Ivory Coast in their last group game?

Canal + analyst Philippe Doucet has said Njie is not Samuel Eto’o, an indispensible in the past. “He (Njie) started well and benching him is good for his ascension”.