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Eto'o Samuel
Cameroon having been looking for the next Roger Milla, well since Roger Milla. They think they've found him in Real Mallorca's Samuel Eto'o. Eto'o's slim frame combines the goal scoring instincts of Milla with the touch of another Caneroonian hero Jean Manga Onguene. It's these skills that persuaded Real Madrid to take him on as a 16 year old from Avenir Douala in Cameroon nearly six years ago. he'ed played just one season with Cameroonian second division side UCB Douala. He chose real he says "because of their reputation and attacking prowess." He's already got the medals to go with his ability. How many other 21 year olds have an Olympic gold and two African Nations Cup gold medals? It's not his first World Cup either. Eto'o went to the 1998 Mundial in France, only to spend it sitting on the bench with only a brief taste of the action. He seemed to be handling the move well, but unfortunately even a player of his precocious ability couldn't budge the Madridstas front pairing of Raul and Fernando Morientes. Since then he has moved on to Mallorca, initially on loan in the 1999-00 season. Once at Mallorca he did so well his form persuaded the club to pay £4.4m and repaid them by helping them to third position in the Spanish League two seasons ago. The Eto'o skills include sharp and incisive movement allied to an excellent timing and quality finishing. If there is a criticism it is that sometimes his approach is a little too blinkered and he fails to play in his team-mates. Yet this must be tempered by the realisation that he is still so tender in years. It's not been the smoothest of build ups to the World Cup for Eto'o. his form dipped a little this season and he has been caught up in some off the pitch controversy. His former agent has accused him of assaulting him along with four other men in a row over money. Nonetheless he is confident about Cameroonian progress from Group E which also contains Germany, Republic of Ireland and Saudi Arabia. "Germany is the
strongest team in our group, so it's good we have a German trainer. Schafer
will help us master the skills we need to face the Germans. "Theoretically, we're in an easy group but the proof lies in our playing." Most experts expect to see Cameroonian progress and you can be sure that if that happens Samuel Eto'o would have played his part.
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Senegal
ready for france Simply
Aghawonder Diao's
star rises again Tough
as they come Song
at the ready On
the left side Metsu's
secret The
Senegalese Lions The
Senegalese way The
Lion's route The
next Haile Profiles African
Cup of Nations
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