PUMA INTERVIEWS FROM THE AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS

Puma has a freelance journalist  based in Angola for the African Cup of Nations, who has been able to interview a number of key football personalities on the ground there. Here are a few Q&A’s with some of Africa’s finest talent as well as the Cameroon national coach, Paul Le Guen.

Samuel Eto’o, Cameroon and Inter Milan

Q : How would you compare your style with Didier Drogba?

ETO’O : Oh, I don’t compare my style with Didier. He’s another great African player, who does good things for Africa. On the contrary, we get on well and both of us help to define Africa’s image. I believe that it is a shame that people try and compare us with each other, but, it’s not the Africans doing it, because we, the Africans, we have to protect those who present the image… or those who promote Africa’s image in Europe, like Didier, Michael and lots of others such as myself.

Q: You’ve played in Spain, now Italy, what does it mean to come back to Africa and hear the fans cheer for you?

ETO’O : It is an honour for me to play all the time in African stadia. I believe that my dearest … dearest dream is always to return. Every time I go away, I tell myself “Samuel, when will you come back?” And every time I come back, I really enjoy it. Yesterday, despite the fact we lost, you can see that, here, where I live in Africa, people are proud to see me again. I can use the occasion to tell the spectators that I have to thank them for their welcome yesterday in the stadium. And, yesterday, I couldn’t score, I tried to do my best but that depends on how you see it; I hope we will be luckier on Sunday. I hope I’ll score and I hope that I’ll be able to put my team-mates in better positions so that they can score.

Q: How does the captaincy affect the way you play the game?

ETO’O : For a few years now, I’ve been captain of this team. Now, the coach just wants me to wear the armband during the match, but I used to be captain and I see the match in the same way: I am always positive and I try to do my best for my team-mates so that we are all the best, because life is like that, football, is an education. And we have the opportunity to pass things on to the younger ones so that they can do the same tomorrow.

Q: You’re wearing the Africa Unity kit. How important is a United Africa?

ETO’O : By wearing this shirt, we are all united, we are all African, before we are from Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana etc. And I hope that this spirit will continue into the World Cup, because in our World Cup an African country needs to progress as far as possible, to be able to win the cup or Africa. I would like it to be Cameroon, it could be another African country, because I am African before I am Cameroonian.

Q: You’ve been drawn in the same World Cup group as the Netherlands, do you think they’re your main rivals to qualify from the qualifying group?

ETO’O : No, all those who have qualified demand the same respect and I think all the matches will be… we will go into them in the same way. We are honest, we know that we can take three points from Japan, hmm… we will give ourselves the same opportunity against Holland and will look at the matches in the same way.

Q: How have you found playing in Italy? It’s famous for its great defensive players, are you finding it more difficult than Spain?

ETO’O : Oh, in Spain, there were a lot of great defenders, really a lot. In Italy, I wondered how it would work, with the football, because in Italy, the defences rules, but up to now, and given the matches I have been able to play with my team, hmm well, it’s… it’s more positive than not.

Q: And to have been drawn against Chelsea, in the Champions League, would you say that they are the favourites to win that?

ETO’O : Oh, no. It’s the quarter finals; it’s a shame, because I would like to have played Chelsea a little later, but, yes, we are playing a very, very good team, a great team. They will be thinking the same thing, we have to wait, we still have a lot of time. The first match is next month, I think.  We have to be ready for it.

Q: How would you describe your relationship with José Mourinho?

ETO’O : Yesterday I saw, before the start of the match he was encouraging me and I sent him a text to tell him that I knew that he watches matches, even in the Eighth Division. We have a very, very good relationship and I really need that after all the problems I have had, as regards to my departure from Barcelona. I’ve found someone: a big brother, a coach and a friend… We talk, we exchange views and there you are.

Q: How important is his inside knowledge about Chelsea going to be?

ETO’O : I can’t say!

Q: Last question: you’ve played in Spain, you’ve played in Italy, have you considered coming to play in the Premiere League?

ETO’O : I had the opportunity to sign for an English club in the summer, but I preferred to go to Italy and especially to Inter , because they had the coach I wanted and a President who really wanted me, although the English club, the chairman wanted me and the coach, I never dreamed of it and what’s more, I really like it at Inter but the future is sometimes full of surprises.

Eboué, Ivory Coast & Arsenal

Q: Can Arsenal win this year?

EBOUÉ: Yes, why not?  I think so, I really think when you play football if you don’t believe in yourself it’s not worth playing. I believe that with the team we have if we continue to dig deep and continue to play like we are doing at the moment, I think we could win it.

Q: But, do you think that it could be said that Chelsea and Man. United are the strongest?

EBOUÉ: Yes, you know, it’s always like that but I can tell you that the English championship is very strange. If you lose a match, perhaps you will drop down the league; and if you win one match you could be in the top ten. It’s a championship, which is at the moment very volatile and I personally think that there is every possibility we can win it.

Q: And what is your opinion of Arsène Wenger; you’ve been working with him for some time now.

EBOUÉ: Ah!  You know, me, personally, I feel at ease with him, because now I am coming up for my sixth year, that will be six years I have been with him, so, I know him very well. Well, he’s a good man.  He has helped me. I am on the same wavelength as him and, then, when I have problems, he is always there for me and I think that he is an honest man. If he likes something, he tells you directly and he’s someone, who also loves his players, he loves us a lot, because he is always there for us, at difficult times, he’s always there for us and me, frankly I am happy to be with him, you know.

Q: Do you think Arsène Wenger’s plans to invest and use young players are working for the club at this moment?

EBOUÉ: This is what Arsène Wenger does, he isn’t stupid, he is someone who really likes the young lads and, me, I think that each to his own. Everyone has their own way of seeing things. Perhaps there are certain people who say that there are too many youngsters in the team. Yes, effectively, there are too many young lads in the team, but, we have been playing together for years now and we know each other very, very well and I, I never go against what he chooses.

Q: And, what is your view on the next round of the Champions League against Porto?

EBOUÉ: [LAUGHS] We are used to playing this team and, so, we know them well and… you know, when you get through the first round of the Champions League, the second round is still difficult, because you are playing against other big teams, so I think it’s a match that won’t be easy.

Q: And who are Porto’s best players?

EBOUÉ: Porto is a very big club, so, well, if you play for Porto, I reckon you must be one of the best players. This is the team that won the Champions League in 2005. So, I think that Porto are a great team and they have some very, very good players: players who are very fast, players who play well and, anyway, they have one player who people talk about a lot because of what he does – it’s Hulk. Anyway, they play very well, because they have played together a long time. They’ve been together a long time, so, we have to be wary of this Porto team.

Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast & Chelsea

Q: Has racism reared its ugly head again in football?

DROGBA: Unfortunately, you can see it at football grounds, it’s just a reflection of society today. What’s happening at the grounds is exactly what’s happening in the towns and cities and in everyday life, unfortunately, and we have to continue to fight it; there’s nothing else to do and, well, I think that’s all we can do.

Q: Do you think it’s Chelsea’s year to win the Premier League?

DROGBA: Yea, I hope, we are leading the championship, but we have played badly at times, we have lost a lot of points, but we are still leading the championship so I think, well, I hope that this will be Chelsea’s year.

Q: And Ancelotti? What’s your opinion of Carlo Ancelotti?

DROGBA: He’s a good coach, he’s someone with a lot of experience and someone who has brought some quality into our play and has inspired confidence in our players. Well it’s good.

Q: And Manchester United? Are they your biggest rivals for the English title?

DROGBA: Manchester United, Arsenal and… and you could even say Aston Villa who are really going to cause everyone problems, but, really, I think Man.U. and Arsenal.

Q: And, for you, personally, being the leading goal scorer, is that important or not, an accolade like that?

DROGBA : It’s good, if the team win the cup at the same time … if we are the champions and I am the best marksman, yes, I would be happy, otherwise, being top scorer without winning the trophy wouldn’t be … it’s of no interest to me. I personally am happy, but football is a team game.

Q: You’ve been drawn against Portugal in the World Cup. What do you know about them?

DROGBA: Lots of things!  I have a lot of Portuguese friends, including in my team, and some very good, very, very good friends. Then, I have played plenty of times against a Portuguese team, Porto are very good, very respectful people, who are loyal, yes … I appreciate that a great deal.

Q: And who are Portugal’s players who you think could make the difference?

DROGBA: Ah, the best ones at the moment are Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco, who I like a lot. He’s a friend – I like his simplicity and the way he plays, but really, there are a lot, a lot of players, too many to mention, because there are players like Pepe, Carvalho, my friend Quaresma, José Bosingwa.

Q: The CAN and the World Cup in Africa: what will this mean to African football?

DROGBA: It would be good. I think that it will help us progress a bit more and it will make African football more visible. You have to realise that, at the moment, there are a lot of African players at the major European clubs, so … it will help football improve, it will be a good shop window of Africa, I reckon.

Q: Have you already talked to Carvalho, Deco or Paulo Ferreira about the match against Portugal; did your relationship with them change after the draw?

DROGBA: No, no, no [LAUGHS].  We wonder how it’s going to work out, but there’s a lot of respect, and I know it’s going to be very hard against Ricky, but we’ll see.

Q: Who’s your best friend in football?

DROGBA: Well … Malouda. Before, we played against each other, when I was in the second division and he was in the second division too. Afterwards, we played together at Guingamp, then he went to Lyon and I went to Marseille, before we met up again at Chelsea; our children are very close and we live near each other.

Q: Who is the hardest defender you have ever played against?

DROGBA: Ricardo Carvalho. When he is on form… I knew him, when I was at Marseille. He’s very strong. Very, very strong and, then, in training, he is very good at anticipating and everything, he’s really a very, very good player.

Q: And, Anelka, is he the best striker partner you’ve ever had?

DROGBA: Ah, at the moment, he’s the one I get on with the best. With Crespo too but at the moment it’s going really well with Anelka and when we play, we don’t calculate things, we just look up and then it’s really good.

Paul Le Guen, Cameroon Manager

Q: How much is CAN helping you prepare for the World Cup?

This competition helps me to know the players better and will be very useful to work out the squad for the World Cup. We have to try to win this competition but also prepare for the World Cup. That’s why we have some young players with us. I am trying to see if they are able to play for Cameroon in the World Cup.

The World Cup will be very difficult – just to get through the group stage. A few months ago Cameroon was the last to qualify. We are very happy to go and we have to be very ambitious but we have to be calm and we musn’t make promises to the people. Because of the way we qualified we have to be lucky, work very hard and be very humble.