Cameroon head coach David Pagou has defended his squad decisions and said he will continue selecting players who fit his plans before the upcoming meeting with Cote d’Ivoire.
Pagou said his approach was based on maintaining a clear identity rather than following choices made by others.
“Every coach has their own method, philosophy and way of working,” he said. “With my staff, we have selected players who suit us. We are continuing along the same path and will keep working according to our methods.
“We cannot make decisions based on other people’s choices, otherwise you lose your identity. I am David Pagou. We select the players who fit our project. Is it the best way? The results will tell us.”
The coach also emphasised the importance of considering Cameroonian players based abroad, saying they should know that the national team remains open to them wherever they play.
Pagou acknowledged that the team’s starting line-up could change from one match to another, while suggesting Cameroon were gradually moving towards a settled side.
“Every match has its own reality and every match has its own starting XI,” he said. “There are many Cameroonians playing elsewhere, and we have to show them that the doors of the national team are open, wherever they are.
“We are trying to get closer to our strongest XI because, as you know, we took charge of the team less than a year ago. But we are moving closer to that first-choice team.”