Cameroonian clubs in continental competitions are to receive technical assistance from three national team coaches.

Martin Ntoungou, head coach of the national Under-23 side, will take charge of Tonnerre, currently in the Caf Cup.

Ntoungou's assistant, Angelbert Mbarga, is handling Coton Sport Garoua in the Champions League, while Under-17 assistant coach, Dominique Wansi, will manage Fovu Baham's campaign in the Cup Winners' Cup.

Bonaventure Djonkep, manager of Coton Sport, says he welcomes the assistance given to his team by the sports ministry.

"Two heads are better than one. The coach is not going to interfere in our work."

"He will contribute something that would help us in our campaign", said Djonkep, who played for Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup.

Funding problems

Richard Obateba, Tonnerre's manager, has a similar view.

"It's a good thing to have a coach like Ntoungou at Tonnerre", he said.

"He's got a lot of international experience, which we'll benefit from."

In the 1970's and 80's, clubs like Canon and Tonnerre received technical and financial help from the government.

It was a contributing factor to the dominance of Cameroonian clubs in continental competitions during that period.

But a delay by the ministry in releasing needed funds to the clubs has not gone down well with Tonnerre's chairman, Antoine Essomba Eyenga.

He has threatened to withdraw his club from the second leg of the Caf Cup match against Deportivo Mongomo in Equitorial Guinea this weekend.

"I am waiting for money [from the sports ministry]."

If we don't have the money, we will not leave Yaounde for the match."

We have to be well treated, like the Indomitable Lions, who are provided with money by the government", Essomba warns.