Liverpool ace mocked after snub as coach revels in success without eight key players

Posted by

Cameroon coach Hugo Broos has insisted that the likes of Liverpool defender Joel Matip will regret deciding not to play in the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Indomitable Lions emerged as shock winners of the 2017 tournament in Gabon, beating Egypt in Sunday’s final after an incredible run of results.

Given that eight players, including Matip, decided to miss the tournament, few gave them a chance of going all the way but they proved their doubters wrong with others stepping up and delivering.

Now, Broos believes that those who missed out will look back at having missed out on the triumph and regret their decision not to have been part of it.

“There was a lot of trouble before, players who wouldn’t come with us,” he said, as reported by Sky Sports.

“OK, it’s their decision. But maybe they are saying now to themselves, “S***! Why didn’t I go with them?”

“We came here and I think nobody thought we would go so far. We tried to get through the first round. We did it. So we said, ‘OK, let’s see what happens against Senegal’. We won the game again.

“Then you get a boost of confidence and from that time we believed that if we got a bit lucky we could win the final.”

Matip was forced to sit out at the start of January following on from the fall out over his decision not to go to Gabon, but has since returned to the Liverpool line-up.

His presence at Anfield hasn’t prevented Jurgen Klopp’s side going into a damaging slump though, one that has seen them fall out of the Premier League title race and crash out of both cup competitions.

While Liverpool’s summer recruit has been crucial to them so far this season, Matip’s decision to not go to the Africa Cup of Nations has seemingly done Cameroon no harm, while he may question his decision further down the line having missed out on a crowning moment for his nation.

More Stories Joel Matip