Interview: Landry N'Guemo, Celtic player

Published on Saturday 21 November 2009 19:39

THE Celtic star got a £29K watch for his World Cup efforts but is hoping for even greater rewards, reports Paul Forsyth

LANDRY N'GUEMO and his international team-mates have been made to feel special these last few days. After a 2-0 victory in Morocco had secured them a place in next summer's World Cup finals, the Cameroon squad were granted an audience with their country's prime minister. Then, their celebrated striker, Samuel Eto'o, who paid every player 1,200 for beating the Ivory Coast four years earlier, fulfilled his pre-match promise to give each of them a 29,000 watch in the event of qualification.

Imagine how they would be treated were they to win the thing. Unlikely though it may seem, Cameroon have a proud tradition in the event. They have been to the finals five times already, the first in 1982, the most recent 20 years later. In 1990, with Roger Milla's gyrating hips captivating the nation, they reached the quarter-finals, only to be defeated by England in extra-time. "It is eight months away," says N'Guemo, the 23-year-old midfielder who is on a season-long loan from the French club, Nancy. "But I hope we will be there in good condition. If we are, I think we can do something."

George Weah thinks so too. The former World Player of the Year has been up to his usual, declaring that the time has come for an African side to lift the trophy. Senegal fuelled the theory in 2002 by reaching the last eight. Next year, Cameroon will be joined in South Africa by Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and the host nation. Will any of them be able to go all the way? "Why not?" replies N'Guemo. "It is in Africa. And not only that. African teams are more professional now."

He would have been hard pushed to make that claim as little as three months ago. In August, Cameroon were bottom of their qualifying section, with just one point from two matches. Then the former Rangers manager, Paul Le Guen, replaced the German, Otto Pfister, and turned the group on its head. "It looked almost impossible before he came," says N'Guemo. "We were last in the group with four more games to play. We had to win them all."

And they did. Le Guen installed Eto'o as captain, and recalled Spain-based Achille Webo, who scored twice in his comeback, and again on Saturday. In his debut as coach, against Angola, the Frenchman gave N'Guemo his first start in nearly two years. He had been impressed with the player's performance for Nancy against his last club, Paris St Germain. Le Guen has since monitored the defensive midfielder, albeit through the eyes of his assistant, Yves Colleu, in matches against Arsenal and Rangers. "He remembers that the SPL is a good league," says N'Guemo, who played in the under-17 World Cup six years ago. "He is a great coach. Before he came, we were last in the group, and now we have gone five games without defeat. Training wasn't the same before he came. It's a little bit difficult when you go to Africa because sometimes it is not professional before the games. He brings something more."

These are exciting times for Celtic's international players, unless they happen to be Scottish. Also heading for the World Cup finals are New Zealand's Chris Killen, and the Greek striker, Georgios Samaras. Scott McDonald is likely to follow them in Australia's colours. Andreas Hinkel has a chance of being in the German squad, and Glenn Loovens will not have given up hope with Netherlands. If Japan's Koki Mizuno is a long shot, South Korea's Ki Sung-yong, who will join the club in January, is already an international regular.

Aberdeen, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Rangers could also be represented in South Africa, which must be to the clubs' benefit. Not only will the players have a spring in their step, they will have more reason than ever to raise their games. N'Guemo, for instance, knows better than to assume that his place in the Cameroon squad is secure. Although the old guard is making way, a new generation is emerging, with the likes of Stephane M'bia and Arsenal's Alex Song at the heart of it. "I have to improve because I know that, in a country of more than 20 million people, maybe more than two million play football. So the competition is difficult. I have to improve to be at the World Cup."

Moreover, Scottish clubs could find the value of their assets increased by an eye-catching performance on the game's biggest stage. N'Guemo is only on loan from Nancy, with a view to a permanent move, but the good news for the Celtic manager, Tony Mowbray, is that the terms of a long-term deal, should his club wish to trigger it, already have been agreed. "When you sign a loan deal, you don't leave it open-ended," says Mowbray. "You have to make sure it's all tied up, and everybody knows where they stand."

So far, he has been frustrated by N'Guemo. The midfielder made a promising start, especially in the Europa League qualifier against Dinamo Moscow, but his form dipped to such an extent that Mowbray was moved to describe him as an "easy-oasy" character. He wants more consistency from the player, and he wants it to come from within, not from Le Guen or the World Cup. "When Landry's up, he's good. He's very good. He is a talented boy. That's why he has played a huge part in helping Cameroon to the finals. But, like the rest of the team, he has to find high levels in his game week in, week out."

If that has been a struggle this year, it could be even tougher next. As well as the World Cup finals, N'Guemo will play in the African Cup of Nations, which starts on 10 January. He was in the Cameroon squad that finished second two years ago. If N'Guemo and the other internationalists at Parkhead become as important to their countries as they are to their club, it could have a detrimental effect on Celtic, especially at the start of next season, when they return from South Africa with tired legs and a motivational problem.

Mowbray is only too aware of the pitfalls, but who is he to begrudge them the experience of a lifetime? "I wouldn't want to deny them going to the World Cup. They might only get one opportunity.

"Not many players get an opportunity to go and play in a World Cup. I'm delighted for them all and I hope they all play a part. We'll all be sitting watching, either on TV or out there. I'll be cheering on all my players – as long as they are not playing against Eng-land."