Cameroon media slam Eto'o for 'treason'

Cameroon's affection for its favourite footballing son has turned sharply with striker Samuel Eto'o accused by local media of "treason" after leading strike action by their World Cup squad at the weekend.

Eto'o's tantrums and temperamental behaviour have long been tolerated because of his success on the field but it seems his country has had enough on the eve of their opening game against Mexico at the World Cup.

One newspaper editorial accused the four-time African Footballer of the Year and his team-mates of "high treason" as the fallout from their delayed departure to the tournament continued this week.

A strike by the World Cup-bound squad over money meant their expensively-chartered airline took off for Brazil almost 24 hours late as the players attempted to squeeze more appearance money out of their federation.

But what really rankled with the fans and media was the team's refusal to receive a symbolic flag from prime minister Philemon Yang at the end of their last warm-up international against Moldova in Yaounde last Saturday.

Their German coach Volker Finke accepted it on their behalf.

"We must now ask: which country do Eto'o and his comrades represent if they go to Brazil having refused to accept this country's most precious symbol, its flag?," asked the daily Mutations newspaper.

"The flag is a symbol of the nation. We can blame those in power (for our problems), but insulting the national anthem or trampling the flag is a sacrilege.

"That is the great sin of the Indomitable Lions, when they rushed as one man into the locker room and refused to receive the flag from the Prime Minister.

"A player who goes to the World Cup is a soldier at the front. If he does not want to board that is high treason that deserves punishment!"