CHI IVO, an asset for Cameroons Football Development.

Ivo Chi

Contrary to many in his age group, Cameroonian born IVO Chi does not want to be seen as a football player but as a football developer. Talking to Bakahonline on Tuesday January 21, 2014 in an interview Ivo Chi authoritatively said “I personally think with my qualifications and knowhow from the Bundesliga I can help develop football in Cameroon.”

Based in Luxembourg , Ivo has made his intentions of contributing to Cameroon’s Football development known through the founding and sponsoring of a Second Division Team Grassland FC in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. According to him this team was created “with the aim to help young talented players in the Nkwen community a village where my mother is from to develop and produce a football team in the Northwest Region that will practice standard football. The most talented players in Africa normally come from very poor families and they don't even have money to move around for trails with first division clubs in Cameroon. So my idea is meanwhile every club in the league is looking at those top players in the League, me and my entire team we concentrate on those talented players that could not make it there but still have talent.  I want to give many young talented players in Africa a chance to make football their source of income and hopefully Grassland Fc can start to play one day in the Elite one championship.”

Being an accomplished professional football coach licensed by UEFA with a firm educational background in sports management, Ivo Chi believes that the football business in Africa and Cameroon in particular must be done properly and by professionals. “We really need to change the standard in football business as a whole in Africa and Cameroon most precisely and this will help us facilitate the move of top young African players to top European clubs.  We have to make our Leagues more interesting, bring back the fans to watch the games. Have a good structure and professionals in Management. There is just too much work to be done in Cameroon football at this level and we need competent people.” 

On the management of Cameroon football Ivo said “It is really sad to see the miss management and confusion we are having in Cameroon football today.  The main problem in the Cameroon football federation is that 85 % of those running things there are not competent and qualified enough to work there”.

What way forward Ivo responded “I had a conversation last week with Tanko and Volker Finke and I am working on a Concept for the youth League in Cameroon that can help the structure of football in Cameroon. We have to do like the Germans starting from the youth. When this concept is finish I will present it to the ministry of Sports and physical Education in Cameroon”.

Ivo Chi and Didier Drogba

Ivo Chi is one of the highly nominated player agents from Africa with top transfers to his credits like Didier Ya Konan to Hannover 96 , Demba Ba to TSG Hoffenheim, Fai Collins to Dinamo Bucharest , Modou Sougou to FC Évian Thonon Gaillard and of recent the young talent Betrand Traore from Burkina Faso to Chelsea amongst others. Quizzed on why become a player-agent he responded;“Well, as every other Cameroonian i have always been a fan of  the football game. After my studies in Europe i was  actually working in the Music Industry at first, representing Top U.S Artist during their  Europe promotions tours. During this time i was invited at the MTV Music Award show where i meet Didier Drogba and we became close friends. So i use to watch must of his game at the VIP Lodges where i  meet a lots of high football personalities and i became very interested in getting involve in the business behind the game.’’  

Born in Limbe, Ivo Chi is also a Bundesliga certisfied Referee, member of  the international sports press Association and also the Cameroon football press Association , he is  the General manager of the sports agency (Smart Sports Management, a member of the smart sports Group limited) based in Luxembourg and also Presently the President of the newly promoted Regional second division club Grassland Fc in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.