Updated: Oct. 11, 2005, 7:00 AM ET
Wome blasts Eto'o over penalty story
MILAN, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Pierre Wome, whose missed penalty cost Cameroon a place in the World Cup finals, says he could have been killed by fans after Saturday's match and that his family is now living under police protection.
Wome, who plays for Inter Milan, struck an injury-time penalty against the post in the qualifier against Egypt, leaving the game to finish 1-1 which allowed Ivory Coast to qualify for the finals ahead of Cameroon.
'It could have ended very badly indeed,' Wome told the Italian news agency ANSA after returning to Inter's training camp on Tuesday. 'They wanted to and could have killed me.
'Even though I am a tough lad and I have never been afraid of death, my concern was about the safety of my relatives,' added Wome, who joined Inter from Bologna this season after playing in England for Fulham and in Spain for Espanyol earlier in his career.
Wome said that some fans had mistakenly attacked vehicles they thought belonged to him and that his family in Cameroon were now being protected by police.
The defender disputed Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o's version of Saturday's events in which the Barcelona forward said he had not taken the penalty because Wome wanted to convert it.
'I'm very angry with Eto'o because what he said isn't true,' he said. 'We did not talk on the pitch but I took into account that he and the captain didn't feel up to it so I went to take it myself given that I was on the list of penalty takers.
'No one wanted to take that penalty. No-one. Neither Eto'o nor our captain, because they knew what could have happened if they missed. I have always had the courage and I went to the spot.'
PROPERTY DAMAGED
Wome said that Cameroon had a list of three players who were designated penalty takers - himself, Eto'o and Chelsea midfielder Geremi who was suspended for Saturday's match.
'I knew it would be tough if I had missed. Apart from my own personal regret, I think about what happened in the whole of Cameroon. I also think of my relatives who live there.
'I thought about them a lot and before going back to the dressing room at the end of the match I asked the police how they were. They told me they would take care of my family's security.
'The fans have caused some damage to property but the most important thing is that my family is okay.'
The left back said that he would consider continuing his career with the national team.
'I'll think about it. For now I'm just going to concentrate on where I am now. All the rest isn't important because I have seen many other similar, if not, worse situations. Always in Cameroon,' he said.
