‘I don’t care’ - Former Everton kit man reveals brilliant Samuel Eto’o dressing room story

A former kit manager for Everton has retold a brilliant story in which he sternly told African football legend Samuel Eto’o to pick up his own clothes.

Eto’o, 42, is currently the Cameroonian football administrator and the current president of the Cameroonian Football Federation and the forward spent one single season at Everton less than a decade ago.

He initially signed on a free transfer from Chelsea, penning a two-year-deal but he left after half a season to sign for Sampdoria.

But it seems Jimmy Martin, the aforementioned kit man, had no time for Eto’o and his past achievements when he left his kit in the showers after a game.

“Looking back at my time - nobody got the better of me, I can safely say that. I didn’t care who they were.” He revealed to the Everton website.

“I remember one time we were playing away in the Europa League and someone had just left all of their dirty gear in the showers, so I had a look it and it was number five - it was Samuel Eto’o, who hadn’t been with us long.

“I brought them out and we have a bin in the middle of the changing rooms for the kit and I went, ‘Samuel, I don’t care where you’ve played - Barcelona, Chelsea... you’re at Everton now - and you don’t do this.

“Don’t leave your gear in the shower. It’s not our job to pick up your dirty gear’ and I threw it in the bin. The dressing room went dead silent. And from that moment me and him got on like a house on fire. He appreciated it.”

During his half-season on Merseyside he scored four times and assisted on two occasions - which included a goal against his former side Chelsea during a 6-3 loss at home.

He won 19 trophies across his illustrious career, winning the Champions League twice and managing the incredible feat of winning back-to-back trebles with Barcelona and then Inter Milan the year after.

Retiring in 2019, his last club was Qatar Sports Club where he scored six goals in 17 games as they finished 11th in the league.