Former captain Rigobert Song was named Cameroon’s new coach on Tuesday in place of Toni Conceicao just three weeks before a crucial World Cup qualifier. Song earned 137 caps for Cameroon during an international career spanning nearly 17 years, appearing in four World Cups and eight Africa Cup of Nations finals.
He played club football in England at Liverpool and West Ham United, and also had stints in France, Germany, Italy and Turkey. The 45-year-old coached the Cameroon Under-23 team. Conceicao led Cameroon to third place in the Africa Cup of Nations final last month but the Portuguese-born coach has been told his contract will not be renewed.
“The upcoming assignments for our national team require a new direction and a new lease of life,” Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) president Samuel Eto’o said in a statement. A separate statement from Fecafoot did not give details on the length of Song’s contract but said: “Rigobert Song and his team don’t have time to pop the champagne corks because their first big challenge is in a few weeks”.
Cameroon will host Algeria in Yaoundé on March 25, then play a second leg in Blida on March 29 with the winner of the World Cup qualifier in Qatar.
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