Afcon coaching casualties replaced in Cameroon, South Africa and Egypt

African football giants Cameroon and Egypt were part of the nations that parted ways with their national team coaches following disappointing campaigns at the 2019 African Cup of Nations.

The other countries whose coaches were either sacked, poached or forced to resign include Zimbabwe, Morocco, Guinea, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda.

READ MORE: Coaching casualties after 2019 AFCON

Since July, when eventual winners, Algeria, lifted Africa’s most prestigious football prize, authorities in Cameroon, Morocco, South Africa and Egypt have announced new coaches.

Cameroon

Cameroon’s sports ministry on Friday named Portugal’s Toni Conceicao as their new coach, to be deputised by the country’s World Cup hero Francois Omam Biyik.

The 57-year-old journeyman has had 16 different coaching posts in the last 15 years.

He replaced Clarence Seedorf, who was dismissed after Cameroon lost in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations in July.

It is the first national team job for Conceicao, who last worked at CFR Cluj in Romania.

He has coached at nine different Portuguese clubs and also had briefs spells at clubs in Cyprus and Saudi Arabia.

Omam Biyik scored the goal that allowed Cameroon to beat holders Argentina in the 1990 World Cup, when they reached the quarter-finals. He also played at the 1994 and 1998 finals.

Omam Biyik, 53, has coached clubs in Gabon, Mexico and Togo.

He returns to the national team coaching staff where he was previously assistant coach to Javier Clement from 2010-11.

Cameroon are set to host the next Cup of Nations finals in 2021. The first match in charge for the new coach will be a friendly against Tunisia on Oct. 12.

Egypt

Last week, Egypt also named former Al Ahly player and coach Hossam El-Badry as manager to replace sacked Mexican Javier Aguirre.

Aguirre was dismissed in July after The Pharaohs’ shock home elimination in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The 59-year-old former Egypt defender has completed three stints as head coach of Cairo-based Al Ahly, starting in 2009 and most recently from 2016-18. He has also coached clubs in Sudan and Libya.

Badry will be the first Egyptian to coach the national team since Shawky Gharib in 2014. Argentine Hector Cuper preceded Aguirre.

Morocco

Vahid Halilhodzic was in August named as new head coach of Morocco, signing a four-year contract with a tough list of targets by his new employers.

The 67-year-old Bosnian replaces Herve Renard, who quit after Morocco were eliminated in the last-16 of the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt despite being one of the favourites.

It is a return to national team management for the former Yugoslavia international striker, who took Algeria to the last-16 of the 2014 World Cup.

He also helped Ivory Coast qualify for the 2010 World Cup and Japan for the 2018 edition in Russia but on both occasions he was fired before the tournament.

But the new coach has been tasked with reaching the semi-finals of the next Africa Cup of Nations in 2021, qualifying Morocco for the Qatar World Cup the year after and winning the Cup of Nations in 2023.

“Failure to achieve any of these targets will automatically result in termination of the contract,” said Moroccan soccer federation president Fouzi Lekjaa.

“It is a big responsibility to coach Morocco, a challenge and an honour,” the new coach told reporters.

Halilhodzic will receive a monthly salary of 80,000 euros ($89,000).

South Africa

South Africa, also replaced their national team coach at the beginning of this month, appointing Molefi Ntseki to replace his former boss Stuart Baxter.

Molefi Ntseki who has neither played professional football, nor served on the bench of an elite club, was Baxter’s assistant during the disappointing Africa Cup of Nations where the Bafana Bafana were knocked out in the quarter-finals.

“I think I’m ready to coach the national team,” said Ntseki the day before the announcement.

“I did my apprenticeship as close as I could to this demanding position, and it’s time for me to move up to the next level,” he added.

The former school teacher was previously in charge of the women’s national team in South Africa and the country’s U17s. He has also been the assistant to three Bafana-Bafana coaches, including Baxter.

Guinea

Frenchman Didier Six was earlier this month appointed as the new coach of Guinea’s football team,replacing Belgian Paul Put, who was dismissed in July after Algeria eliminated Guinea in the Round of 16 of the African Cup of Nations.

65-year-old Six, is not new to coaching on the continent, having already coached Togo between 2011 and 2013 and Mauritius in 2015.

Six signed a three-year contract, and is tasked with working to qualify Guinea for the African Cup of Nations in 2021 and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe in August appointed Joey Antipas as the caretaker coach for the national team.



Antipas replaced Sunday Chidzambga, who resigned after the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Dynamos and national under-23 coach Tonderayi Ndiraya along with Harare City boss Lloyd Chitembwe are his assistants.

The trio, who are still contracted with their clubs, only serving as national team coaches when there are assignments, have already delivered qualification to the 2020 World Cup qualification group stages.

Antipas won the domestic league with Motor Action in 2010 and his current club, Chicken Inn, in 2015, and has had two previous spells with the Warriors as assistant coach.

Namibia

Since the departure of long-time Namibia coach, Ricardo Mannetti in July this year, the national team has been managed by interim coach, Bobby Samaria.

Samaria has already delivered qualification to the 2022 World Cup qualification group stage, and will be hoping to also lead the country to the 2020 CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals in Cameroon.

Tanzania

Tanzania’s caretaker coach, Etienne Ndayiragije has also secured qualification to the 2022 World Cup qualification stage.

Ndayiragije, was appointed in an interim role, following the sacking of Nigerian, Emmanuel Amunike.

Amunike, was in charge as the Taifa Stars failed to progress past the group stages at the Africa Cup of Nations, losing all three matches against Senegal, Kenya and Algeria.

Uganda

Uganda, who lost their coach, Frenchman Sebastien Desabre to Egyptian club side, Pyramids FC, are yet to replace him.

The national team is being managed by caretaker coach, Abdallah Mubiru, who told local media he is wary of the federation’s perennial preference for foreign coaches.

“I didn’t apply because there is too much foreign syndrome, people are more obsessed with foreigners and I never want to be taken as an option, I want to be a priority too because that’s what I deserve,’‘ Mubiru said when asked whether he’d applied to be hired on a permanent basis.

 

Source:www.africanews.com