Former captain Song named new Cameroon coach

The Standard | Cameroon's new coach, Rigobert Song, was selected on Tuesday to replace Toni Conceicao, only three weeks before a vital World Cup playoff.

During an almost 17-year international career, Song won 137 caps for Cameroon, appearing in four World Cups and eight Africa Cup of Nations finals.

He played for Liverpool and West Ham United in England, as well as appearances in France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. Cameroon's under-23 team has been coached by the 45-year-old.

Conceicao led Cameroon to third place in the Africa Cup of Nations finals last month, but the Portuguese-born coach's contract has been terminated.

In a statement, Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) President Samuel Eto'o remarked, "The future missions for our national team require a new orientation and a new breath."

"Rigobert Song and his team don't have time to bust the champagne corks because their first huge challenge is in a few weeks," Fecafoot added in a separate statement, without specifying Song's contract duration.

Cameroon will host Algeria in Yaounde on March 25 before returning to Blida on March 29, with the winner qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar.