Categories: Sports

Meet The Five Home-Grown Coaches Leading African Teams To 2022 World Cup

Five African countries are set to take part in the 2022 World Cup holding in Qatar but this time, history beckons for the continent.

The coaches for the teams  – Ghana, Tunisia, Senegal, Morocco, and Cameroon – are from their countries.

This is the first time all teams from Africa will have local coaches leading them to the biggest football fiesta in the world, a development observers believe bodes well for the game on the continent.

Ahead of the competition which begins Sunday, here is a snapshot of the five men that would be on the touchline for Africa’s representatives: 

 

Rigobert Song

Cameroon’s coach Rigobert Song Bahanag wears a One All Sports jacket during a training session at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, in Yaounde on November 6, 2022, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022. (Photo by Daniel Beloumou Olomo / AFP)

Rigobert Song, 46, is a Cameroon football legend having performed at four World Cups and helped the Indomitable Lions win the Africa Cup of Nations twice in eight tournament appearances.

A centre-back, his club career spanned France, Italy, England, Germany and Turkey, including spells at Liverpool and West Ham United. Called the ‘Big Chief’, he suffered a stroke in 2016 and was in a coma for several days.

Cameroon sacked Portuguese Toni Conceicao after a third-place finish as 2021 Cup of Nations hosts and coaching rookie Song masterminded a shock World Cup play-off victory over Algeria. Warm-up losses to Uzbekistan and fellow qualifiers South Korea have dampened spirits, however.

Aliou Cisse

In this file photo, Senegal’s head coach Aliou Cisse holds a Senegalese flag as he celebrates after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 final football match between Senegal and Egypt at Stade d’Olembe in Yaounde on February 6, 2022. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP

Aliou Cisse, 46, wants to atone for an agonising exit from the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where Senegal lost out on a second-round place only because they accumulated more yellow cards than Japan. After losing as a player in the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations final, he made amends by guiding his country to victory in Cameroon this year with a penalty shootout victory over Egypt at the end of a goalless final.

Part of the Senegal team that reached the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals in South Korea, he was a midfielder at French and English clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain.

Otto Addo

Ghana’s head coach Otto Addo (R) reacts during the international friendly football match between Brazil and Ghana at The Oceane Stadium in Le Havre, northern France on September 23, 2022. (Photo by Damien MEYER / AFP)

Former Ghana World Cup midfielder Otto Addo, 47, who had never been a head coach, faced a baptism of fire as the Black Stars’ boss last February, inheriting a demoralised squad after a stunning loss to the Comoros condemned the four-time African champions to a first-round exit from the 2021 Cup of Nations.

Defying the odds, they drew twice with arch-rivals Nigeria to qualify on away goals. Addo has failed to convince many Ghanaians, though, that he can take the side beyond the first round and the national football association organised two national days of prayer and fasting — one for Christians and another for Muslims — to galvanise support.

Walid Regragui

Morocco’s coach Walid Regragui attends a training session in Doha on November 16, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

Walid Regragui, 47, has had little time to prepare the Atlas Lions having replaced Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic on the last day of August this year. Born in Paris, he played right-back for a number of French clubs and one in Spain and was capped 45 times by Morocco, the home of his parents.

His coaching career began in 2012 as a Moroccan national team assistant and he then guided clubs in the north African kingdom and in Qatar. The highlight of his coaching career came this year when he led Wydad Casablanca to victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League final.

Jalel Kadri

Tunisia’s head coach Jalel Kadri takes part in a training session at Al Egla training facility in Doha on November 17, 2022 ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)

The enormity of the task facing Jalel Kadri was laid bare a month ago in Paris when record five-time world champions Brazil trounced Tunisia 5-1 in a warm-up match. “We know France is of the same quality as Brazil,” said the 50-year-old, with Denmark and Australia their other group rivals. “The World Cup draw has placed Tunisia in a very difficult section.”

Kadri has been in charge since March after being promoted from an assistant role when Mondher Kebaier was sacked following an Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals loss to Burkina Faso. In 20 years as a club coach, Kadri has worked in Tunisia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

 

 

Source: Channels TV

GLAMTUSH

Recent Posts

Star Life: Saras & Kumud Teasers November 2024

Star Life's new series, Saras & Kumud teasers November 2024, can be accessed below.  …

8 hours ago

Polaris Bank Clinches “Best Mobile App” Award At Digital Jurist Awards 2024

Polaris Bank clinched the "Best Mobile App" award at the Digital Jurist Awards 2024.  …

8 hours ago

Access Holdings’ Total Assets Grows to ₦41.1 Trillion in Q3

Access Holdings’ total assets grew to ₦41.1 trillion in Q3.   Glamtush reports that Access…

8 hours ago

Nigeria Ranks Fifth Globally In Daily Social Media Usage (FULL LIST)

Nigeria has been ranked fifth globally in daily social media usage.   Glamtush reports that…

9 hours ago

Saras & Kumud Premieres On Star Life (Synopsis, Full Story, Casts)

Saraswatichandra, retitled Saras & Kumud, is Star Life’s upcoming series, which is a shift from…

9 hours ago

Top Summary From Nigerian Newspapers For Monday, November 4th, 2024

The top summary from Nigerian newspapers for Monday, November 4th, 2024, can be accessed on…

9 hours ago