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

PHOTOS: Davido Receives Luxury Car From Auto Firm For 32nd Birthday

Davido has received a luxury car from an auto firm for his 32nd birthday.  …

14 hours ago

VIDEO: How Primate Ayodele Foretold Simon Ekpa’s Arrest In 2023

Simon Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian separatist agitator and self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government…

14 hours ago

Speaker Obasa Clarifies Negative Perceptions As Sanwo-Olu Presents 2025 Budget

Accuses detractors of peddling news of alleged governorship ambition.   Speaker of the Lagos State…

14 hours ago

Simon Ekpa, Four Others Arrested In Finland Over Terrorism Activities

Simon Ekpa and four others have been arrested in Finland over terrorism activities.   Glamtush…

18 hours ago

Davido Celebrates 32nd Birthday With ₦300m Donation To Orphanages

Davido is excited to celebrate his 32nd birthday with a ₦300m donation to orphanages.  …

20 hours ago

America Returnee Found Dead In Ogun Hotel

An American returnee has been found dead in an Ogun hotel.   Glamtush reports that…

21 hours ago