Cameroon part ways with Rigobert Song
Cameroon's head coach Rigobert Song looks on during the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2024 round of 16 football match against Nigeria at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on January 27, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Song's two-year contract expired on February 29 and the government indicated he's not done enough to warrant a new deal.
- The exit comes two weeks after President Paul Biya said he was disappointed by the national team's poor show.
Cameroon will not renew the contract of men’s national football team coach Rigobert Song.
Had not done enough
Song's two-year contract expired on February 29 and in a publiscised letter, the government indicated the ex-international had not done enough to warrant a new deal.
"It is not possible for the State of Cameroon to provide for your remunerations and to maintain you in your functions as head coach of the senior national men’s team, the Indomitable Lions,” partly read a statement from the Ministry of Sports.
Song was appointed Indomitable Lions head coach in February 2022, succeeding Portuguese Antonio Conceicao, who’d guided the team to a third place finish at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations staged on home soil.
Liverpool and West Ham
Aged 47, whose glittering career as a central defender saw him feature for English clubs Liverpool and West Ham United, guided the five time African champions to qualification for the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar.
The side was, however, eliminated at the first hurdle despite a dramatic victory over Brazil – the only triumph at the tournament.
Song whose record at the helm consists of six of the 23 matches, further led the Indomitable Lions to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire where the team suffered elimination at the hands of arch-rivals Nigeria in the round of 16.
Change of guard
Since the AFCON exit, which was described by a section of fans as disgraceful, there has been a consistent call for a change of guard at the touchline.
Song’s exit comes two weeks after President Paul Biya said he was equally disappointed by what he described as the national team's poor show at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Financial sacrifices
"It requires not only talent, but also courage, discipline, organization and hard work to be successful," said Biya, who added that his government had made several financial sacrifices to prepare the team for continental and international meets.
"We will see to it. The Government and particularly the Ministry in charge of Sports have received clear instructions in that regard," he added.
The fate of Frenchman Sebastian Migne, Song’s assistant and ex-Harambee Stars coach, remains unclear.
