Former Cameroonian player Rigobert Song named Cameroon manager
Previous coach Toni Conceicao left his role on Monday, having overseen Cameroon’s third-place finish at the recent Africa Cup of Nations on home soil. Conceicao took charge of Cameroon in September 2019, replacing Clarence Seedorf.
Rigobert Song, the former Liverpool and West Ham United defender, has been named as Cameroon’s new manager.
Song takes over at a pivotal moment for Cameroon — they face Algeria in a two-legged World Cup play-off tie later this month.
Song is Cameroon’s most-capped player with 137 appearances for his country between 1993 and 2010, and captained them to two AFCON titles in 2000 and 2002.
Cameroon have qualified for seven World Cups in total but failed to appear at the 2018 tournament in Russia after finishing third in their continental qualification group.
The Song will be joined on the coaching staff by Sebastien Migne and Raphael Fevre, formerly of Paris Saint-Germain, as well as three other former Cameroon internationals in Augustine Simo, Souleymanou Haminou and Raymond Kalla.
Song made 34 Premier League appearances in a year and a half at Liverpool between 1999 and 2000, before being signed to replace Rio Ferdinand at West Ham. That move did not pan out, however, as he left for Lens in 2002. Song also had spells at Galatasaray and Trabzonspor during his playing career.
