Former Indomitable Lions of Cameroon skipper and football legend Rigobert Song Bahanag has been appointed lead trainer of the country’s elite football team, the Indomitable Lions.
According to the Cameroon state media this Monday, February 28, the 45-year old record-man for the Lions has been named coach of the side by current Cameroon Football federation boss and former team mate Samuel Eto’o Fils.
The move means Song takes over from Portuguese trainer Antonio Conceicao Da Silva two weeks after FECAFOOT Executive committee members gave Eto’o a 72 hours ultimatum to decide on the future of the coach of the national team.
Song’s arrival ends Conceiçao’s 29-months stay at the helm of the national side, dating back to September 2019 when the latter replaced Clarence Seedorf.
Two-time winner of the Africa Cup of Nations title in seven appearances at the finals, Song arrives barely weeks before Cameroon’s crucial FIFA World qualifier tie at home and away to the Desert Foxes of Algeria.
Song who made a record 137 appearances for the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon retired from professional football in 2010, after a 22-year career and ventured into management in 2014.
Rigo briefly serving as team manager of the Indomitable Lions before landing the Intermediate Lions coaching job in 2016. He was in charge of the team at the 2018 African Nations championship in Morocco as they crashed out at the group stages of the competition.
He later became coach of Cameroon’s Olympic team in 2018 and occupied the role till his recent appointment.
Its undecided if he will keep his previous role or not, but highly unlikely.
He will be assisted by Simo Augustine and Frenchman and former Uganda coach Sebastien Migne. Raymond Kalla will be the team manager, Souleymanou Hamidou will be goalkeeper coach, Fever Raphael and Baltaze David joins the team as Video Analyst.
Though Conceicao failed to guide Cameroon to a sixth AFCON success, Antonio leaves with his head high; he guided Cameroon to 14 wins in 23 games losing just two in a stint whose highlight is a third-place finish at the 2021 AFCON tournament on home soil.
Song’s first litmus test in the Indomitable Lions dugout will be on March 24th at home to Algeria before traveling to Blida for the return game three days later.
By Angu Lesley of Kick442.com in Cameroon
