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Cameroon risk FIFA hammer as country’s president orders coach replacement

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The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon could incur the wrath of world football governing body, FIFA after the country’s president interfered in football matters.

FIFA rules require any member association to be independent and avoid any form of political interference.

The Cameroonian president, through his Minister of Sports Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, has ordered former Liverpool defender Rigobert Song to be named head coach of the senior national men’s team.

A statement said Cameroon needed “a new breath”.

“On very high instructions from the President of the Republic, the coach of the men’s national football team, Mr Antonio Conceicao, has been replaced by Rigobert Song,” said Kombi.

Read Also: Burkina Faso squander three-goal lead as Cameroon win AFCON bronze match on penalties

“The Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot) is invited to take the necessary measures for a rapid and harmonious implementation of these very high directives.”

Song would be replacing Toni Conceicao, who led the Indomitable Lions to a third-placed finish at the recently-concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosted by the country.

Conceicao had also led Cameroon to World Cup qualifying play-offs and they will play Algeria in a two-legged tie in March for a place at Qatar 2022.

Song, who was most recently the coach of the Cameroon Under-21 side, is the country’s most capped player, making 137 appearances for the senior team.

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