Keshi Out, Pfister In as Togo Coach

February 22nd, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

In what has been one of the more confusing coaching changes in memory, Togo announced today that the German Otto Pfister will lead the team at the World Cup, replacing Stephen Keshi as head coach. Just two days ago, Keshi denied he had been sacked but denial is apparently just a river in Egypt. Pfister, who has been coach of Zaire and Ghana, and has worked with teams in Egypt and Tunisia, takes over a Togo team in turmoil following a pathetic showing at the African Cup of Nations.

I think that this situation has been handled by the Togo football federation with all the grace of a bull in a china shop. Keshi was the man who led the Sparrowhawks to their first World Cup despite having to deal with a federation that gave him little resources with which to work. When he decided to take a stand against his petulant star Emmanuel Adyabor at the CAN, the federation gave him no support. It decided to back a 21-year-old knucklehead instead of a proven winner of a coach.

Firing a coach just months before the World Cup makes no sense, especially since many of Togo’s players are sticking by Keshi. I can’t help but think that this minnow is going to have a very short swim in Germany this summer.

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Lyle

Africa hates the fact that white Europeans once dominated over them, yet they seem to always turn to some almost septogenarian European (usually French or German) to guide their teams through a big tournament.

I guess it works sometimes, but Togo is incompetent to let go the man who got them to the big party in the first place. Pathetic and classless, that’s what Togo is.

Adebayor want save your behinds fellows.
Chinedu

How right you are! Togo is OUT!! and I cant help but feel it all boils down to what they did to Stephen Keshi.
A divided house cannot win!!
Keshi worked so hard and so well with them to qualify them for the world cup, and see how they paid him back! Well….it goes to show