Keshi Out, Pfister In as Togo Coach

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.