Coach Lavagne finally given Cameroon contract
Reuters - Monday 04 June 2012, 17:18
Frenchman Denis Lavagne, who has
been coaching Cameroon's national team since October, finally
signed a one-year contract with the government on Monday.
"Your main task will be to qualify the Lions for the 2013
African Nations Cup and the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. This
contract is renewable," said Sports and Physical Education
minister Adoum Garoua.
The minister said the contract runs until November.
Lavagne, the former coach of Cameroon champions Coton Sport,
took over from Spaniard Javier Clemente who was sacked following
Cameroon's failure to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup, but was
not a popular appointment.
Former Cameroon striker Roger Millar was among those who
criticised the decision, labelling the 48-year-old from Beziers
unqualified and set up a committee to try and unseat the
football federation executive.
But FECAFOOT secretary general Tombi a Roko Sidiki said:
"Denis Lavagne has met the main criteria of our federation
which was looking for a coach who has been living in Cameroon
and has full mastery of our championship so that he can select
young local talent to fit into the national squad."
The signing of the contract on Monday came two days after
Cameroon beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in Yaounde at
the start their World Cup qualifying campaign.
They next meet Libya on Sunday.
Lavagne has been in charge of six unbeaten games since
taking over as coach.
In many African countries, the government employs national
team coaches because the local football federation does not have
enough money to pay them.