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The herculean task for Hugo Broos’ successor in Cameroon

Former Cameroon Coach and winner of the 2017 AFCON with the indomitable lions, Hugo Broos, has been named new sporting director at KV Oostende FC in his native Belgium.



The deal was completed and announced by the top flight on Thursday 1 March, 2018. KV Oostende is the former club of Cameroon midfielder Sebastian Siani, who now plays for Antwerp FC.

Meeting on Monday 4 December, 2017, the Normalisation Committee of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) decided not to renew the Belgian’s contract when it ends in February 2018.

The 65-year-old’s inglorious goodbye is not at all an end in itself for Cameroon, but the beginning of an end. The questions begging for answers are: who is next? How far can his ship navigate the rough seas?

Before his imminent dismissal, Hugo Broos has managed 25 games as Coach of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. He won eight matches, drew ten and lost seven.

Mathematically, the Belgian who was coaching a national side for the first time failed, though he led Les Lions to an Africa Cup of Nations victory for the first time in 17 years.

But, since beating continental giants Egypt 2-1 in February to clinch Africa’s supreme silverware, Mr Broos has won just 3 out of 11 matches played.

Here now are the challenges awaiting Hugo Broos’ successor:


Getting a reliable goal poacher is premier task. Finding a productive striker was Broos’ nightmare since taking over from Volker Finke. Cameroon scored just 10 goals in 11 previous matches, picking the ball from the back of the net 20 times.

Cameroon’s 4-0 loss to Colombia during a friendly in June 2017, and a similar humiliation by Nigeria at a 2018 World Cup qualifier in September remain Broos’ heaviest defeats.

Mr Broos became unpopular home and abroad after Cameroon’s dismal outing at the 2017 FIFA Confed Cup, and failure to qualify the five-time African champions for the 2018 World Cup in Brazil.

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