Stambouli appointed Togo coach after winning concessions

Experienced French coach Henri Stambouli was charged with guiding Togo to the 2010 World Cup finals and the African Nations Cup finals the same year when he signed a two year contract on Wednesday.

The 46-year-old Algerian-born former goalkeeper had looked like turning down the national federation's offer because he was appalled at the machinations in selecting the national squad.

However, after holding further talks with the federation he agreed to put pen to paper and take on one of Africa's more turbulent coaching posts, though, the players managed to overcome the political infighting by reaching the 2006 African Nations Cup and World Cup finals.

“Today (Wednesday) is a big day, a seminal moment for Togolese football.

“I hope that we are really going to think about the future,” added Stambouli, who has also had spells coaching Guinea and Mali, taking the latter to the 2004 African Nations Cup semi-finals.

Stambouli replaces Nigerian Stephen Keshi, who knows all about the trials and tribulations of the job having guided them to the World Cup finals before being unceremoniously dumped prior to them after a bust-up with star striker Emmanuel Adebayor at that year's African Nations Cup finals.

Stambouli, who took Moroccan club side FAR Rabat to the 2006 CAF Cup, admitted that he had been frank with the federation over interfering in selection.

“I put a little bit of pressure on the federation, not over problems with the contract but over the internal structure and the organisation,” Stambouli told AFP on Tuesday.

His first challenge comes this Saturday when Togo take on Zambia in the Ghanaian capital Accra in a match counting for both qualification for the African Nations Cup and World Cup.