Cameroon fire Conceicao and appoint former captain Song as coach

Cameroon fired Antonio Conceicao as manager of the men's soccer team and appointed former captain Rigobert Song as his replacement, the sports ministry said on Monday.

Portugal's Conceicao, who was appointed as head coach in 2019, led hosts Cameroon to a disappointing third-place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this month.

Song, 45, who was known as a hard-tackling defender, earned over 100 international caps for Cameroon. During his playing career he had stints with Metz and Lens in France, Liverpool and West Ham United in England and Turkish club Galatasaray.

The statement said that Song will be assisted by Frenchman Sebastien Migne, who has previously managed the national teams in Kenya, the Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea.

His appointment comes less than a month before Cameroon face Algeria in a two-legged playoff for a place in the World Cup finals in Qatar.