Host of 2019 Africa Cup
of Nations, Cameroon have engaged former Dutch International midfielder
Clarence Seedorf as coach of the Indomitable Lions to be assisted interestingly
by former teammate Patrick Kluivert.
The duo's appointment
was announced by Cameroon's Minister of Sport and Physical Education, Pierre
Ismael Bidoung Mkpatt, at a news conference on Saturday and comes after talks
with former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson failed hit the rocks
Seedorf takes over from
the Belgian Hugo Broos, who led the side to a surprise victory at the 2017
African Nations Cup finals but was axed in November after failing to win a
place at the World Cup in Russia.
Cameroon will defend
their Nations Cup title on home soil in June next year, a first major finals
test for the new management team.
Seedorf, 42, will take
on his first national team job having had limited experience in coaching
following brief spells with AC Milan, Chinese side Shenzhen and Deportivo La Coruna.
He led those teams in a
total of 52 games, but is revered for an illustrious playing career, most
notably at Ajax Amsterdam, Real Madrid and AC Milan, winning the Champions
League with each club
He was also capped 87
times by the Netherlands between 1994 and 2008.
Former striker
Kluivert's playing career also included Ajax, where he was a Champions League
winner with Seedorf, Milan and most notably Barcelona where he spent six
seasons.
He was assistant coach
to Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal between 2012 and 2014, and was later briefly
in charge of Dutch Caribbean nation Curacao. One of the results that forced the
exit of former coach Hugo Broos was Super Eagles 4-0 demolition of indomitable
lions at the Nest of Champions in Uyo ahead of the World cup.
Goals from Odion Ighalo,
John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses and Kelechi Iheanacho were all the Gernot Rohr
tutored side needed to post what was dubbed their biggest win en-route to
Russia where they unfortunately failed to live up to expectations.
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