BEVERLY HILLS, January 30, (THEWILL) – The ongoing TOTAL African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Cameroon enters its quarter-final stage this Saturday with fixtures like Mali versus Congo in Yaounde and the Democratic Republic of Congo versus hosts Cameroon at the Japoma Stadium in Douala. But the most important part of the continental competition is that seven of the eight coaches at the quarter-finals are local.
As a continent, this clearly manifests the immense importance of a Cup tournament as the CHAN even as it constitutes a very clear demonstration of the passion and innate desire of local coaches across Africa to also make their impact felt on the continent in high profile competitions, without the employment of the services of professional players from abroad.
Even the only foreign coach that qualified through the group stages to the last eight is himself a long-time Africa resident Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic, from Serbia. He leads the Zambian team into the quarter-finals with an eye on advancing beyond and a chance to clinch the CHAN trophy.
Presently, on the continent, there is an increasing reliance in many African countries on foreign coaches to guide their football squads to continental and international competitions, but that glory has not come to fruition. It is therefore encouraging this year to see local coaches dominating CHAN.
This makes the CHAN a more fulfilling competition as home-groomed trainers step up to the plate at the determining stage of a tournament designed exclusively for home-based players. It is to the overall advantage of the African game and will be beneficial to the continent going forward.
The pack of local coaches still in contention are led by the coach of defending champions and title holders Morocco, Houcine Ammouta. This seasoned professional is the former Wydad Casablanca boss and he led the Atlas Lions to top Group C with seven points for their quarter-final berth.
In second place is surprise Rwandan coach and trainer Vincent Mashami who guided the country’s contingent to navigate the stormy waters of their tough group. Mashami had previously coached local giants Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Football Club in Kigali.
Another domestic trainer that helped his side to secure seven points and top Group B is experienced DR Congo boss Florent Ibenge. This Congolese comes with the experience of having been a former coach of Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua and local side Vita Club and it showed in his results.
Next to Ibenge is neighbouring country Congo coach, Barthélemy Ngatsono, who is involved in one of today’s quarter-finals fixtures. He slugged it out with his charges and successfully qualified for this round with enough points to remain in contention.
To face Ngatsono and his Congolese squad is the unassuming Mali coach, Nouhoum Diane, famed in his country for coaching all the three top sides in the capital Bamako, having handled Djoliba, Stade Malien and AS Real, and helping the latter to reach the group stage of the 2014 CAF Confederation Cup.
All these coaching chops helped Diane make a big impression in CHAN this year. His side secured seven points in Group A ahead of hosts Cameroon, who are also coached by an experienced local hand Martin Ndtoungou Mpile.
The last of the domestic heroes is Guinea coach Kanfoury Bangoura. The Guinean did enough to narrowly edge Zambia for the top spot in Group D by goal difference and will clash against Morocco in Sunday’s slate of quarter-final fixtures.
The competition resumes on Saturday after a two-day break at the end of the previous stage. These local African trainers will fancy their chances of making further important historic statements through the performances of their sides and providing justification for the CHAN series.
On Sunday, after the Morocco/Zambia battle in Douala at the Reunification Stadium, Guinea and Rwanda will lock horns at the Limbe Stadium.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
