TOGO IN LIMBO ONE MONTH BEFORE WAEMU TOURNAMENT KICKOFF
With just one month to go until the 2014 WAEMU (UEMOA) Tournament set for November 22–29, uncertainty continues to surround Togo’s participation, particularly concerning organization, technical leadership, and team selection.
A Tournament Without a Leader?
Despite the prestige of the sub-regional tournament—featuring eight West African Economic and Monetary Union nations—Togo has no organizing committee in place, sparking public debate and media concern. The big question remains:
Who will lead the organizational efforts?
The Togolese Football Federation (FTF), embroiled in internal matters and approaching the end of its mandate on November 4?
Or the Ministry of Sports, which has yet to officially step in?
The FTF is currently preoccupied with preparing for its General Assembly and statutory congress. Furthermore, it has lost its budgetary autonomy due to mismanagement, with financial operations now monitored by KPMG.
A Coach Without a Team? A Team Without a Coach?
Another critical issue is the technical leadership of the local squad.
Head coach Tchanilé Tchakala, who leads the senior national team in the AFCON 2015 qualifiers, may be unavailable to prepare the local selection, with the senior Hawks playing Ghana on November 20—just two days before the WAEMU tournament begins.
While his assistant, Noussoudjin Maurice, could take over, preparation time is extremely limited. However, insiders suggest that Tchakala could train the team beforehand and delegate match-day responsibilities.
It’s also expected that the pre-assembled squad of 30 home-based players, initially called up ahead of the AFCON qualifiers, will form the core of the WAEMU team.
Federation in Transition
As the Togolese league nears its conclusion, the WAEMU tournament falls outside the current FTF board’s timeline, further complicating things. The successful press conference launching the tournament, attended by Prime Minister Arthème Ahoomey-Zunu, did little to resolve the growing questions around logistics and team readiness.
A Call for Urgency
With time running out, fans, journalists, and stakeholders are demanding immediate action to:
Clarify who is responsible for organizing the team
Appoint a competent technical staff
Ensure adequate preparation and funding
The legacy of legends like Tommy Sylvestre, highlighted during the tournament launch, deserves to be honored with proper planning and execution—not organizational chaos.
