Belgian Jean Thissen on Monday signed an 18-month contract as new head coach of the Togolese national squad, the Sparrow Hawks.
He replaces Frenchman Henri Stambouli, who resigned last August after only four months as coach of the team, due to non-payment of his salary as well as in terference from the Togolese football association.Thissen led Gabon to the 1994 African Nations Cup in Tunisia, Raja Casablanca of Morocco (1994-1995) and Stade Tunisien (1996-1998).
The main task for the Belgian technician is to help Togo qualify for the 2010 Af rican Nations Cup/World Cup, the last round of which starts this month.
Togo is in the same group with Cameroon, Gabon and Morocco.