Togo World Cup 2006 Team Profile

World Cup Match Tickets

John Duerden

Togo Kit 1 Copyright © Soccerphile	Togo Kit 2 Copyright © Soccerphile

It's never a good sign when a nation changes a coach in the build-up to the World Cup, doubly so when that coach delivered a first-ever World Cup qualification and especially as the team is expected to finish bottom of the group.

Togo surprised many by qualifying ahead of 2002 quarter-finalists Senegal and then surprised more in February by sacking Nigerian coach Stephan Keshi after a poor performance in the African Nations Cup.

Three defeats in three first round games is a poor record by anybody's standards and the Federation Togolaise de Football acted quickly in appointing German Otto Pfister in an attempt to ensure that the same thing didn't happen in June when the team faces South Korea, Switzerland and France in Group G.

The shenanigans made the events of October 2005 fade a little farther into the past, but it was a time when the team finished above Senegal, Zambia, Congo, Mail and Liberia by losing one game and winning seven out of ten. As they danced on the streets in the capital Lome, few would have predicted the pessimism that would engulf the West African country just a few months later.

Keshi's fate wasn't only sealed by the three defeats in Egypt but by an off-the-pitch row with the Sparrow Hawks' star player Emmanuel Adebayor in which he called the now Arsenal striker a 'crybaby', as team spirit - usually a strength of the team - fell apart.

It has yet to be seen exactly what way the German coach will ask his players to play, though those familiar with his career have suggested that he will opt for a 4-4-2 formation. His predecessor favoured a 3-1-5-1 formation with Eric Akoto acting as a sweeper behind a five man midfield hoping to give the lanky Adebayor the ammunition to score the necessary goals.

Key Players

Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayor

Inevitably, the best-known and most important player for the West Africans is Arsenal striker Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayor.

As an AS Monaco player, the 21-year-old finished the top goalscorer in the World Cup qualifying round bagging eleven goals as Togo marched to the top of their group and stayed there.

Such formed earned the player a move to Arsenal where he can mix shoulders and banter with World Cup opponents, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Philippe Senderos. The European players will be hoping that the Togo-Nigerian born striker hasn't learned too much from them at Highbury and repeats his goalscoring blank from the African Nations' Cup.

Kossi Agassa

During qualifying, Agassa certainly earned his nickname of 'Magic hands' and the FC Metz keeper will need to be at the top of his game to keep out the likes of Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet.

The 27-year-old was one of the few Sparrow Hawks to emerge from the African Nations Cup debacle with any credit making a string of fine saves. He isn't a regular with his club team but can put himself in the shop window this summer.

Jean-Paul Abalo

The captain and most important defender in the team. Abalo has been a rock for his country in almost 100 appearances as well as with French club SC Ameins, where he spent ten years before moving to Dunkerque.

A leader by example, the 30-year-old is not afraid to get stuck in and get hurt. He can be Pfister's lieutenant on the pitch with his coolness under pressure, passion and aggression. The left-back is one of the few survivors of Togo's 1998 African Nation's Cup squad.

World Cup Squad

Bet on the World Cup

Goalkeepers Kossi Agassa (Metz, France), Nimini Tchagnirou (Djoliba, Mali), Kodjovi Dodji Obilale (Etoile Filante)
Defenders Yaovi Dosseh Abalo (Apoel, Cyprus), Dare Nibombe (Mons, Belgium), Ludovic Assemoassa (Clermont, France), Karim Guede (Hamburg, Germany), Toure Assimiou (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Richmond Forson (J.A. Poire, France), Massamesso Tchangai (Benevento, Italy), Kuami Agboh (Beveren, Belgium), Eric Akoto (Admira Walker, Austria), Afo Erassa (Clermont, France)
Midfielders Kaka Aziawonou (Youngs Boys, Switzerland), Cherif Toure Mamam (Metz, France), Thomas Dossevi (Valencien, France), Alexis Romao (CS Louhans Cuiseaux, France), Adekambi Olufade (Al Siliyah, Qatar), Yao Junior Senaya (YF Juventus, Switzerland)
Forwards Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal, England), Robert Malm (Brest, France), Abdel-Kader Cougbadja (Guingamp, France), Moustapha Salifou (Brest, France)

Flights To Germany
Opodo

England Products
T-shirts, hats, caps

"The Onside In-Site" Copyright © From 2000. All rights reserved. Soccerphile Ltd.