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Togo in chaos one day before World Cup debut
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-06-12 11:03

WANGEN, Germany, June 12 - Togo, with one day to go before their World Cup debut against South Korea in Frankfurt on Tuesday, were left to sort out a pay row and a mess over who would coach the side.

The west Africans need to decide whether to stick with assistant Kodjovi Mawuena or accept German Winfried Schaefer's conditions.

Togo's players have boycotted training sessions after pay demands were not met, prompting coach Otto Pfister to walk out on Friday night.

Since then Togo have called on former Cameroon coach Schaefer to help out.

"I will take the job if they accept what I have said ... (I need) order," Schaefer told reporters as he left a meeting with officials that lasted for more than four hours on Sunday.

"If they accept that, it is okay, if not, it is over. I am going to Frankfurt now and they can call me there tomorrow."

HOT SEAT

For now, Mawuena is in a familiar position in the hot seat. He also took over one week before an African Nations Cup qualifier in 2002 when Diego Garzito left after one match in charge.

Mawuena also coached Togo in 1998 and again in 2000 during the African Nations Cup in Nigeria when German Gottlieb Goeller walked out after one game.

Although Schaefer has set a clear deadline, Togolese officials say they will not jump the gun on their decision and have invited the German to watch Tuesday's game as a guest.

The players have demanded 155,000 euros ($196,200) each to play in the World Cup plus 30,000 each per win and 15,000 per draw.

Officials from a country with average per capita income well below $1,000 said that was too much and remained non-committal on Sunday, simply saying talks were progressing.

Togo are due to hold a news conference on Monday afternoon.

The other teams in Group G are Switzerland and France.