Confusion reigned over who would coach Togo just hours before their World Cup debut on Tuesday when a player told Reuters that Otto Pfister would not be in charge for the match against South Korea."Otto will not be on the bench. They (the Togolese Football Association) have told him to wait," said the player, who did not want to be named.
The player said assistant coach Kodjovi Mawuena was expected to lead the team against South Korea in the opening Group G game and that a pay dispute involving the players which prompted Pfister to walk out last Friday had still not been resolved.
A Togo FA spokesman said they were in a meeting but did not specify whether it was with Pfister. Pfister was not immediately available to comment.
Togo kick off against the Koreans at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT) in Frankfurt.
German Pfister quit last week, saying he could not work as players and officials were embroiled in a pay dispute which had led the squad to boycott training.
Mawuena was promoted to coach the team against South Korea.
However, Pfister said on Monday he was returning to the squad and would be in the charge for the first match. Appeals from the players had persuaded him to change his mind, he said.
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