World Cup qualifiers Togo have appointed Otto Pfister as their new national team coach, and the man to lead Togo’s Sparrowhawks in their first ever World Cup Finals appearance.

The 67 year-old German replaces Stephen Keshi, who was sacked following the team's poor performance at the African Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Keshi, who once captained Nigeria’s ‘Super Eagles’, achieved the unprecedented feat of managing to guide Togo to this summer's World Cup finals, winning their group ahead of African giants Senegal, and Zambia.

But the national team's first-round exit at the African Cup of Nations, where Keshi had a much-publicised disagreement with their star player, and top striker, Arsenal’s Sheyi Adebayor, had caused key Togo Football Federation officials to turn against him.

German coach Otto Pfister and Bora Milutinovic, the Serbian that managed the Nigeria team in the 1998 World Cup finals, along with former DR Congo boss Claude Leroy were all among the candidates in the running to succeed Stephen Keshi.

Pfister has a decent African pedigree having previously managed Zaire, and managing the Ghana national team at the 1992 Nations Cup finals, along with Egyptian club giants Zamalek.

But the TFF settled on Pfister, and announced today: “We signed a short-term contract with Otto Pfister at the weekend,” TFF president Rock Gnassingbe confirmed.

“The contract will cover the World Cup period and could be extended if the results at the World Cup are good.”

Keshi had maintained that he was continuing as coach of Togo, contrasting with news reports claiming that he had been sacked after Togo's early return from Egypt, but the coach consistently denied the reports.

Keshi had spoken to French reporters ahead of Pfister’s appointment saying: “I will be in Germany (for the World Cup Finals). There are no problems like those reported in the press.”

And when asked about newly signed Arsenal striker Sheyi Adebayor he said:

“He's a kid with a lot of talent. He can play better in fact. He has to continue to improve because he has still not reached his full potential.

“I will not stop encouraging him to keep on working, I hope that he listens to me.” Keshi finished by saying of the striker: "Adebayor is a cry baby."

Togo have been drawn in Group G at the World Cup finals, alongside France, South Korea and Switzerland.

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