The Burkina Faso Football Federation have appointed Paulo Duarte as the country’s new manager. Duarte succeeds Didier Notheaux, whose contract expired last October. Duarte has signed a two year contract, and his first task will be to ensure that the Stallions qualify for the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola.
Duarte, 38, played for the likes of Boavista and Maritimo as a footballer and has managed Leiria in the BWINLiga.
Qualifying for AFCON 2010 will be easier said than done. In AFCON 2008 qualification, Burkina Faso finished at the bottom of Group 7 behind winners Senegal, Mozambique and Tanzania.
For the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Burkina Faso are currently in Group 9, alongside Tunisia, Burundi and Seychelles.