Cameroon have attracted Iran current coach Carlos Queiroz, former France coach Raymond Domenech and German World Cup winner Lothar Matthaus among the more than 70 coaches who have applied to lead the African champions.

The former Manchester United assistant coach, who led Iran to back-to-back World Cups, has been also linked with Uzbekistan job.

Queiroz is the longest-serving coach among the top five Asian teams. The Portuguese coach took charge of Team Melli on April 4, 2011.

Other well-known names to apply are Rigobert Song, the ex-Cameroon captain who has been coaching the national development team and Philippe Troussier, AP reported.

Cameroon are looking for a new coach less than a year before they defend their African Nations Cup title as tournament hosts.

Belgium’s Hugo Broos led Cameroon to the 2017 African title in Gabon in February last year but was fired 10 months later after Cameroon failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia.

Cameroon Football Federation spokesman Simon Lyonga confirmed the list of applicants.

Others include Tom Saintfiet and Alain Giresse, both with experience of working in Africa. There were 31 Cameroonians who applied for the job.

TEHRAN – Iran national football team coach Carlos Queiroz is monitoring Melbourne City starlet Daniel Arzani, who is eligible to play for Team Melli.

Queiroz has admitted 19-year-old Australian Arzani is a player he and his staff are following “very closely” as the international tug-of-war for the Melbourne City star continues.

The international future of Arzani, who is eligible to play for both Australia and Iran, where he was born before moving to Australia as a young child, has been the subject of much speculation over the last few months since he burst onto the scene with Melbourne City with a series of eye-catching performances.

Arzani, who has represented Australia at Under-17, U-20 and U-23 level, is yet to make any firm commitment either way regarding his senior international future, although he told reporters in Australia in February that he is leaning towards a future in green and gold.

“I think for me I am leaning a bit more towards Australia,” Arzani said. “I grew up here, I played all my football here and went to the AIS [Australian Institute of Sports]. I have a lot of memories here.”

It remains to be seen, however, whether Bert van Marwijk will heed the calls from experts and former Socceroos alike, and select Iranian-born Arzani – who says he still speaks Persian at home with his parents – in his 23-man squad for 2018 FIFA World Cup when he names his squad next month.

Until then, or until Arzani makes public his final decision, Iran remain in the hunt and Queiroz told FOX Sports Asia in an exclusive interview that he is a player that is very much on their radar.

“We follow with all the details all national team players,” Queiroz said. “And with the player you mentioned [Arzani] we’ve been following him very closely, with full details of every single game.

“We have direct observations and analysis, and video analysis, of every single game of all national team players and he is part of our system. We’ve been watching very closely, we’ve been analyzing all the games he’s been playing. We have deep research and analysis on him, and all the other players.

“In the end the decision will be made on the capabilities and skills and character of each player to be part of the national team.”

Queiroz added, however, that he wouldn’t select Arzani simply to “lock him in” to playing for Iran, saying he’s seen that happen with other players in the past and it’s not something he as a coach is comfortable with.

“In my long experience with international football players, especially the players that have the possibility to choose which national team they can play, I never challenge one player to play with the national team that I’m working for if I’m not sure that he has the real possibility to have an impact on the success of the team,” he said.

“It has happened with other Portuguese players that they call them to other national teams to stop them playing for Portugal, and I’ve always thought that was not a good move, not a correct and honest move.

“So I will never do that with other players, because I’ll feel bad personally if I challenge a player to play for Iran, and after me or any coach stops coaching the team.

“This decision is very complex and it’s a big decision and we can only take this decision if we are absolutely sure that this player will have a huge impact with the national team of Iran.”

While the 65-year-old, now in his seventh year in charge of Iran, didn’t want to be drawn into talking specifically about what he liked about Arzani, he still let it be known he saw him as someone with that potential.

“I don’t want to go into full details because I don’t do that for any other player,” he said. “But of course, it’s obvious that if we are following him game after game it’s because we recognize he’s a player with good potential.”

Carlos Queiroz has been offered a contract extension to remain as head coach of Iran beyond the World Cup finals in Russia, a source close to the Portuguese coach has told to Reuters.

Queiroz, who qualified the country for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and will lead the nation again in Russia this year, has been offered an extension until the end of the Asian Cup finals, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates in early 2019.
The former Real Madrid and Portugal head coach, who also served as an assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, took the helm of the Iran team in April 2011 but was widely expected to step down following the World Cup.
“The Iran Football Federation has presented Carlos Queiroz with a proposal for a contract extension until January 2019,” said the source.
“Carlos is honored by this approach because it not only shows recognition of the job he has done for seven years in Iran, but also confidence in the future.
“Carlos recognizes the will of Iranian football to continue with him as national team coach and he is obviously touched by this proposal from a country that shows unique passion for the game and where the fans show great support.
“Therefore, he will carefully analyses this propose and take into consideration the technical and structural conditions that are important for the team.”
Iran last won the Asian Cup in 1976, the third of three consecutive titles, and Queiroz has been credited by many with restoring the country’s football fortunes.
He was in charge when Iran last appeared at the Asian Cup finals in Australia in 2015, only to see his side eliminated in a dramatic quarter-final penalty shoot-out by neighbors Iraq.
Iran have been drawn to face Morocco, Spain and Queiroz’s native Portugal at the World Cup in June and are aiming for a place in the knockout rounds of the tournament for the first time in their history.
The Asian Cup, which will feature 24 nations for the first time, will be played in the UAE, kicking off on Jan. 5 with the final to be played in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 1.