A
Burkina Faso victory in Sunday's final against Nigeria would prove a second
straight Africa Cup of Nations fairytale - but Belgian coach Paul Put simply
hopes it can mark his redemption back home.
For
the 56-year-old may not have ventured into the African game were it not for the
ban he received in Belgium following his implication in a match-fixing scandal.
 |
| Paul Put, Head Coach Burkina Faso |
The
former Lierse coach received a three-year ban from the Belgian FA (RBFA)
following allegations the side had taken money from a Chinese betting syndicate
to lose matches under his tenure in 2004-05.
“Now everybody in Belgium is calling me -
radio programmes, television programmes - but I'm still the same Paul Put as
before ”
The man who has guided the rank
outsiders to their first Nations Cup final says he was made a
scapegoat by Belgian football for what was a widespread problem. He also claims
he was acting under duress after being threatened by those leading the scam.
"I
was threatened by the mafia," Put told reporters this week. "My child
was not safe.
"Fixing
games is a big word. The team at that moment had nothing. It was in a very bad
condition. It was not by our will."
