Mali's World Cup qualifying campaign was thrown into turmoil on Wednesday when their coach Patrice Carteron signed a two-year contract with ambitious Congolese club TP Mazembe Englebert.

Mali, who under Frenchman Carteron finished third at this year's African Nations Cup in South Africa, have 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Benin on June 9 and June 16.

"We consider Patrice Carteron the coach of Mali," the country's football federation president Hamadoun Kola Cisse said in a French radio interview.

"He is under contract to us until next year but by going and signing another contract he exposes himself to sanction," Cisse added.

Cameroon have named German Volker Finke as the new coach of the Indomitable Lions and he is set to take over from Jean-Paul Akono.

Initial reports are that Akono and his assistants will be in charge for the vital World Cup qualifiers against Togo on 9 June and DR Congo a week later, as well a friendly against Ukraine before that.

However with Akono still recovering from a suspected mild heart attack over the weekend Finke may start his role sooner than expected.

It is understood that fromer France boss Raymond Domenech and ex-Paris Saint-Germain coach Antoine Kambouare were also considered for the job.

Most 27-year-old Northern Irishmen who want to be at next year's World Cup in Brazil will have to buy a ticket - but Johnny McKinstry has other plans.

Having been installed as Sierra Leone interim coach in April, McKinstry's objective is to qualify for the tournament and secure himself a permanent job in the process.

McKinstry is, however, under no illusions about the size of the task.

Sierra Leone sit second in their World Cup qualifying group,  five points adrift of leaders Tunisia with only three games remaining.

Platinum Stars have extended their deal with Botswana international Kabelo Dambe, who took over as first choice goalkeeper at the end of the Absa Premiership season.

Dambe, who waited almost the entire campaign on the bench as back-up to Siyabonga Mpontshane, ended the season as the No 1 for coach Cavin Johnson.

The 23-year-old Dambe played the last three matches plus one in April as Stars finished as runners-up to new champions Kaizer Chiefs.

Dambe had been on a loan deal from Township Rollers of Botswana but has now been sold to Stars and signed a deal that commits him to the club until 2015, club officials said.

Fulham have confirmed the signing of Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng on a one-year deal, with the option of a further year.

Boateng, who has been with Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk since 2011, had come close to signing for Fulham in January but contractual issues prevented the deal being completed.

The 30-year-old had recently been training with Olympiakos, and was reportedly close to signing for the Greek club, but the player took to his Twitter account on Tuesday to announce that he has agreed a switch to Craven Cottage.

He also tweeted a picture of himself holding a Fulham shirt and added: “I’m finally happy!!!”

After what has been a long period of highly speculative rumours for Mrisho Ngassa, the mercurial winger has finally completed a sensation move back to Premier League champions Young Africans from their archrivals Simba.

Yanga confirmed the return of Ngassa in a two-year deal having originally sold the national team ace to Dar es Salaam tycoons and Premier League rivals Azam FC in 2010.

Ngassa was unveiled to the media at a press conference held at the club's headquarters located at Jangwani Street in Dar es Salaam and attended by, among other club officials, secretary general Lawrence Mwalusako and the chairman of the players' registration committee, Abdallah Bin Kleb.

Uganda Cranes technical committee has announced a 37 man squad to prepare for the upcoming June 1 friendly game with Libya and the 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Angola in June.

According to the squad released by the federation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Edgar Watson at a press conference where new Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic was unveiled, KCC FC striker Herman Wasswa, Charleston Battery midfielder Mike Azira and Portugal based Alex Kakuba earned maiden call ups.

Former URA FC and SC Villa striker Henry Kisekka, Iraq based defender Ivan Bukenya, Gor Mahia FC centre back Israel Emuge and St. George goalie Robert Odongkara also returned to the team.

Cameroon international Aurelien Chedjou is looking to leave French side Lille this summer and has opened the door for a possible move to the Premier League.

The 27-year-old has been linked with Galatasaray, Newcastle and Liverpool but has stated he will be deciding his future in the next couple of weeks.

"Nothing is done with any club. Yes, I want to move from Lille and get another experience of my life," said Chedjou.

The prospect of playing in the Premier League is one that excites Chedjou.

Asked about the possibility of joining Liverpool to replace the recently retired Jamie Carragher, Chedjou says it would be a great opportunity.

Brave Warriors coach Roger Palmgren said Namibia’s players’ fitness levels were a disgrace when he announced the squad that will play Zambia in a friendly match at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Saturday.

Palmgren said the fitness levels of the players needed to improve drastically.

“The players underwent a fitness test (by a biokineticist) at the end of March and the results were a disgrace. The fitness levels were not good enough and we will have to work on that,” he said.

Palmgren attended Saturday’s NPL match between Black Africa and African Stars and said the standard was good although the fitness levels were not up to standard.

Defending champions Young Africans (Yanga) will begin the defence of their Cecafa Kagame Club Championship title against Uganda's Express FC after the two sides were drawn together in Group C.

The Tanzanian league champions will be based in South Darfur and will also face Express, Ports of Djibouti and Vital'O.

Elsewhere in the draw, which was made on Tuesday at the Corinthia Hotel in Khartoum, Merriekh El Fasher, APR, Elman and Simba SC were pooled together in Group A, which will also be based in Darfur.

The other group matches in the 18 June to 2 July tournament will be played in South Kordofan.