Following the sacking of Joao Chissano a few days ago, Helder Muianga has been confirmed as the new Mozambique coach, according to the country’s national football federation. Known as ‘Mano Mano’, the former national team defender has been assisting Chissano in recent international matches, including at the weekend, when the Mambas of Mozambique lost 1-0 at home against Rwanda. The encounter was a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, and the disappointment cost Chissano his position at the helm of the national team.
Malawi released coach Young Chimodzi following the side’s disappointing showing in their first match of the 2017 AFCON qualifiers, with the team losing 2-1 to Zimbabwe. His contract was due to expire at the end of next month, but the authorities deemed it necessary to bring the process forward. Ernest Mtawali will act as caretaker coach until a permanent replacement is found.
The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winning coach Herve Renard took the decision to resign from the Cote D’Ivoire national team in May in order to take up an offer to coach Lille in France. The 46-year-old Frenchman became the first coach to win the Nations Cup with two different national teams, taking the title in 2012 with Zambia and then this year’s continental flagship competition in Equatorial Guinea with the Ivorians.
Tom Saintfiet was officially named as the new Togo national team coach in May, with the Belgian earning himself a two-year contract in charge of the Sparrow Hawks. The tactician was previously at the helm of the Togolese side in a caretaker role, while decisions were being made concerning the full time staff who would be in place, but the football authorities in the country then decided to put their faith in him in an official capacity.
Ivorian former Cote D’Ivoire tactician Francois Zahoui was named the head coach of the Niger national team in May this year. The 52-year-old took over the national team after a period of six-months where The Mena did not have a manager in place, leaving the side without much direction. Previous German coach Gernot Rohr was at the helm of the Niger team until late last year, until he was sacked.
The Guinea Football Federation announced the appointment of Luis Fernandez as the new coach of the national football team at the end of April. The Frenchman, who previously played for the French national team as one of the famous members of the Carré Magique along with fellow Les Bleu stars Michel Platini, Alain Giresse and Jean Tigana, was given a 20-month contract. He replaced former tactician Michel Dussuyer, who made the decision to leave the national team following his side’s 3-0 defeat to Ghana at the quarter-final stage of the 2015 AFCON.
Yohannes Sahle was selected to take over from Mariano Baretto as the coach of the Ethiopia national football team in April. The local coach, who was previously part of the national team as a player, replaced Portuguese tactician Baretto, who did not continue with the side following his failure to qualify the East Africans for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition at the beginning of the year. The 49-year-old coach played professional football in America during his peak, leaving the US in 2010 to pursue the role of technical director within the Ethiopian FA set-up.
Not technically a change, but it did seem as though the Big Boss was destined to leave the Super Eagles at a stage, so it was refreshing to see a long overdrawn saga come to an end with a new contract going to way of Keshi. The former Mali and Togo coach was given a two-year contract by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in April. The national team was without an official coach since the end of the 2014 World Cup, in which the Nigerians reached the second round before being knocked out by France. Keshi was asked by members of government to continue on a match by match basis during subsequent games, but this method destabilised the side, and they failed to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to defend their title.
Irishman Johnny McKinstry was given the reigns of the Rwanda national football team in March. The 29-year-old was the favourite to take charge of the Amavubi, and beat out shortlist rivals Hans Michael Weiss, Jose Manuel Ferreira de Morais and Engin Firat to be named Rwanda coach. The former Sierra Leone coach is very young for a national team tactician, but already has experience coaching on the continent.
Frenchman Alain Giresse made his return to the Mali national football team as coach in March, replacing Polish coach Henryk Kasperczak, who resigned following an unsuccessful run at the 2015 AFCON. The Mali football authorities were said to have been considering Stephen Keshi and Patrice Cateron, alongside Giresse, but finally made the decision to reunite with their former coach on a two-year deal. Giresse was previously in charge of the Malians in 2012, when he was able to earn a third place finish at the 2012 AFCON.
March also saw former Senegal captain Aliou Cisse named as the new national team coach for his native country, following Alain Giresse’s sacking after Senegal’s disappointment at the 2015 AFCON where the Lions of Teranga could not progress from a group that included South Africa, Algeria and eventual finalists Ghana. When Amara Traore was fired as Senegal coach in 2012, Cisse took over for a short while in a caretaker role, before Joseph Koto was put in charge. Earlier this year he was given the position in a full capacity in order to prove himself.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced that Argentine Hector Cuper would take over as coach of the Egypt national team at the beginning of March. Previous coach Shawky Gharib was fired when he failed to qualify the Pharaohs for to the 2015 AFCON. The Egyptian FA was considering at a shortlist of candidates which included Herve Renard, Georges Leekens, Uli Stielike, Alain Giresse and Frank Rijkaard, before settling on Cuper. The Argentine does not possess any experience coaching in Africa, with a term in charge of Georgia being the only national team exposure that he had thus far, but since taking over he has brought a fresh confidence to the Pharaohs.
Burkina Faso announced in February that German coach Gernot Rohr would be taking over the national team. The Stallions were without a coach since Paul Put was fired following the side’s failure to progress from the group stages of the 2015 Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea. Rohr came into his new position with a wealth of African experience, having previously coached both Niger and Gabon.
