Gabon appoint Patrice Neveu as head coach

Patrice Neveu has been named Gabon manager on a two-year contract to replace Daniel Cousin.

Reports in the last week revealed the Frenchman was nearing his appointment as the Panthers boss after Cousin paid the price for failing to lead the country to the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Gabonese Football Federation, through its president Pierre Alain Mounguengui, have now confirmed the experienced Neveu as the man to take the national team forward.

As reported on the federation’s official website, the announcement was made after Mounguengui’s meeting with Sports Minister Alain-Claude Bilie-by-Nze.

Before the recent termination of his contract by Horoya AC, the well-travelled Neveu has had experiences across the globe and is not a new face on the continent either, having managed Niger, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mauritania.

He led the Syli National to the 2006 Afcon in Egypt where the West African nation reached the last eight, before subsequently rising from 99nd to 22nd in the FIFA World Ranking during his time in charge.

Neveu has also managed the Haiti and Laos national teams, Chinese club Shanghai United and Egyptian clubs Ismaily and Smouha Sporting Club.

The Frenchman will now be tasked with ensuring the Central Africans qualify for the continental showpiece in Cameroon in 2021.

The appointment of new National Technical Director, Raphael Nzamba Nzamba was also confirmed by Mounguengui at the media briefing.