Gabon Sack Jorge Costa Two Months Before 2017 AFCON

Gabon have sacked head coach Jorge Costa a mere two months before the start of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.


The tournament hosts announced of Friday that they had parted ways with the former Portugal defender. Fegafoot first cancelled a scheduled press conference before announcing the news.

Jose Antonio Garrido, who has worked with the football federation as a technical director, has been appointed on an interim basis.

Garrido will immediately switch focus to preparing the Panthers for their crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Mali in Bamako on November 12.

Costa, 45, had been in the job since 2014. With the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at his disposal he hoped to spearhead the Panthers to even greater heights, but was shown the exit door with a goalless stalemate on home soil against Morocco, in their opening World Cup qualifier, his last game in charge.

His absence from the draw in capital Libreville for next year's showpiece didn't sit well with Gabonese public, and surely played a role in his departure.

Gabon have been drawn in Group A alongside Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso and Cameroon.

According to AFP, Costa was the best-paid coach in Africa with a monthly salary of €70 000.