Congo Brazzaville Begins Search For New Coach

Congo Football Federation (Fecofoot) have begun the search for a coach to replace Barthélémy Ngastono, Ducor Sports can reveal.

Fecofoot and Ngastono decided to mutually part ways on Wednesday following the team’s failure to qualify for the 2021Africa Cup of Nations.
Congo lost 2-0 to Guinea-Bissau in their final group game to miss out on the tournament in Cameroon, which will feature 24 nations.

According to Fecofoot president Jean Guy Blaise Mayolas, the body hopes to appoint Ngastono’s long term successor by the end of April.

“The federation has stepped up efforts to get a new coach for the before the end of this month so as to give him enough time to prepare the team to qualify for both the 2014 World Cup and 2013 African Nations Cup qualifiers,” said Mayolas as per Adiac-Congo.

The former Congo international started work in December 2016 as head coach of the Red Devils, replacing Frenchman Pierre Lechantre.

The federation is expecting to receive applications from within and outside the country and will interview and hold discussions with some candidates.

Three names would be submitted to the Minister of Sports and Physical Education in May for a final decision.

Media reports said Frenchman, two-time AFCON winner Herve Renard and Serbian Milutin Sredojevic, who coaches the Zambia national team, are the favorites for Ngastono’s replacement.

Congo’s failure to qualify for the Nations Cup was only the second time in the last four attempts that they have missed out on the African championships.