Libreville – Gabon’s government has suspended its national football team, removed senior players Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga from the squad, and dismissed head coach Thierry Mouyouma following a winless campaign at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The decision was announced on Wednesday by acting Sports Minister Simplice Desire Mamboula after Gabon ended bottom of their group with three defeats, the latest a 3 2 loss to Ivory Coast in Marrakech on 31 December.
Gabon had already been eliminated from the tournament after opening losses to Cameroon and Mozambique, leaving the final group match with no bearing on qualification. Despite racing into a two goal lead against the defending champions, the Panthers conceded three times and surrendered the match against a largely rotated Ivorian side.
Speaking on national television, Mamboula said the government had opted to dissolve the technical team, suspend the national side until further notice and exclude Aubameyang and Ecuele Manga from future selection, citing unacceptable performances at the continental finals.
Neither Aubameyang nor the veteran defender featured in the final group game. Aubameyang returned to France to rejoin Olympique de Marseille for treatment on a thigh injury, while Ecuele Manga was also left out of the matchday squad.
Responding on social media platform X, Aubameyang said the challenges facing the team went beyond any single player. The 36 year old former African Footballer of the Year is widely believed to have played his last match for Gabon, as is the case with the 37 year old Ecuele Manga, whose international career also appears to be nearing its end.
Mouyouma, a former Gabon international defender, had been in charge for just over two years. While government intervention in football matters was once common across the continent, such moves have become less frequent in recent years due to tighter rules from world governing body Fifa.
Discussion about this post