Poor performances they say has consequences attached to it and national team coaches, whose teams have underperformed in the African Cup of nations, AFCON have not been let off the hook.
It has been only three rounds into the biggest football and or sporting event in Africa and multiple tacticians have lost their jobs through sacking, suspensions and resignations due to one reason or another, mostly as a result of poor performance.
Tanzania diminished their suspended coach, Adel Amrouche
Tanzania was the first nation to part ways with their Head Coach after only their first game in the AFCON hosted by and ongoing in Ivory Coast.
Adel Amrouche was relieved of his duties after the country’s first game in Ivory Coast, which ended in a 3-0 defeat to Africa’s history maker in the FIFA World Cup just over two years ago in Qatar, Atlas Lions of Morocco.
Amrouche was banned for eight matches and fined $10,000 by CAF Disciplinary Committee for his controversial comment that African football and officials favour Morocco.
The news of the Algerian suspension was followed up by a sack letter from Tanzania Football Federation, who replaced him by assistant Hemed Morocco.
Tanzania went on to draw their next two games in the tournament and finished bottom of Group F of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, AFCON.
Ghana dismissed Chris Houghton after AFCON exit
Ghana Football Association announced it has parted companies with Chris Houghton following the Black Stars’ African Cup of Nations, AFCON exit.
Houghton, who was appointed in March last year was relieved of his duties as the national team manager following a disastrous AFCON outung in Ivory Coast, which saw Ghana finish bottom of Group B.
The Black Stars headed into the competition under a lot of pressure, having suffered group elimination two years ago in Cameroon, but would end up suffering their first-ever back-to-back group elimination in the competition.
There has been no optimism since the arrival of the Irish manager and his eleven games overseen produced just three wins and four defeats, with the other four ending in draws.
As consequence of his failure to lead the team into the knockout round of the AFCON, the Ghanaian FA succumbed to the inevitable, and showed the 65-year-old the exit door.
Djamel Belmadi resigned as Algeria boss
Algeria boss Djamel Belmadi has stepped down from his role following the Desert Warriors’ consecutive group exit in the African Cup of Nations, AFCON.
Belmadi started his time as the Head Coach of his own country on a very good note, winning them their second AFCON title and their first since 1990, less than a year following his appointment in August 2018.
In the tournament played in Egypt, the Desert Warriors won six and drew one of the seven games on their way to claiming the title around three-and-a-half-year ago.
During that period, Belmadi’s side also embacked on a remarkable unbeaten run, which lasted for 35 games and sees them become joint second for most unbeten games for a national team in history, second only to Italy (37), between 2018 and 2021.
Unfortunately, Algeria failed woefully in the last AFCON in Cameroon, which they headed into with a 35-game unbeaten and as defending champions.
Their unbeaten run was ended in their second game of the tournament as Esteban Orozco’s strike 20 minutes from time gave Equatorial Guniea all the points in their Group E meeting in Douala.
They finished the tournament with one point from three games. Algeria headed into AFCON 2023 on a run of 12 games unbeaten, and the defeat to Mauritania ended a run of 14 unbeaten.
Djamel Belmadi willingly ended his reign as the boss following the disappointing outing in Ivory Coast.
It could get worse for Algeria, or let’s say the start of an entire new era as no less than eight players are considering international retirement in the wake of their AFCON debacle.
Jean-Louis Gasset fired despite Ivory Coast’s progress
Ivory Coast has relieved Jean-Louis Gasset of his duties as manager due to poor results, which is highlighted by their heaviest home loss in history.
Equatorial Guniea’s National Thunder strike The Elephants 4-0 in Abidjan in their final group game, which left the host needing some results to go their way to earn a spot as one of the four best third place teams.
In the end, the two time winner secured a place in the last 16 after Morocco beat Zambia and a meeting with defending Champions Senegal now awaits the host on Monday, January 29th.
However, the Ivorian Foootall Federation has had enough of 70-year-old Gasset, stating in an official release that it has “terminated the contracts of Gasset due to insufficient results.”
His Assistant, Emerse Fae, will takeover as interim manager will be on the dugout against the Teranga Lions in the knockout round.
Jalel Kadri stepped down as Tunisia coach Tunisia coach
Jalel Kadri has stepped down from his role following AFCON exit in Ivory Coast.The Carthage Eagles finished bottom of Group E with just two points, losing to Namibia in one of the biggest upset of the group stage.
“I decided not to continue after the match against South Africa.
We apologise to the Tunisian people, and we apologise. Football is like this at times. We were not lucky against Bafana.”
Kadri was initially appointed on a temporary boss during the last AFCON in 2022 due to covid-19 to Mondher Kebaier, and was later made the boss on a permanent basis.
Tom Saintfied resigns as Gambia boss
Appointed in 2018, Belgian tactician Tom Saintfied made history with Gambia as he led them to a first-ever AFCON qualification in 2021.
Also in the tournament, Gambia became the lowest ranked nation ever to participate in the AFCON and against the odds they reached the quarter finals, where they lost to Cameroon.
Unfortunately, they had a tough experience in Ivory Coast and their journey ended in the group stage, losing all three games and owning the joint poorest defensive record.
It makes six coaches to have either stepped down from their role or sacked by their employers. Reports also suggest that Cameroon will part ways with Rigobert Song after the tournament in Ivory Coast.
Morocco’s Walid Regragui suspended by CAF
Walid Regragui has received a four match suspension, which includes two on probation following the altercation with Chancel Mbemba during Morocco’s clash with DR Congo.
The 48-year-old was absent in the Atlas Lions’ 1-0 win over Zambia in their final group game as he served one of the suspensions.
Morocco FA has decided to appeal the decision, saying there has been no act of violation committed.
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