Claude Le Roy: from Congo to Togo

Claude Le Roy, former coach of Congo,  has added another chapter to his extensive African coaching career by agreeing a deal to lead Togo until 2019, according to French newspaper L’Equipe.

The Frenchman has worked on the continent for almost 30 years and has coached at a record eight African Nations Cup finals, only failing to reach the quarter-finals once and winning the tournament with Cameroon in 1988.

He took Congo to an unlikely last eight place at the tournament in Equatorial Guinea last year, before resigning from the job in November despite leading the country to the next stage of World Cup qualifiers.

L’Equipe said on Wednesday that the 68-year-old would take over from Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet and be joined in Togo by his long-time assistant Sebastien Minier.

Togo are currently third in their qualifying group for the African Nations Cup in Gabon, two points behind leaders Liberia, who they meet next away from home in June.

The side took one point from home and away matches against Tunisia last month and were dumped out of the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup after a surprise 4-0 aggregate loss to Uganda in the second knockout round in November.

Le Roy will hope to persuade striker Emmanuel Adebayor to return to the national team on a more consistent basis – the Crystal Palace forward missed the away match in Tunisia but pitched up for the return in Lome.