French coach Gernot Rohr has officially signed a two-year contract to lead the national football team of Niger, known as Mena. The announcement comes after negotiations with Nigerien sports authorities, and Rohr has been in Niamey since last Saturday. During this time, he conducted two training sessions with the team as they prepare for the final round of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) qualifiers.
The 59-year-old Rohr’s appointment comes after the uncertainty surrounding the potential hiring of François Zahoui, the former coach of the Ivory Coast national team, who faced complications in obtaining authorization from Ivorian technical management to join Mena.
Rohr’s immediate goal will be to guide Niger through the qualifiers for the next CAN. The team is set to face Syli National of Guinea in a two-legged tie, with the first leg scheduled for September 9 and the return leg on October 12.
Niger had been without a coach since the departure of Rolland Courbis in June. Gernot Rohr, who recently guided Gabon to the quarter-finals of the CAN, brings a wealth of experience to the role. While his contract with Gabon was not renewed, Rohr has previously coached in French Ligue 1 with OGC Nice and in the Tunisian Ligue 1 with Etoile du Sahel.
