Sebastien Migne begins Gabon rebuild with long-term Pantheres project

Sebastien Migne has been appointed Gabon manager and says the national team has “very interesting potential” as he begins a long-term project aimed at qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations and competing at the 2030 World Cup.

The 53-year-old Frenchman has agreed a contract with Gabon after waiting for more than a month to complete his departure from Haiti, whom he had guided to World Cup qualification. Migne’s appointment was initially described as being for three years, although he says he signed a four-year agreement after travelling to Libreville on 23 July to settle the final details.

Migne replaces the previous Gabon coaching staff after returning to African football, a continent where he has built considerable experience. He has managed Congo, Kenya and Equatorial Guinea, while also serving as an assistant with Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon. In 2021, he had a spell in charge of South African club Marumo Gallants.

He had been under contract with Haiti until the end of 2026, but said he wanted a fresh challenge.

“I was under contract with Haiti until the end of 2026. I wanted to take on a new challenge, and I had a few contacts, including with Gabon,” Migne told Africafoot.

“I was very interested, but first I had to reach an agreement with the Haitian federation. At first, they were not particularly keen to let me leave, but in the end everything happened very quickly. We terminated my contract, and I reached an agreement with Gabon, who had approached me through an agent. I went to Libreville on 23 July to finalise a few details, and I therefore signed for four years.”

Migne said his decision was influenced by his previous experiences in Africa, including the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt with Kenya and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with Cameroon.

“It was not necessarily planned,” he said. “But I have a very strong connection with this football-mad continent, where I have had some very good experiences.”

He held talks with Pierre-Alain Mounguengui, president of the Gabonese Football Federation, while his appointment was approved by Sports Minister Paul Kessany, a former captain of the national team.

Gabon target Africa Cup progress

Migne believes Gabon remain one of Africa’s stronger international sides despite recent disappointment.

“It is a team I know well, and it has very interesting potential,” he said. “They came close to qualifying for the World Cup and played at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where, unfortunately, they were beaten three times.”

Gabon’s immediate priority will be qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The new manager also has the 2028 edition and the 2030 World Cup in his longer-term plans.

“We are starting a four-year contract, which is interesting because I will be able to work over time,” he said. “There are two Africa Cups, in 2027 and 2028, and the World Cup in 2030. The first objective will be to qualify for this Africa Cup. We will take the deadlines one after another.”

Gabon face a difficult qualifying group featuring Morocco, Niger and Lesotho. Migne regards Morocco as the leading side after facing them with Haiti in a 4-2 defeat.

“Morocco are the big challenge,” he said. “They are the best African team at the moment, and therefore the favourites in the group. But because two teams qualify from each group, we have real chances.”

Gabon will host Niger in Franceville on matchday two in October after travelling to Morocco. Migne described Niger as a determined opponent and said Lesotho had made notable progress in recent years.

“We will have to study our opponents carefully and not believe that it will be easy,” he added.

The dates for the matches in Morocco and against Niger have not yet been finalised. Migne has already watched Gabon’s most recent games and plans to begin contacting the players.

Aubameyang talks planned

One of his first conversations will be with captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has recently joined Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna.

“Yes, I will contact him very soon, as well as other senior members of the national team,” Migne said. “Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has just signed in Spain, at Deportivo La Coruna, which means he is still very competitive.”

“I will explain my playing project and the framework I will establish for the national team. I want to speak with him, as with others, to find out whether they want to be part of the project, which is not an absolute guarantee that they will take part.”

Migne also intends to live in Libreville and monitor the domestic game. The Gabonese league has endured periods without activity in recent years but is operating again and is due to restart in September or October.

“There are good footballers in Gabon,” he said. “It is particularly to find some who could join the national team that I will settle in Libreville, in order to work more broadly on local football.”

He will also travel regularly overseas, especially to Europe, where many Gabon internationals play. Migne says identifying new players, including those with dual nationality, will be important because Gabon does not have a particularly large pool of available footballers.