Before leaving Libreville for Franceville on Monday, the coach of the Panthers of Gabon, Patrice Neveu called for general mobilization behind the national eleven which faces Sudan this Thursday in Franceville as part of the 3th day of the CAN Côte d’Ivoire 2023 group I qualifiers dominated after 2 days by Mauritania and Gabon (4 points each) followed by Sudan (3 points) and the DRC (0 point). The French technician spoke exclusively on Gabonactu.com concerning the form of his players, his opponent whom he faces in round trip (March 23 and 27, 2023) as well as the chances of garnering 6 points at the result of this double confrontation.
What is the state of form of the players you have selected for this double confrontation against Sudan whose first match is played this Thursday in Franceville before returning to Khartoum on March 27?
First bad news for the team: the withdrawal of experienced defender Bruno Ecuélé Manga, withdrawal for injury. As there is a waiting list, he was directly replaced by Yoann Watcher. For the rest, the whole group arrived on Monday. All the team’s executives are there, even if some clubs wanted to release the players after the official date to make them available to the country.
The federation naturally relied on the FIFA regulations concerning the release of players to the national team during the playoffs. The fact that we have already retained all of them is good news for the group.
Regarding their form, we will judge during the training days which will precede the match on Thursday 23 March.
A word on your opponent, Sudan?
Even if Sudan does not have a large workforce quantitatively and qualitatively like certain big continental names such as Senegal, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, to remain only these countries in Africa south of the Sahara, there remains that there is a leveling of values at the level of the national teams. In these qualifying rounds, CAR played well with Ghana, as did the Seychelles against the Ivory Coast.
Concerning Sudan, it is an opponent that we respect who relies on these two great clubs EL Merrieck and Al Hilal and who, I imagine, will come to Franceville not to open the game, but will try to play like Mauritania to attempt to take 1 Point. NOW, it is up to us to be serious, to put all the assets on our side to win this match.
Thursday’s game is the 1st of 2 games against Sudan. Your strategy to take the 6 points?
We take game by game. First of all, there is this first game of Thursday March 23 at home that we have to negotiate well. Negotiating well means putting the odds on our side so as not to have any regrets.
I expect to see a large audience at the stadium to encourage his team and push them to victory. I insist on that. The team must have the support of the public throughout the match even during its weak times. Then for the return match, it will be in another context, because Sudan will play at home where they beat the DRC.
It’s up to us to make all the arrangements to put on a great match in Sudan. But we must first start winning this Thursday at home in Franceville so as not to have any regrets.
Interview by Fritz Koum
