Soccer fans in the Togolese capital, Lomé, on Tuesday took to the streets calling for the immediate departure of the oldest coach in Africa, Claude Le Roy.
The frustrated protestors want the French man, 71 years, out particularly for failing to qualify the national team to the upcoming African Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt later this year.
Buttressing the protestors’ call is the fact that Le Roy’s contract has expired since 6 April 2019 and he still remains in the country as the football association fails to take action.
Less hopeful Benin dashed Togo’s last hope 2-1 to qualify for the continental tournament in spite of the best efforts of Le Roy, sources told ADV.
Le Roy has not been making headways in coaching for a long time in Africa where he is believed to be the oldest and longest-serving coach.
“It’s time for Africa to stop hiring these expatriate coaches, who come and are paid exorbitant salaries but in the end do not produce any results.
Why not have faith in African coaches, who are competent, who are efficient and who want to do more than what the expatriate coaches are doing?” the protest organiser Edoh Komi told reporters.
Le Roy has been a coach of Senegal, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Togo which he was hoping against hope to participate in the 9th African Cup of Nations as a coach with a sixth country.
