Ex-Mauritania Coach Corentin Martins Resurfaces In Libya

Former Mauritania national team head coach Corentin Martins romance with African football is set to continue after he was appointed Libya national team coach.

This will be the Frenchman second national team job in Africa, having coached Mauritania where he was sacked after poor 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.

Martins has also coached several clubs in his home country France.

The expatriate coach succeeds Spanish gaffer Javier Clemente, who left his position by mutual consent over the weekend.

Martins took charge of the Mauritanian national team back in 2014 and successfully lead them to 2019 and 2021 AFCON, their only appearances at a major tournament.

Reports indicate that Martins was chosen as Libyan coach ahead of French duo of Sebastien Desabre and Claude LeRoy.

During his playing days, Martins was one of the best midfielders of his generation but mainly lived in the shadows of Zinedine Zidane at the national team level.

After a modest playing career that saw him lace his boots for French sides; Brest, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Clermont, his first coaching job was in charge of fourth-tier side Quimperois between 2006 and 2007.

He was named Sporting Director of his hometown club, Brest in 2007 before being elevated to the top job a year later. His was in-charge of Brest in 2013 but could not save them from beating the drop to Ligue 2 at the end of the 2013/2014 season.