Haiti: International football's real impossible job (2024)

Published

6 June 2024

When Graham Taylor was England manager, his role was referred to by a documentary crew as an "impossible job". Sebastien Migne smiles wryly when he is asked whether he has the position that really deserves that title.

Migne is the new manager of Haiti, with the brief of guiding them to a first men's World Cup for half a century.

It is a challenge made much harder by the political and social chaos gripping the Caribbean island, which means Migne is unlikely to be able to set foot there for the foreseeable future.

Gangs now control most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and prevented prime minister Ariel Henry from returning to the country following a foreign trip, leading to his resignation. BBC News report that parts of the country have effectively become lawless.

Haiti has been ravaged by gang violence for years, but violence perpetrated by armed groups escalated in late February.

While the gangs said their main aim was to oust Henry, violence continues. They have attacked police, looted universities and libraries, torched pharmacies and forced the closure of Port-au-Prince's largest hospital.

So why has Migne decided to manage their national football team?

"Honestly, I have a lot of enthusiasm," the 51-year-old Frenchman tells BBC Sport. "It is not the best contract of my life, but it is important at this time.

"The project is interesting, Haiti has a good past in football. The idea is to write a new story with the players, and we have a fantastic opportunity because the USA, Canada and Mexico have already qualified [as joint-hosts].

"They know exactly what we want to create, and that is to qualify for the World Cup."

The three North American nations will co-host the 2026 World Cup, which will be the first to feature 48 teams. As well as the hosts, three further sides from the Concacaf region will qualify, and another two will compete in the inter-confederation play-offs for further places.

This opens the door for Haiti to reach a first men's World Cup since 1974, when they reached the finals in West Germany. They lost all three group games, conceding 14 goals to Argentina, Italy and Poland.

Their long road to the finals begins in the first of two group stages of Concacaf qualifying, with an opening match against Saint Lucia on 6 June.

It was supposed to be a home match for Haiti, but that is currently out of the question. The Saint Lucia game will be played in Barbados, and Migne is unsure what will come after – both where they will play, or who will play for them.

"It's difficult, because it is impossible for me to go to Haiti to discover new talent, and to have full confidence in local coaches to give me full information," he says.

"For example, I tried to convince a player to come with us for the next matches. We needed administrative papers, but all the embassies are closed in the country."

Migne is used to an element of chaos, with coaching roles in Syria on his CV. A veteran of management in Africa, his previous national team jobs include Congo, Kenya and Equatorial Guinea.

But he has had a taste of World Cup glory before, as assistant manager for Cameroon at Qatar 2022.

While Cameroon did not get out of the group stage, they stunned Brazil 1-0 in their final match – a result which has lit a fire in him to return to the biggest show on Earth.

"Of course, some friends told me: 'You are completely crazy,'" he says. "Maybe it is true, but I believe in the project. I believe we can create a big surprise. We have quality."

Since being appointed on 10 March, Migne has been hard at work making the best of a rough job. Haiti drew 1-1 away to French Guiana in his first game in charge, and since he has assigned his coaches and scouts to scour the world in search of talent.

One of the key roles for the manager of a small national team is convincing players eligible through family and heritage to represent those nations. Migne has approached Wolves forward Jeanricner Bellegarde – born in France but of Haitian descent – and Hull City winger Jaden Philogene about possible call-ups.

"Step by step, we try to establish contact with them to present the project and convince them," Migne says. "It is a long process."

Migne has a particular interest in convincing English players, as a lover of English football. He spoke to BBC Sport while wearing a Liverpool sweater and told of his admiration for Jurgen Klopp.

"After taking Haiti to the World Cup, then I want to manage in the Premier League or Championship, I would love to," he says.

But before then, Migne has to try and somehow guide war-torn underdogs Haiti all the way to the World Cup.

So, is his the real impossible job?

"It's not [impossible]. It is interesting."