Federation of Gabon Football (Fegafoot) has announced the suspension of national team head coach Jorge Costa just two months before the country hosts the Africa Cup of Nations.

According to the federations official portal Costa has been replaced on a temporary basis by technical director Jose Garrido.

No reason has been given for what appears to be a sudden change at the top of the national team. Former international defender Costa was only reappointed in August on a six-month deal after expiry of the original contract that expired on 30 June.

But sources close to the federation however indicate that the move was reached due to the portuguese technician absence during the Afcon draw among other indispline cases.

The new techician has just over a week to prepare the team for their 2018 World Cup qualifier aganist Mali before playing a friendly against the Comoros in Tunis three days later. Garrido, 56, has coached in the Middle East and played briefly at Benfica in the 1980s.

Gabon who are the 2017 Afcon host will face debutants Guinea-Bissau in the opening match of the Nations Cup on 14 January.