Daniel Cousin

Daniel Michel Cousin (born 7 February 1977) is a Gabonese former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Daniel Cousin
Cousin playing for Hull City in 2009
Personal information
Full name Daniel Michel Cousin[1]
Date of birth (1977-02-07) 7 February 1977
Place of birth Libreville, Gabon
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1998 Martigues 36 (5)
1998–2000 Chamois Niortais 46 (5)
2000–2004 Le Mans 129 (44)
2004–2007 Lens 101 (26)
2007–2008 Rangers 28 (11)
2008–2010 Hull City 31 (4)
2010 → Larissa (loan) 9 (2)
2010–2011 Larissa 27 (6)
2011–2014 Sapins 13 (11)
Total 420 (114)
National team
2000–2014 Gabon 56 (13)
Teams managed
2018 Gabon (joint manager)
2018–2019 Gabon
2019 ES Fos-sur-Mer
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He played for Martigues, Chamois Niortais, Le Mans Union Club 72, RC Lens, Rangers, Hull City, Larissa and Sapins, as well as the Gabon national team.

In March 2019, Cousin formally signed a contract to serve as a coach of Gabon national team despite being confirmed in September 2018, but left a few weeks later before being appointed manager of French club ES Fos-sur-Mer.

Early life

Born in Libreville, Estuaire Province, Cousin (pronounced [kuzɛ̃]) moved to Marseille, France when he was three.[3]

Club career

France

Cousin played in the lower leagues in France for Martigues and Niort before moving to Le Mans Union Club 72.

He joined RC Lens in the summer of 2004. Whilst at RC Lens he appeared in the UEFA Cup in both 2005–06 and 2006–07 starting 13 games with 2 appearances as a sub netting 8 goals in the process. Lens qualified for the 2005–06 tournament after triumphing in the UEFA Intertoto Cup competition with Cousin starting in 5 games, making 3 sub appearances and scoring 3 goals including one in the final itself versus CFR Cluj of Romania.

Rangers

On 9 August 2007, Cousin arrived at Murray Park in Glasgow to hold contract talks over a move and signed a three-year deal for a reported fee of £750,000.[4] He scored his first goal for Rangers on his debut in a 2–0 home league win against St Mirren on 11 August 2007,[5] and scored twice on his first start a week later against Falkirk.[6]

Cousin played at Ibrox, against Lyon in the UEFA Champions League on 12 December 2007. Rangers lost 3–0 with Cousin playing the first half before getting substituted for Steven Naismith in that game.[7] In November 2007 he was linked with a transfer away from Rangers, and it was reported that he had a release clause in his current contract which means he could leave in January 2008. This was denied by Rangers but the club did reveal there was a £3 million release clause during the 2008 summer transfer window.[8]

On 21 January 2008 it was reported that Premier League side Fulham had had a £2 million bid rejected by Rangers manager Walter Smith.[9] The next day a bid of £3 million from Fulham activated a release clause,[10] however FIFA regulations meant Cousin required special dispensation to complete the move.[11] On 29 January, the transfer was cancelled as FIFA did not grant permission[12] but it later emerged that FIFA had not reached a decision over the transfer.[13] On 29 February, FIFA announced it would not allow the deal to be completed.[14]

On 1 May 2008, Cousin was sent off during extra time of the Fiorentina v Rangers UEFA Cup semi-final second leg match for a headbutt.[15] Despite Cousin's sending off, Rangers progressed to win the game on penalties.[15] A matter of days later, he did the same to Dundee United defender Lee Wilkie, in a 3–1 win[16] mired in refereeing controversy.[17][18] Although he was not sent off, Cousin was widely criticised for his stupidity.[19] On 31 August, Cousin scored the opening goal in the first Old Firm match of the season. Rangers went on to win the match 4–2 and he was later sent off for two bookable offences.[20] This was the player's final game for Rangers, but Rangers' then-assistant manager Ally McCoist said: "That was as good a centre-forward performance in an Old Firm game as I've ever seen from anybody. That particular day he was phenomenal."[21]

Hull City
Cousin playing for Hull City in 2009

On 1 September 2008, Cousin signed for English Premier League side Hull City on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[22] Cousin scored his first Hull goal against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on 27 September 2008.[23] His header was the decisive goal and helped to exalt Hull City to a historic 1–2 victory against Arsenal at their home.[24] He scored in a 4–3 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford[25] before scoring again at home to Manchester City.[26] On 1 September 2009, a loan deal to Premier League rivals Burnley fell through.[27] In total, Cousin scored five goals in 33 matches for the Tigers.

Larissa

Cousin joined the Greek side Larissa on loan for the second half of the 2009–10 season.[28] He was the second player from Gabon to play for Larissa after Henry Antchouet. The transfer was made permanent on 18 August 2010.[29] Despite a good performance the following season, Larissa were relegated from the top tier, and he left the club.[30]

Sapins

On 13 October 2011, Cousin returned home to Gabon to play for local team Sapins FC in an attempt to boost his chances of playing at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.[31] The deal with Sapins allowed the striker to leave without any conditions if he received an offer from a club in Europe.[31] Cousin was released by Sapins on 31 January 2012.[32] Cousin agreed personal terms to rejoin Rangers until the end of the season,[33] but Rangers entered administration and had a transfer embargo applied by the Scottish Premier League.[34] When Rangers attempted to register Cousin with the league, their application was rejected.[34]

International career

Cousin made his debut for Gabon on 23 January 2000 in a 3–1 defeat to South Africa. He participated in all three of Gabon's matches at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations. On 2 September 2006, he was made captain of the national team and led them to a 4–0 win over Madagascar. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations over Cameroon.

Coaching career

On 4 September 2014, Cousin was named general manager of Gabon.[35]

In September 2018, he became manager of the Gabon national team.[36] He left in March 2019.[37]

On 20 May 2019, Cousin was appointed manager of French club ES Fos-sur-Mer.[38] He was sacked on 30 September 2019.[39]

Career statistics

International goals
Scores and results list Gabon's goal tally first.[40][41]
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.22 April 2000Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon Madagascar1–01–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.25 June 2000Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon Congo2–?2–3Friendly
3.2 June 2001Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon Tunisia1–01–12002 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
4.2 September 2006Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon Madagascar2–04–02008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
5.9 September 2009Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon Cameroon1–21–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification
6.10 October 2009Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon Morocco3–03–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification
7.6 January 2010Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa Mozambique2–02–0Friendly
8.13 January 2010Estádio Nacional da Tundavala, Lubango, Angola Cameroon1–01–02010 Africa Cup of Nations
9.11 August 2010July 5, 1962 Stadium, Algiers, Algeria Algeria1–02–1Friendly
10.9 February 2011Stade Aimé Bergeal, Paris, France Mozambique2–02–0Friendly
11.27 January 2012Stade d'Angondjé, Libreville, Gabon Morocco2–13–22012 Africa Cup of Nations
12.8 September 2012Stade de l'Amitié, Cotonou, Benin Togo1–01–12013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
13.26 January 2014Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, South Africa Libya1–11–1 (2–4 pen.)2014 African Nations Championship

Honours

Lens

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2010 and 31/07/2010" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  2. "Profiles: Daniel Cousin". Hull City A.F.C. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010.
  3. "Cousin joins the family". City Magazine. No. 38. Hull City AFC. October 2008. p. 44.
  4. "Cousin completes Rangers switch". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 August 2007.
  5. "Rangers 2–0 St Mirren". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 August 2007.
  6. "Rangers 7–2 Falkirk". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 August 2007.
  7. Moffat, Colin (2 October 2007). "Rangers 0–3 Lyon". BBC Sport. BBC.
  8. "Cousin's £3m exit clause in summer". Evening Times. Herald & Times Group. 13 November 2007.
  9. "Fulham set to improve Cousin bid". BBC Sport. BBC. 22 January 2008.
  10. "Fulham agree Cousin fee". Sky Sports. BSkyB. 22 January 2008.
  11. "Gers wait for Cousin deal verdict". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 January 2008.
  12. "Daniel Cousin's move to Fulham collapses". The Telegraph. 29 January 2008.
  13. "Cousin Fulham deal still possible". BBC Sport. BBC. 30 January 2008.
  14. "FIFA block Cousin deal". STV Sport. 29 February 2008.
  15. "Fiorentina 0–0 Rangers (0–0)". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 May 2008.
  16. "Rangers 3–1 Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 May 2008.
  17. "McCurry admits to Ibrox mistakes". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 May 2008.
  18. "Rangers 3 – 1 Dundee United – Intrigue, controversy and a spectacular Novo goal, then seven and a half minutes of calculated rage". Scotsman.com Sport. Johnston Publishing Ltd. 10 May 2008.
  19. "Wilkie: Cousin's a nutter; RACE FOR THE SPL CROWN". The Mirror. 10 May 2008.
  20. "Celtic 2–4 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 31 August 2008.
  21. "Si Ferry Meets... Ally McCoist" - Open Goal, YouTube, published on 16 April 2018
  22. "Cousin leaves Ibrox for ambitious Hull". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
  23. "Arsenal 1–2 Hull". BBC Sport. BBC. 27 September 2008.
  24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7626886.stm
  25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7684745.stm
  26. "City hold their nerve and Hull in mixture of the beguiling and bewildering". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. 31 August 2008.
  27. "Daniel Cousin Blasts Hull City Before Burnley Loan Move Falls Through". Goal.com. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  28. Casey, Jamie (1 February 2010). "Cousin heads to Greece". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  29. "Daniel Cousin leaves Hull City for Larissa". BBC Sport. BBC. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  30. "Cousin Makes Greek Move". Hull City AFC. 18 August 2010. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  31. "Gabon's Daniel Cousin returns home to play for Sapins". BBC Sport. BBC. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  32. Burns, Scott (8 February 2012). "DANIEL COUSIN COULD FINISH ON A HIGH AT IBROX". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  33. "Rangers move closer to re-signing Daniel Cousin". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  34. "SPL block Rangers deal for Daniel Cousin". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  35. "MTNFootball - Gabon vs Angola". mtnfootball.com. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  36. "Daniel Cousin confirmed as sole Gabon coach after Aubameyang announcement". BBC Sport. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  37. "Gabon begin search of new coach as Cousin contract ends". BBC Sport. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  38. Daniel Cousin va diriger l'ES Fos-sur-Mer, club de Régionale 1 (D6), lequipe.fr, 20 May 2019
  39. Fin de l’aventure pour Daniel Cousin à Fos-sur-Mer, lensois.com, 30 September 2019
  40. "Cousin, Daniel". National Football Teams. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  41. "Daniel Michel Cousin - International Appearances". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  42. "Lens 3-1 Cluj (Aggregate: 4 - 2)". UEFA. Archived from the original on 14 June 2007. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
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