BANGUI (AfroBasket 2015) - Coach Michel Perrin is on a mission with the Central African Republic (CAF), the fourth African national team he is in charge of in as many years.

The Frenchman, a globetrotter on the African continent, has only one thing on his mind, which is to do well in one of FIBA Africa Zone 4 qualifiers and get CAF to secure a place at AfroBasket 2015, which will take place from 20-30 August in Tunisia.

CAF will take on Chad and Gabon in a three-team qualifier taking place in Gabon in March.

Last week, Perrin brought together 12 Central African players in Paris, France, for the first time.

He came away from it with good overall impressions but knows there is a lot work to do, especially as most professional players missed out the one-week training camp, and will, probably, stay away from the qualifier in Gabon.

Perrin has been tasked to help CAF qualify for their eighth consecutive AfroBasket in 14 years.

"As we speak, there is a lot of room for improvement," he told FIBA.com.

It is a shame some of the players can't come now because of their professional commitments. - Perrin

"Therefore, we'll do everything to get qualified, and, hopefully, some of those guys [professional players] will join the team at AfroBasket."

CAF last won an African Championship in 1987. 

Over the years, the country has produced some talented players such as Romain Sato and Michael Mokongo, but for some reason they continue to miss out on podium places.

One of the latest talents to emerge from the CAF shores goes by the name of Wilfried Londoumon.

He is yet to play for the senior national team, but his opportunity could be about to come this year.

"He is talented, but he needs to work a little more to step up his game," Perrin said.

The Frenchman who is based in Geneva has coached Mali's women's team at the 2012 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Ankara, Turkey, but is yet to be in charge of a team at AfroBasket.

He also coached both national teams of Cameroon in qualifier tournaments - the women in 2011 and the men in 2013.

After helping Cameroon book their place at AfroBasket 2013, Perrin was replaced by Lazare Adingono who led them to a fifth-place finish at the tournament in Cote d'Ivoire.

This year, however, he says he has no clubs commitments, which impeded him from coaching in FIBA Africa's flagship events.

"Hopefully I will remain with the CAF national team for a longer period this time," he said.

Max Kouguere, who plays for Orleans Loiret Basket in France's Pro A, agrees with Perrin and calls for CAF to select their best players to doing well at AfroBasket. 

If we bring all our best players we can do something good at the AfroBasket. - Kouguere

The country's leading scorer and rebounder in Abidjan two years ago, said: "Who would have said Egypt would play the Final of the 2013 AfroBasket? It is just to say that anything is possible. But it requires good preparation and good organisation."

FIBA