Host Ivory Coast sacks coach during tournament, Ghana and Gambia coaches have already left their positions

It hasn’t been decided yet, if the home team of Ivory Coast, which finished third in Group A of the African Championship, would advance out of the group. But the leadership of the football federation decided to literally fire the coach of its national team. This was the renowned French globetrotter Jean-Louis Gasset.

First two teams of the group will advance to the eight finals of the AFCON, which hosted by Ivory Coast. Followed by the four teams from the third place. Ivory Coast finished third in the group behind the biggest surprise of the tournament, Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria, having beaten only Guinea-Bissau in the group stage.

They finished third with three points and a dismal 2-5 record. Moreover, regardless of whether Côte d’Ivoire still happened to advance from third place in the group, the national team’s leadership was adamant.

“The contracts of coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant will be terminated due to inadequate results,” the (FIF) said in a press release.

Emerse Fae will be the Ivory Coast coach for the time being, another of Gasset’s assistants. But otherwise the former professional footballer will only take up the job on an interim basis. At least until FIF announces a new coach.

Ivory Coast is not the first team without a coach

Incidentally, the home team coach is not the first coach to be sacked at this year’s African championship. Even before the French coach was in the service of Ivory Coast, the national associations had already terminated the contracts of the coaches of Ghana and Gambia.

Coach Chris Hughton was forced to quit after Ghana drew with Egypt and Mozambique in the group stage. And lost to another surprise group winner, Cape Verde. It was coach Tom Sainfiet’s side that lost all three games – to Senegal, Cameroon and Guinea.

At least three eighth-final matches are also already certain. With Saturday’s between Nigeria and Cameroon sure to be worthwhile as one of the two big favourites will not make the top eight.

In Sunday’s semi-final, Equatorial Guinea will fight with Guinea. And we´ll see if their group results were not just a momentary “positive play”. And on Monday, we will have another surprise from Cape Verde, who will challenge Mauritania in the semi-final duel.

Source: Kicker, Cafonline