Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has been
appointed to lead the Ivory Coast at this summer's World Cup. The
veteran Swede will be manager of the African nation as they attempt
to make an impact in South Africa.
His last job was as director of football at Notts County, who he
left in February, however he has recent international experience
having been boss of Mexico until being sacked in April 2009.
Eriksson led England from 2001 until 2006, twice steering the
team to World Cup quarter-finals. The Ivory Coast have been handed
a difficult World Cup group draw against Brazil, Portugal and North
Korea, and Eriksson has been instructed to ensure his team give an
"honourable" performance.
Ivory Coast, whose team is nicknamed 'the Elephants', suffered a
disappointing quarter-final exit at the hands of Algeria during the
African Nations Cup at the start of the year.
That prompted the national federation - the FIF - to part
company with coach Vahid Halilhodzic. Former Real Madrid boss Bernd
Schuster and former Wales and Manchester City manager Mark Hughes
were both recently linked with the job, however 62-year-old
Eriksson's experience worked in his favour.
A statement released by the FIF said: "Aware of the great
expectations of our population who have taken a keen interest in
the matter, the executive committee focused its choice on Mr
Sven-Goran Eriksson.
"The Swede has been, among others, coach of England and Mexico.
He is an experienced technician who has been proven. "His mission
is to lead our team during this World Cup, and to ensure that there
is an honourable participation in a competition reserved for the
top 32 football nations in the world, and it obviously will be
difficult.
"Therefore, the executive committee of the FIF appeals to the
sacred union between the 'Elephants' and their coach." The FIF have
not decided on the future leadership of the team beyond the World
Cup, with Eriksson's appointment likely to be a short-term
measure.
Ivory Coast, whose World Cup squad will include Premier League
stars Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Emmanuel Eboue and Kolo Toure,
plus a host of other players playing at a high level in Europe, had
been fancied to make a big impact in the first World Cup to be
played in Africa.
Their draw has lowered expectations, though. They begin their
campaign against Portugal on June 15 in Port Elizabeth, before
playing Brazil on June 20 in Johannesburg.
Eriksson will hope his team remain in with a chance of reaching
the last 16 by the time they take on North Korea in Nelspruit on
June 25.
