The desperate bid by Cote d’Ivoire to have an ‘emergency’ coach following their dramatic back door entry into the Africa Cup of Nations’ Round of 16 has failed, Reelradio.com.ng reports.
The Afcon hosts had hoped to get on loan their former coach, Herve Renard who is currently France women’s coach. Renard led Zambia to beat Cote d’Ivoire to win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 and late switched to Cote d’Ivoire and led them to win the 2015 edition.
After firing their 70-year old French coach, Jean-Louis Gasset following a scandalous 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire now found themselves coachless after sneaking into the knockout stage.
They are billed to face the most likely winner of the current tournament, Senegal.
The titanic task ahead has prompted a desperate search for an emergency coach. But talks with the French federation over a possible loan deal for Renard broke down without agreement on Thursday.
“The negotiations did not finish favorably, it’s because it shouldn’t have been,” the 55-year-old Renard told broadcaster Canal Plus. “I’d have loved it but fate chose otherwise.”
According to ESPN, interim coach Emerse Faé will likely stay in charge for the game against defending champion Senegal in Yamoussoukro on Monday.
