Bamba’s Plans for the Ivory Coast Manager Position Post AFCON Final
After the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final on Sunday, Sol Bamba intends to discuss the Ivory Coast manager position and the future backroom staff. The Ivory Coast team, who will be facing Nigeria in the final, made the decision to sack their previous manager, Jean-Louis Gasset, last month, despite their progression to the last 16.
Assistant coach Emerse Fae took over the managerial role and has since secured victories over Senegal, Mali, and DR Congo. With only Nigeria left to defeat, Ivory Coast has a chance to claim their third AFCON title. Bamba, who had 46 appearances for the Ivory Coast during his playing career, expresses his satisfaction with Fae taking charge.
During an interview on The Athletic Football Podcast, Bamba shares his thoughts on the coaching situation, stating, “When we had Jean-Louis Gasset, people were not happy. We wanted someone we thought represented us the best they could and that was not him.” He adds, “I know him (Gasset) very well. He’s a great lad. He never managed in Africa before and there are so many things involved in managing in Africa. Emerse (Fae) had been there for two years under him.”
Bamba acknowledges that the past couple of weeks have been unusual. He expresses his contentment with Fae being in charge and highlights his personal relationship with him. Bamba explains, “There was an opportunity for me to go away with him and Guy Demel to go and assist him. The turnaround was too quick, so Guy went with him to finish the tournament with him.”
However, Bamba also emphasizes the importance of former players getting opportunities to manage their national teams. He shares his experience in trying to make this happen, saying, “We tried to do that for many years. When Idrissa Diallo was in power, he said that he wanted local ex-players to come and look after the national team.” Bamba believes that this approach, which has been adopted by teams like Senegal, Morocco, and Algeria, should be followed by everyone and would be beneficial for African football.
Bamba concludes by clarifying his intentions, stating, “From my point of view, I am saying that this is all we have been asking for, an opportunity. People sometimes think that we just want jobs because of the color of our skin. That is not what we want. We want opportunities, and if you’re good enough for the job, you will get it.”
In summary, Sol Bamba plans to hold discussions about the Ivory Coast manager role and the future backroom staff after the AFCON final. He expresses his satisfaction with Emerse Fae taking charge and highlights the importance of giving former players the chance to manage their national teams. Bamba believes that this approach will benefit African football and hopes for equal opportunities based on merit rather than skin color.