Cote d’Ivoire sack Coach Jean-Louis Gasset amidst AFCON struggle
A decision has been made by the Cote d’Ivoire Football Association to part ways with National team head coach Jean-Louis Andre Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Marie Printant following a disappointing performance in the group stage of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
The decision to sack Gasset and Printant was announced by the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) in the aftermath of the Elephants’ humiliating 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in the last group stage match.
The defeat marked the heaviest home loss in the history of Ivory Coast football.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, the FIF cited “insufficient results” as the primary reason for terminating the contracts of both the head coach and his assistant. The statement expressed regrets over the team’s performance during the group stage and emphasized the need for a change in leadership.
“The contracts of coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant are terminated due to insufficient results. The Ivorian Football Federation expresses its regrets at the performance of the Elephants during the group stage,” the FIF statement read.
Despite the setback, Cote d’Ivoire still holds faint hopes of progressing to the last 16 as one of the best third-placed teams. The team’s fate will be determined by the results of the last group games on Wednesday.
Emerse Fae, one of Gasset’s assistants, has been appointed as the interim boss to lead the team for the remainder of the tournament.
2023 AFCON hosts, Cote d’Ivoire finished the group stage with three points, securing a 2-0 win against Guinea-Bissau but suffering defeats to Nigeria (0-1) and Equatorial Guinea (0-4).
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